Brilliant!

Rating: 9/10 (3 October 2009)

Narrated by the socially-isolated and rules-obsessed Columbus (Eisenberg), "Zombieland" is a film which, in my opinion, did a much better job than other notable zombie/comedy (zomedy, perhaps?) films, such as "Shaun of the Dead," of fusing the spirit of the undead (if the undead have a spirit) with a generous serving of all kinds of humor. Whether it be slapstick gags, ironic happenings, grotesque violence, or simply re-iteration of character eccentricities (which quickly become apparent), "Zombieland" kept me smiling at every moment.
Columbus, with his list of 32 rules which he obsessively follows, and to which he attributes his very survival, is trying to get from Austin, TX to his hometown of, well, Columbus, OH. On his journey, the audience learns of his self-imposed isolation, even from his parents. He hardly ever lets anyone into his life. When he tried before the dawn of Zombieland (or Z-Land), it nearly makes him one of the undead in one of the most memorable flashback scenes I have ever witnessed. Along the way, Columbus gets paired up with the nothing-left-to-lose, Twinkie-seeking Tallahassee (Harrelson). Although the two have nothing in common, they complement each other perfectly because they are polar opposites. Their clashing personalities contribute to them teaming up with a duo of sisters, Wichita and Little Rock (Stone, Breslin).
With the two sisters in tow, the audience witnesses Columbus and Wichita getting close. The film takes slight digressions for the sake of relationship depth. We discover much more about all four of the survivors in Z-Land. After this slight digression (and a spectacular cameo), it's back to the double-barreled boy to deal with some Zombies.
Zombieland did not disappoint in any way. Indeed, it's what I needed after my first week of university to start off my junior year. Great laughs, great action, and a surprising degree of depth made this film a brilliant experience for me.