Profile
Subscribe
While I was watching Zombieland today, I realized that I was watching it with more people than normal. When I went to see Halloween 2, there was a crowd of people, but there still wasn’t what I would call a lot of people. The theater today wasn’t anywhere near being full, but there was still a good crowd there. Early reports are saying that Zombieland has made around $25 million for its opening weekend, making it the number one film for the moment. This leads me to believe I’m sort of wasting my time writing this review, but that has never stopped me before! The fact that Zombieland did so well doesn’t really surprise me much. It is a horror movie, but they play up the comedy more than the horror. This means it will likely appeal to those that don’t like horror films.
Zombieland begins with us meeting Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg). That isn’t his real name, but it is one of his rules: Never get personal. Columbus is actually where he is from. The United States has been overrun by zombies. We don’t get to see this happening, just the aftermath of it. Columbus was going to college in Austin when the zombie outbreak happened, and has now decided to try and get to Columbus to check on his parents. We get a little introduction to who Columbus is, and what his rules are in this zombie world. It doesn’t take long before he meets Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson). Tallahassee hates the zombies, for his own personal reason, and takes big risks at times in order to kill them. Even though Columbus and Tallahassee aren’t sure about each other, they decide to hook up, at least for a little while. One of the things that Tallahassee wants is a Twinky, but he doesn’t have much luck getting one. I bring this up because it is how these two guys meet Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin). The two women, actually one is only 12, manage to trick the guys into giving them their guns. When they do, the girls turn on them, and take all of their stuff. For the rest of the movie, we follow these four people as they travel to the west coast.
As I said, Zombieland is more focused on being a comedy. There are plenty of zombies to be found, and there are a few gory scenes, but the horror of it is played down. Even if you couldn’t tell from the trailer, it is obvious from the start that comedy will be at the front of things. I didn’t have a problem with it, as it still looked like it was going to be a fun movie. Zombieland manages to be a lot of fun, and be funny on top of that. Some of the better lines were met with silence though, since I think we have all heard them in the trailers already. Still, it made me laugh at times, which is all I can ask for out of a comedy movie. If it gets me to laugh a few times then it is doing its job. At least that is how I feel about it. I did hear a few ews here and there. I didn’t find any of it gross, but then I guess I could be a called a hardcore horror fan. Zombieland might disappoint some people though. One reason being it isn’t a straight up horror film, which they should have figured out beforehand in all honesty. Another reason is because Zombieland ends up being more about these four people than anything else. There are long stretches where no zombies show up, but we get to know the characters in their own way. It wasn’t really the movie I was expecting it to be, but I still ended up really liking it. I know that lately I have been complaining about trailers. I have been watching more trailers lately than I normally do, and I’m starting to wish I wouldn’t do that. I really think I would have laughed more if it hadn’t been for the trailers for this film. The zombie kill of the week? Pretty much what you see in the trailer is all it is. It is a fun joke, but completely spoiled due to the trailer.
The effects are top notch. There is nothing real gory, at least to me. All the zombies look good, but I’m sure some people will complain that they aren’t slow zombies. Once in a while we will see a zombie snacking on someone, but it isn’t like they are pulling that person’s guts out of them or anything. They kept it light in the gore department, which fits in with the rest of the movie really. The acting was great by everyone. Woody Harrelson is well…Woody. I can’t think of a film that I have watched of his that I was disappointed by his acting. Jesse Eisenberg does a good job with being rather nerdy in his own way. His voice over work was also good. I have only watched a couple of films that had Emma Stone in them, but she is growing on me more and more. She also reminds me a lot of Lindsay Lohan as far as looks go. Abigail Breslin has had a lot of roles already, and she is only 13. It is easy to see why though. I’m looking forward to seeing more films she is in, and going to be in (five movies within the next year it appears). Bill Murray shows up for a cameo appearance.
