Nut Up or Shut Up

Rating: 7/10 (4 October 2009)

Columbus is a big wuss -- but when you're afraid of being eaten by zombies, fear can keep you alive. Tallahassee is an AK-toting, zombie-slaying' bad ass whose single determination is to get the last Twinkie on earth. As they join forces with Wichita and Little Rock, who have also found unique ways to survive the zombie mayhem, they will have to determine which is worse: relying on each other or succumbing to the zombies.
For this review, I'll refrain from comparing ZOMBIELAND with SHAUN OF THE DEAD, even though I probably will in the course of writing it. To start things off, ZOMBIELAND has one of the most beautiful opening credits scene in movie history. In fact, it's reminiscent of one I saw in WATCHMEN months earlier. But let's get to the point, much like the movie, which runs at a scant 80 minutes: ZOMBIELAND is one of those laugh-per-minute movies in which most of the jokes thrown on the screen work because they are clever and witty.
It's also not one of those movies in which survivors are looking for a cure or loved ones. In fact, there's not much of a story structure in here. Just think of it as a road trip movie that happens to take place in a world filled with zombies and that's part of the fun in this movie. It's about a group of people who, at first, don't trust each other but slowly, and surely, start to grow on one another. This adds humanity to the movie. At one point, one of the characters call ANACONDA an R rated movie when it's really rated PG-13. This shows that everybody makes mistakes and aren't perfect.
As funny the movie is, there's also a sweet and an endearing side to it. One such character we come to love the first minute we see him is played by Jesse Eisenberg, whom many will compare to Michael Cera, although Eisenberg has appeared in movies before Cera, including CURSED by Wes Craven. Along with him, the rest of the cast really make the movie have a higher standard than most in this genre. Woody Harrelson is just perfect for the role, having some great one-liners too. Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin also do a great job. There's also one great, hilarious cameo in here which I dare not spoil. You will have to see it for yourself.
Although the zombie genre may seem dead, movies like ZOMBIELAND give it a reason to stay. The movie is very funny but also has a sweet side to it. The movie has it's touching moments along with some zombie action, especially towards the end. Oh, and if you're worried about the short running time, don't worry about it. The movie felt longer than that. Watch it if you're a fan of the zombie genre. If you're not, I still think it's worth the watch. Oh, and I've managed to not compare this film with SHAUN OF THE DEAD!