Zombies with a Sense of Humor

Rating: 9/10 (30 March 2010)

This hilarious skewering of the walking dead genre is gross as can be, but it's also funny as hell and even -- dare I say? -- rather sweet.
Jesse Eisenberg, who I usually find pretty unappealing, is likable as a geek who manages to survive a zombie apocalypse and stays alive by following a laundry list of zombie survival rules (things like always checking the backseat and staying on top of your cardio regimen so you can outrun the undead when necessary). He comes across Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a crazy fellow survivor with a penchant for Twinkies. This unlikely pair eventually teams up with a couple of sisters, and these individual loners who until now have believed that the key to survival is to trust no one form a little island of family in a sea of carnage.
"Zombieland" is mostly a goof, but it does carry throughout a relevant message about the power of human kindness and connection to help people cope with a world that's full of nothing but bad news. The cast has a lot of chemistry, and the film is quick and clever.
There's a cameo from a big-time movie star playing himself that comes about halfway through the movie and gives it some of its biggest laughs.
Grade: A