Zombieland | 2009
Zombieland
The 2009 American post-apocalyptic zombie comedy film "Zombieland" was directed by Ruben Fleischer and written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. It stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, and Bill Murray. In the film, Tallahassee (Harrelson), Columbus (Eisenberg), Wichita (Stone), and Little Rock (Breslin) embark on a long road trip across the United States in search of a zombie-free refuge.
The development of "Zombieland" began in 2005, with Reese and Wernick originally writing it as a spec script for a television pilot. Fleischer helped develop the teleplay into an independent film script. Tony Gardner was hired as the film's special effects makeup designer, primarily using practical prosthetics to create the appearance of zombies. Principal photography began in February 2009 and continued through March, with filming locations in Hollywood, Atlanta, and around Georgia. Some scenes in the film included improvisation from the actors.
"Zombieland" premiered at Fantastic Fest in Austin on September 25, 2009, and was released in theaters in the United States by Sony Pictures on October 2. The film received positive reviews for its screenplay, dialogue, comedy, and performances. It grossed $102 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing zombie film in the U.S. until the release of "World War Z" in 2013. It also earned $54 million in home sales. A sequel, "Zombieland: Double Tap," was released in October 2019.
Two months prior, a variant of mad cow disease had infected humans, turning them into zombies. Survivors are advised to use nicknames based on their hometowns when meeting other survivors, to protect themselves without getting too attached. Columbus sets out from Austin, Texas, to find his parents in Columbus, Ohio. Along the way, he meets Tallahassee, who reluctantly agrees to give him a ride to Ohio. Tallahassee mentions missing his dog Buck, who was killed by a zombie.
The two encounter con artist sisters Wichita and Little Rock, and when Little Rock pretends to be bitten by a zombie, Tallahassee and Columbus are disarmed and robbed. The two men discover a yellow Hummer H2 filled with weapons and continue their journey, but they fall into another trap set by the sisters and are taken captive. Tallahassee retrieves her gun and confronts Wichita, but Columbus intervenes, leading to an uncomfortable truce as they discuss a larger problem.
The sisters reveal they plan to go to Pacific Playland amusement park in Los Angeles, known to be a zombie-free area. Columbus learns that his hometown has been destroyed and his parents are likely dead, and he decides to take the sisters to the amusement park with Tallahassee. Upon arriving in Hollywood, the group heads to Bill Murray's house at Tallahassee's suggestion. Tallahassee and Wichita play a prank on Murray, who is disguised as a zombie, while Columbus and Little Rock witness him pretending to be a zombie. However, Columbus accidentally kills Murray. Columbus soon realizes that Buck was actually Tallahassee's son and had been infected and died.
Wichita and Columbus are attracted to each other, but Wichita leaves for Pacific Playland with Little Rock the next morning. Columbus decides to follow Wichita and persuades Tallahassee to go with him. Upon arriving at Pacific Playland, the sisters activate all the rides and lights, attracting the attention of many zombies. They become trapped on the Drop Tower ride, and Tallahassee and Columbus arrive just in time. Tallahassee lures the zombies to a game booth, taking out several of them, while Columbus navigates the Drop Tower to safely rescue the sisters. Wichita kisses Columbus and reveals that her real name is Krista. The group, now resolved to stick together, leaves Pacific Playland.
"Zombieland" received positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an approval rating of 89% based on 259 critic reviews, with an average rating of 7.4/10. The consensus on the site reads, "Zombieland is wickedly funny and filled with plenty of gore, proving that the zombie subgenre is far from dead." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100 based on 31 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews." Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.
Roger Ebert expressed surprise at how humorous "Zombieland" could be while keeping zombies at the center, stating, "It could all be so depressing, but it isn't here. The filmmakers show creativity and well-timed comic timing." He noted that Bill Murray's cameo received "the biggest laugh of the year," giving the film 3 out of 4 stars. Murray's cameo was highlighted by other reviewers, with Mark Savlov of the Austin Chronicle calling it "the most clever and funny unexpected celebrity cameo in a movie he has seen." He remarked that while the film did not contribute much to the evolution of the genre, it was highly enjoyable due to its smart script and high action. Savlov categorized "Zombieland" as a film that "doesn't take death seriously," noting that its tone has more in common with "a shortened mad world" than with "28 Days Later" or "28 Weeks Later."
The film's witty dialogue and use of pop culture were also praised by Ty Burr of the Boston Globe, who said it "makes no claims to greatness but instead is filled with deliciously weary conversations about 'the end of the world.'" Michael Ordona of the Los Angeles Times commended director Fleischer for having "perfect timing and a bloodthirsty wit."
Some reviewers saw deeper levels in the plot and cinematography. Cinematographer Michael Bonvillain was praised for "capturing interesting images in a bloody carnival of post-apocalypse," while Salon.com's Stephanie Zacharek noted that "the film moves beautifully," emphasizing that "the scene where rootless wanderers take a brief respite in an empty luxurious mansion can be seen as a sideways homage to 'the rebel without a cause.'"
Claudia Puig of USA Today remarked, "Beneath the bloodshed, 'Zombieland' has a sweet heart," stating that "this road movie/horror movie/dark comedy/serious romance/action movie hybrid weaves gentle humor into all the bloody mayhem." Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly concluded that "essentially, 'Zombieland' is a slick and very funny road movie featuring four charming actors with a humorous cable TV sensibility."
Josh Levin of Slate compared "Zombieland" to "Adventureland," noting that both films feature Jesse Eisenberg trying to win over the girl of his dreams and both include theme parks. He even referred to it as "Undead Adventureland—a 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' for the Facebook generation."
Richard Corliss of Time described the film as "a thrill ride from start to finish," stating, "Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg set a high standard for this subgenre with 'Shaun of the Dead,' but Reese, Wernick, and Fleischer may have surpassed them." He added, "This is not just a good zombie comedy. It's a really great movie. And that's high praise from a vampire movie fan."
Not all comparisons to "Shaun of the Dead" were positive. Joshua Rothkopf of Time Out New York described the film's "only innovation" as "a neurosis of pop culture added," stating, "Zombieland is funny, but not particularly scary." He added that it is "not nearly as clever as 'Shaun of the Dead.'" Similarly, Rick Groen of the Globe and Mail remarked that it is "much more charming but not scary, much funnier but not frightening," suggesting that Rule 32, "Enjoy the little things," is worth keeping for light comedy. Manohla Dargis of The New York Times classified the film as "minor entertainment [filled with splatter and self-indulgence]," expressing disappointment that it lacked a real plot beyond the comedic scenes of dispatching zombies.
