as it was being admirably tried out technically, when it switched from a really funny and spot-on comedy and spoof of Romero's film to suddenly taking itself a bit too seriously as a zombie movie. 2 I almost hate to say this, but... Zombieland ultimately wins on counts of being so funny- or as the kids say, "f***in' funny as hell, OMG"- that it hurts, and giving us characters to take away with that we care about when, you know, they aren't slaughtering the undead one by one. It's also so bad-ass you can taste the awesome, something rare to find in movies outside of the Road Warrior.It stars Jessie Eisenberg as a guy whom we may have seen him sort of play before, more or less, as the awkward kid who hasn't had sex and spent much of his time playing World of Warcraft and hooked on Mountain Dew when he got attacked by the first zombie he met - a girl from apartment 406 who got bit by a homeless man. What does this last part have to do with the plot? Well, only inasmuch that it gives the first incentive for Eisenberg's character, here named Columbus after the city he's going to originally, to craft a list of things to do when confronted with zombies. For example, seat-belts, or the "double-tap" rule which involves shooting a zombie, and then making sure to shoot once more in the head. He keeps this list and lists it almost like out of Wes Anderson's Bottle Rocket, and as a not-quite-wuss he fares OK on his own... and then he meets Talahassee Harrelson, good Lord , a seemingly walking-talking-cursing redneck who misses his puppy Buck and just wants a damn Twinkie - and NOT those Hostess Snowball things.It's after they pair up, and subsequently meet two con women or rather con-woman and con-girl played by Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin who at first just car-jack Columbus and Talahassee. That is until they start riding a bit together and find they need each other way more than they don't. This might make it sound like a squishy story, perhaps with some room for some ample social commentary like a Romero movie. It doesn't really have that. It's more akin to National Lampoon's Vacation, complete with a "quest" to reach a theme-park in Los Angeles, and maybe running into some hijinks and surprises along the way. If one of those may happen to be Bill Murray in his mansion where he's in zombie-garb and make-up to "blend-in", then so be it. Holy crap, did I just mention Bill Murray in a zombie movie? Damn straight, and now you know what kind of movie this is.So yes, Zombieland has the things zombie-movie lovers go for first and foremost, which are really effective looking un-dead, some genuine scares at least the kind that give easily-impressionable girls watching the movie at midnight the screams , and some really solid action. But it's first and foremost a comedy, one that is focused on character and wit and surprise and ingenuity over just satire, and it fires on all cylinders. I don't think I've had this much pure fun at a movie in a while not counting the kind of a movie-lover like Inglourious Basterds or the "guy" movie comedy of the Hangover , and its all due to newcomer director Ruben Fleischer and his writers not pulling any punches. Since we believe in the world they're in, pretty much, we can buy whatever comedy springs out, sometimes from simple one-liners like the banter while driving in the car i.e. Hannah Montana, Willie Nelson , or just the sheer insanity of the climactic battle at the theme park where the rides are used to their maximum, including yes YES! a Haunted House! From its opening credits sequence that promises as much and gives an impression of its tone like none other this year except Watchmen, to the odd-couple bond between Eisenberg and Harrelson that works so well you can't see it any other way, to that nearly quirky/awesome way that Columbus faces his fear of clowns while re-writing his own rule on heroics, to... almost every scene with a couple of exceptions, no opportunity is wasted, or just taken upon by its makers. It's so sharp and original a take on a subject nearly beaten to death pun intended that its success just shows the potential still there: for all of the horrible and cheapo living-dead product out there, one can go back to this or the original Return of the Living Dead and realize something essential. It's about the people, not the zombies, and the people here, and how zombies are 'treated', simply just... rocks.