I have complained about characters doing stupid things in movies sometimes. Truth is, it is almost expected in a horror film. Sometimes plot advancement depends on its characters doing stupid things. Another truth is that we all do stupid things. With Zombieland, we meet four people that are hanging onto something, in order to help them get through their day. Columbus wants to see his parents again. Tallahassee lost the one thing in the world he truly loved, but isn’t ready to lay down and die either. Little Rock wants to go to a fun park that she remembers going to once before, and big sister Wichita wants to make that happen. It is kind of ironic that these are people that relied mostly on themselves before zombies took over. The fact that none of them really trust each other, except the sisters of course, isn’t much of a stretch even if they do appear to be the last people around. Was it stupid to go to a fun park at night? Yes it was, but I think in the back of their minds, they know they could die at any moment anyway. The only thing that didn’t make sense to me is how they were riding the rides without anyone operating them. The thought entered my mind when I noticed them doing this, but it isn’t the first movie to do it, so I just went with it. Zombieland is what it set out to be, a funny movie that happens to be set after a zombie outbreak. It would have been better if I didn’t know so much about it, mostly the funny stuff, but I still enjoyed myself. I think this is one movie that would grow on me the more I watched it.
3 out of 5 Riding a rollercoaster and shooting zombies = a great new ride
I agree I saw it it was hilarious :)
Howdy Miss Heather, and thanks for getting up another of your killer reviews so quickly sweet lady (smiling, clapping). I could tell from the ads on tv that this one had a strong comedy element to it, but could only hope that the mix would work well for you maam. Since we do very much tend to enjoy the same things, I was waiting to read how this one worked for you.
Like you, I think it would have been nice if they had put more effects and in general given a bit more horror to things. But that was not the road they chose to go down, and it still seemed to work well for you Miss Heather. I have no idea right now how long before I can drive to a big screen again, as I am still in captive audience status, lmao. But since this one did so well opening weekend, I will hope that it will still be playing somewhere close enough to me that making the trip to watch it will not be a major evolution.
Thanks again for getting up another review so quickly pretty lady. I will make a deal with the fabuluous flippered femme fetale. If you write and post it, I will read and comment on it, lol. Till next time Miss Heather (smiling, tips my hat).
I can’t believe you just gave out the cameo. That is intended to be a nice treat in the movie. Literally no one was expecting that as they pull up to the "BM" gates. I don’t follow your reviews/articles, so perhaps you are prone to divulge surprise endings and poo on me. However, you really should warn people, especially since the film has not even been out for a week.
Howdy, and as a long time follower/fan of Miss Heather’s movie reviews I want to jump in and respond to you comment. I know from both many previous discussions we have shared that Miss Heather and I both agree that surprise endings of movies should not be given out. She and I and many others "hate it" when a reviewer gives the ending of a movie or book away. We are sort of like, well why should I even spend my time watching/reading this now?
So I reckon it simply comes down to what you consider a "plot killer" or "spoiler" to be. Not to argue with you in the least, just to give my view, I differ about 180 degree frin tiy. I personally do not feel talking about a cameo appearance equates to discussing the movie ending or spoiling things. Not to speak for Miss Heather at all, as she is far more capable of explaining herself than anyone else, I am certain that she does not cosider a cameo comment the equivalent of giving up the surprise ending or spoiling things for her fans. That is just not the way she writes or apprroaches her reviews.
I read you comment and actually had to think quite a bit about what it was referring to, until I caught and keyed on "cameo". Not to be argumentative in the least, but I simply don’t see that issue as you do. I just do not equate cameo appearances with surprise endings at all.
All I said is that he has a cameo in the movie and left it at that. I knew before the movie was even released that Bill Murray was in the film. I kept waiting for the man to show up, and still didn’t make the connection right away. Just because I knew he was in the film didn’t spoil the surprise of it. I had no idea where in the film he was going to be, nor did I know what his role in the film was going to be. It didn’t make it any less funny knowing he is in the film.
I didn’t "spoil" anything, outside of the fact that Murray is in the film. I could have said a whole lot more about it, but I didn’t want to give anymore about it away. What to say, and what not to say, in a review in order not to give too much of the plot away is a judgement call. Saying who is in a film, cameo or not, is not giving anything away in my view.