Zombieland: Review By Newkill3000

George Romero's Dawn of the Dead was the first time I've seen a zombie flick, and throughout my years, I have become a big zombie nut, from movies to video games, such as the Resident Evil series. What I loved most about zombie films was that it was the best chance to see some freaky gory moments. In 2004, I heard about this movie that was coming out called Shaun of the Dead, a romantic comedy/ zombie movie, and I thought that was the greatest combination ever. I went in so pumped up to see it, but sadly, I walked out angry and til then I dislike all Simon Pegg movies. It bored me half to death and none of the comedy was funny to me, but I necessarily don't blame the comedy part, because I'm an American, British comedy is apart of a different culture that I just don't find funny. It was mainly the lame zombie moments and the romantic parts just felt crow-barred in. Then came along Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror, which I thought was a big one up, but I still wasn't fully pleased because it didn't capture the comedy moments and took itself to seriously. Finally, two years later, Zombieland was released and I got my wish, a fun, hilarious, zombie movie.

I'd like to take this moment and retract the statement I made in my Surrogates review about robot movies being the main theme of 2009 and say that comedies are the thing of 2009: The Hangover, Observe and Report, Funny People, and now Zombieland. This is hard for me to say, but the more you see the crashing of the horror genre, the more you see the rising of comedy based movies. A big comeback for the rated R comedies.

Zombieland, starring Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg, is an American post-apocalyptic zombie comedy. The zombies are more like the diseased humans in 28 Days Later, more than they are the original slow zombies. In a way, I would like to see them return to the slow zombie format. They're still ferocious, nasty, filthy mannered cannibals. Zombieland doesn't try to do anything new with the whole zombie mythology, they don't get smart and start shooting guns or anything. It's just plain and simple, 'You kill them or they will kill you'. The movie opens up with Jesse Eisenberg's character breaking down the basic rules of how to survive in the zombie apocalypse. For those that find Michael Cera annoying, you are in for some whole new sh*t, because this guy puts the 'f*ck' in f*cking annoying. The guys voice and performance just bugs and what's worst is that he narrates the movie. Thankfully, when Woody Harrelson comes in, which is when the real fun starts, Eisenberg's annoying self dissolves. Everyone in this movie delivered great performances, especially Woody Harrelson. Right now I just want to watch every Woody Harrelson movie there is, except Money Train. It's been a while since I've seen great zombie gore moments in a zombie movie. I would have to go way back to George Romero's Day of the Dead to get good gore. There's also one of the most unexpected, greatest cameo and homage in this movie, that will make Tyson popping up in the Hangover look like nothing.

In closing, Zombieland is a great combo of zombies in real funny comedy. I got what I wanted out of it, but now, it's time to move on. It's time to take zombies where they've never been before. Whether Romero or somebody else does it, it needs to be done. A feature film based on zombies in space. I know, Astro-Zombies, but that was back in '69. I want my space zombies.