Flashy entertainment without a message

Rating: 7/10 (16 November 2009)

I had some fun watching this movie as it works as a horror comedy, but at the same time lately I feel guilty giving this kind of movie a high rating. There's just nothing new to be added, instead, the same plot elements get further condensed and reduced every time, like a new snapshot of a well-know monument.
The thing is that people apply the same rating for different kinds of movies. I gave this one a 7 for good but mindless entertainment, but it can't be helped that it will rank there on the same level as other movies which get a 7 for being cinematic-ally or plot-wise interesting. That's just the way it goes. Comedies that the broad public enjoys as funny are usually not clever at the same time, or would you rate American Pie as a cinematic masterpiece? At least Zombieland also worked on the character level so you could identify with the main characters (yes, that's you, nerd).
While I have the impression that the bar is constantly being lowered plot-wise these days and plot is being replaced by violence, grossness or any other kind of exaggeration, I also notice that due to the shorter attention span of the twitter generation the run time of movies gradually gets shorter. This one was over just after 80 mins, the rest was credits (and an outtake). And speaking of exaggeration, I also felt that the Bill Murray cameo was exaggerated, the same has been done before, also with Bill Murray as the supposed center of a film cult.
As the philosopher said, every nation gets the president it deserves and the audience gets the movies they deserve... and pay for.