Alabamian Article: Zombieland

It’s October and you know what that means for movies: horror flicks. They started early this year with the October 2nd premier of Zombieland directed by Reuben Fleischer. This much anticipated, and highly advertised flick about a world ruled by sick cannibals stars Adventureland’s Jesse Eisenberg (a physical cross between Michael Cera and a Jonas Brother) and film veteran Woody Harrelson. This unlikely pair is just two of the few remaining humans not infected by the virus that turned most of the Earth’s population into zombies. Eisenberg plays his typical role, a neurotic nerd that has never been kissed. One wouldn’t expect him survive such a disaster, but his list of rules helps keep him alive. Harrelson plays a loud-mouthed, rule breaking, Southern man hell-bent on finding a Twinkie (because they do expire, you know!). The movie, however, centers on the main characters quests to find family members or a new home. Along the way Eisenberg and Harrelson run into sisters who are also drifters and apparent swindlers. The sisters, Abigail Breslin and Emma Stone, cause nothing but trouble for Harrelson and heartache for Eisenberg. But this group of strangers soon finds a singular path to an amusement park in California. A stop in Los Angeles, a surprise cameo will leave your sides sore from laughter, a theme park wrought with zombies, and a predictable ending round out the film. Despite the zombie clichés and hokey jokes, the writers did a fantastic job of endearing the audience to the main characters without drawing obvious attention to the humanization. Most zombie movies are flash in the pan successes, but Zombieland has the potential to be the new go to humorous horror flick. All in all it was a decent movie with opportunity for more than a few good laughs. I predict that people will be quoting this movie for months to come, so if you haven’t made it to a theater to see it, make sure you do!

Maddy Coley
October 2009