Good twist on an old tale...

Rating: 8/10 (2 August 2010)

Let's face it the zombie genre has been done to death (excuse the pun). These days it's just a matter of applying a back story about how the 'disease' spread, selecting zombie speed from slow or fast, picking out a motley bunch of survivors, dangling an undead-free zone within their grasp and deciding how many of the cast survive along the way – usually dependant on the actor's wage. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed Dawn of the Dead, 28 days later and obviously Shaun of the Dead but there is too much recent mediocrity in the genre to get me excited which is why I was pleasantly surprised when Zombieland came along.
The film doesn't bother with an elaborate or annoying back story, a simple voice over brings us straight into the over-the-top world of Zombieland where we are introduced to Columbus who tells us that 99% of the population are walking dead (of which there are some very gory examples). Played by Jessie Eisenberg (picture Michael Cera with a curly dufro) Columbus is a nervous paranoid shut in who has survived by following an elaborate but effective set of rules. Travelling across America he meets Tallahassee the crazed zombie killing machine with a hankering for Twinkies (portrayed brilliantly by Woody Harrelson), and scheming sisters Little Rock and Wichita.
Umm and that's it really, there are some very funny scenes including what is possibly the best cameo in a film ever (I won't ruin it for you but it is great), and as the film doesn't have a giant cast who slowly get picked off you actually care about their fate. There is just the right amount of character development without too big a focus on past nissues (non issues); the protagonists don't mope around and deliberate over every decision, they just get on with things and do whatever they want and it seems that's the best way to deal with the insanity of it all.
So all in all Zombieland is a genuinely funny movie and a witty take on the Zombie genre, the cast are great and it all flows along nicely amalgamating in a frustrating yet perfect ending. That said, the story will never win any awards and there is the odd slow moment but in the words of Tallahassee during a heartfelt goodbye scene "That'll do pig, that'll do"
8/10
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