one.*Minor Spoilers Ahead* Our main character is Columbus Jesse Eisenberg , since no one uses their real names in Zombieland. We get a brief window into the world as it is now, completely invaded by zombies. Columbus takes us through some of his rules on how he survived like #1 cardio, #2 double tap, #3 beware of bathrooms and #4 seat belts. We then join him in present day in Garland, Texas and he makes his escape utilizing those same rules he's far from a zombie killing bad-ass though, he mostly succeeds through discipline and some luck . He reveals that he's trying to get back to Ohio to see his family. The odds aren't in his favour though, most of the world has been wiped out. He reveals that he's always been a loner but he actually misses seeing people around. Someone then rolls up in a Cadillac Escalade with a large number 3 painted on the side. The draw their guns on each other but Columbus holds out his thumb and Tallahassee Woody Harrelson offers him a ride. They clearly don't gel personality wise with Tallahassee being more of an unhinged zombie killing machine and Columbus is a nervous and cautious kind of guy. But they decide to stick together at least for the time being.Most zombie related programming is horror related. Zombieland is less a horror film and more of a dark action comedy. One of the things that makes it so memorable is that it's so funny. It was written by the co-writers of Deadpool another excellent dark action comedy and although the actors/actresses bring so much to the movie, one of the biggest stars is the actual script itself. We see the movie through Columbus' eyes as he travels around with 3 bad-ass zombie killers and his interpretation of the events in the movie is so ridiculous by contrast, it's hilarious. Between the action and the comedy, the movie rarely slows down if at all and with a short run time, it doesn't overstay it's welcome either. There's nothing wrong with a movie being long if it has enough material but there's something to be said for accomplishing what you want to get done and leaving before people get tired of it.Looking at the 4 main characters of the cast, you'll easily recognize them as almost all of them populate the A list. At this time Jesse and Emma were both up and coming talents and this movie helped cement them. Jesse really stepped out of Michael Cera's shadow with a great comedic performance and Emma showed that how multi-talented she can be. She was really funny in Zombieland and she hit the more serious notes as well. This was a good movie for Abigail Breslin to do. It helped her transition out of being a child star and while she was still a kid in this film, she more than held her own. Lastly, Woody was already famous so while I can't credit his success to this movie, this is easily the funniest I've ever seen him be in a movie. In an era of the Walking Dead where you have completely serious zombie killers, his character was more laid back and enjoyed channelling his internal pain into brutally killing the undead. Woody makes his character somebody you want to follow and it's always fun to see how he's going to deal with the zombies in the next scene whether he's swinging a banjo or using hedge clippers .One of the really unique things this movie brings is that it was made relatively cheap but it's got some really cool visual tricks. Things like the actually lettering for Columbus' rules popping up and interacting with the environment like the letters moving when limber up appears. It's not completely new but they use it so well. The action is hard and brutal, they also find ways to get some interesting shots there's lots of slow motion and they work the comedy into the action pretty organically . The zombies look disgusting in a good way and they found a way to put a different spin on them. It's not on the level of a movie that had 100s of millions in its budget but it's still well done and it could easily pass for having twice the budget it did.I've watched this movie many times over and it is still super entertaining every time I put it on. It wouldn't be in my top 10 all time but it wouldn't be far outside it. It delivers on all fronts and it's like I said in the opening, if we ultimately don't get the sequel that's okay, I'll enjoy the perfectly wrapped gift this movie is.

This is one excellently well-written comedy that packs genuinely effective laughs into nearly every scene - which is a feat in itself. The dialog is often hilarious and the comic gags are clever. The characters are endearing and very likable. The direction is quite good and there's plenty of gruesome zombie chaos for genre fans to enjoy.The cast is great. Jesse Eisenberg is a joy as the wimp-turned-lovesick-hero. Woody Harrelson has never played a more colorful character and he's a complete hoot. Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin are solid as the two sisters. Bill Murray is a welcomed sight as he makes an uproariously funny cameo - playing himself no less.Zombieland is one of the most entertaining movies I've seen in ages. It's a comedy that more than delivers on what it promises and becomes a superior horror-comedy that's not just for zombie fans. It is destined to be a cult classic. See it!**** out of ****

brilliant cast. Eisenberg is awesome as the main protagonist, Columbus, portraying that sense of vulnerability and awkwardness, without becoming too Michael Cera-like. Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin are also terrific as the sweet, yet tough Wichita and the more-mature-than-she-seems Little Rock, respectively. The real stand-out performance, though, is Woody Harrelson as the Twinkie-lovin', zombie-hatin' Tallahassee. Next to that of Woody Boyd on Cheers and Frasier, this is definitely the best performance of his career. There's also a painfully hilarious cameo appearance about mid-way through the film that would be a crime to spoil. Suffice it to say, this is – hands-down – the best cameo that I've ever seen in a film.The most surprising aspect of Zombieland, to me, is how much heart there is. All of the characters feel warm and alive, and what drama there is to be found feels extremely sincere. Ultimately, you feel invested in the story and the characters, which – I think – is the most important thing any film of any genre can do.Zombieland has instantly become a horror favorite of mine comedic or otherwise . The – for the lack of a better word – quotable dialogue, consistently hysterical tone, and endearing characters, all come together to create a film that will undoubtedly become a cult classic.

