This is one of the few films I have reviewed so far that I have actually seen before I reviewed it. I remember seeing 'Zombieland' (2009) at least once at a friends house, and then possibly again on telly at some point. My lack of memory of these events shows that it had very little effect on me. I remember thinking that it was fine, if nothing special. With the lockdown occuring, and the fact that it had its sequel come out this year, it seemed as good a time as any to come and give it a rewatch. Would my opinion change? I mean you've seen the title of the review so you can work that one out yourself. The film follows Columbus (Jessie Eisenberg), a nerd with a phobia of almost anything, who is one of the last survivors of a zombie apocalypse. He is travelling from Texas to Ohio to see if his family are still alive. Along the way he is picked up by a gun-touting rogue named Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), who is on a mad search for a Twinkie, and two sisters, Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), who are travelling to an amusement park on the edge of LA. Despite a rocky start the four soon strike up a bound and find themselves travelling the country slaughtering zombies together.
So yeah, I had this film wrong all those years ago. I'm not going to pretend like it is this incredible masterwork of cinema and how could I have been so blind to not see this before, but it is definitely a lot better than I remember it being. It is just a lot of fun. The 'rules' that Columbus uses are a major player in the film, not just narratively but in its visual style. These rules allow the film to create sequences and moments where the audience are almost aware of whats going to happen before they do, which added a layer of enjoyment and anticipation to a lot of the film. It did mean that I was watching out for the implementation of the 'double tap' rule a lot of the time, but I think that just shows I was bought into the narrative. Speaking of the narrative, it is pretty simple. Four people with different personalities end up forming an unlikely friendship. It is nothing we haven't seen before, but it is done well and the addition of zombies does give it an added edge. On a technical level the film is solid. It is shot and edited well with some nice moments of cinematography and great practical effects. There is nothing that is going to blow you away, but it is well done. The pacing of the film is one of it's major positives. It knows when and where an action sequence is required and when it comes round to them it delivers. The action moments are really fun, especially once the group get to the amusement park, where there are a couple of particularly enjoyable action moments. They also add to the comedy of the film, which is again very solid. It isn't a laugh a minute funny, but it is consistent and I has several big laughs scattered throughout. I also couldn't go on without mentioning the soundtrack. Any film with a mix of Metallica, The Black Keys, The Raconteurs and Band of Horses is on to a winner in my book.
The performances in the film are also all really good. Jessie Eisenberg is basically playing what you imagine he would play. An annoying nerd with all the bravery of a new born kitten, and he unsurprisingly plays it well. He also manages to deliver some of the funniest moments in the film. His comedic delivery is pretty spot on throughout. Abigail Breslin is good as Little Rock. Her role requires to show both a maturity and a childlike innocence, as she is a 12 year old surviving a zombie apocalypse, and she manages to do this really well. Although she has her moments where she is quite adult in her actions you never forget that she is really just a child and this aspect of her performance is very impressive. Emma Stone is her usual self, in that her performance is very good. She manages to be this cool, hard as nails and smart character while also getting across an emotional side of herself very well. My favourite performance of the lot comes from Woody Harrelson. He is so much fun in this film. He plays the role of a bad-ass nut job really well. When he is killing zombies you really get the sense he is enjoying it, and when he can't find Twinkies you feel the anguish and anger in him. But he also has the most character development and, therefore, the most to work with out the lot. As the film progresses you learn more and more about his character which leads to more emotional and softer moments you wouldn't expect, and Harrelson performs really well in these moments. I also couldn't finish this review without mentioning the cameo by Bill Murray playing himself. It is only very short but, as it is Bill Murray, is a definite highlight of the film.
It isn't very often that a film that I didn't think much of upon first viewing changes my mind when I watch it again. 'Zombieland' was one of the exceptions. The narrative is a simple one and the technical side of the film is nothing all that special, but it doesn't stop it from being a lot of fun. It is filled with solid and fun performances from actors all have good chemistry and comedic timing, and the action scenes are a lot of fun to watch with some really creative moments thrown in. This film may not have been a recommend if you had asked me all those years ago, but it is definitely one now