reason it seems that every zombie in Zombieland has a blood belching problem. Literally every zombie has blood spewing from their mouth. This is captured best in the intro as you almost feel like you are supposed to have the 3D glasses in place.Columbus is funny enough with his phobias and geek lifestyle that proves to be what keeps him alive but it isn't until he meets Tallahassee Woody Harrelson , that things really kick into gear. Harrelson seems to have been born for this role. He has more one liners than any character in recent memory. Each line is typically vulgar but even if offensive it is near impossible not to laugh. Let's face it, if you are completely offended by language or blood then you aren't likely to be sitting with a crowd watching Zombieland in the first place.A little romance is thrown into the mix when Columbus and Tallahassee come up on Wichita Emma Stone and Little Rock Abigail Breslin . For a zombie comedy I thought Eisenberg and Stone actually had decent chemistry. Not that much time is dedicated to romance but what is there comes across as sincere and lets us watch as Columbus transitions from geek to hero. Even without the romance the girls are an important part of the chemistry of Zombieland. They help to even out the brawn and the brains between the four characters.Zombieland has a simple story. The guys are loners. Columbus with the simple mission to stay alive and Tallahassee with a never ending search for any and all of the remaining golden Twinkies left on the planet. The girls are sisters who are trying to get to an amusement park in CA where they believe, or at least want to believe it is zombie free. A small part of the film feels like the movie Vacation with zombies. The comical trip with a destination which you can just feel isn't going to be what the characters hope for. Like Vacation it shows that the journey is far more important than the destination.The biggest moment of the film has to be the mystery cameo. I'm glad I didn't know who it was and I won't spoil it for anyone else. I will say that it was brilliantly written into the script. PERFECT! It really goes to show how much they focused on getting Zombieland to be a top notch flick that should go down as a horror-comedy classic to remember. It will certainly fit alongside Shaun of the Dead in my movie collection.

of fitting with the style of the movie.Lastly, while the whole movie is hilarious, one scene in particular will have you in fits, one of the funniest single little scenes I've ever seen. But, no spoilers here!

character and Woody Harrelson's redneck zombie-killing 'Tallahassee' play very well off each other and provide plenty of memorable moments. Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin are also solid throughout. There is also one unforgettable cameo that had most of the audience rolling in the aisles. The film has a simple, easy to follow storyline that does not provoke a lot of questions. Indeed, if you go to this movie expecting a lot of plot twists and surprises, you're going to be severely disappointed. There is however, good action, good laughs, and plenty of zombie related gore. At about 90 minutes long, it does not drag on and gets to the predictable but satisfying ending, going out in style. There will no doubt be a lot of comparisons to "Shaun of the Dead", which is nothing to be ashamed of, but this is truly a one of a kind movie experience that holds its own with any not only any zombie movie in recent memory, but with any comedy so far this year. As long as you don't go into this movie expecting too much, you'll get your money's worth. Well done.

worst of times. I recommend this to anybody who has a remote interest in comedies, zombie/end of the world flicks, or just having a good time at the theater, and look forward to seeing it again when it comes out.

comedic spin on it. I mean come on, a zombie stripper wearing nipple tasles running in slow motion.....how could anyone not want to see that? The movie is very basic in its groundwork, but excels in its humor and character drive. Woody is basically a zombie film buff's wet dream. A hoosier red neck who wants to just kill zombies for the rest of his life. Now i must admit, towards the middle of the movie, it almost felt like they weren't focusing on the whole zombie aspect that much........mainly because they were adding a little depth to each of the characters. But rest assured, by the end, it totally quenches your thirst. But through all the hilarious dialogue and funny little zombie killing sequences, the best part of the movie was hands down the cameo. Now if you have not heard who it is by now, im not going to say it........but it is almost genius, and probably the best cameo ever created, and i will stand by that 100%. Trust me, it is that funny. Bottom Line.......i know i love zombie movies, and i might seem a little bias........but damnit, this movie is easily the best comedy of the year. It was the perfect mix of humor and gore........not only that, the story was pretty decent, and very entertaining to watch unfold. This movie is seriously like a fun house at the carnival. It will easily be accepted by the zombie lover crowd, and the general population. This movie is easily one of the 10 best i have seen so far this year. If your looking to have a good time at the theatre, this movie will surely provide that.