Posted on 10/03/2009 7:15:16 PM PDT by The Comedian
If you like zombie movies (and what normal person doesn't?), go see this film. If you don't like zombie films, but enjoy laughing, go see this film. If you don't enjoy zombie movies or comedies, quit reading this and go make those Organizing for America door knock runs you committed to.
Zombieland sits next to, and quite possibly above "Shawn of the Dead" in the "Zombie Comedy" genre, an admittedly small but exceptionally high quality niche in the movie universe.
I took my daughter, wife, and parents to see it. 3 generations (and we are *very* different types of people) all got simultaneous belly laughs from this masterpiece. The dialog, which helps earn the R rating (along with perfectly executed ghoul feasting and bashing which may be a bit much for the more sensitive among us), is chock full of one line gems and bumper sticker-ready phrases. This is always my measure of a good movie: Impressive and memorable dialog. And Zombieland has it in spades.
Zombieland was written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, and directed by Ruben Fleischer. It stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin as survivors of a zombie apocalypse. Without exception, these actors gel perfectly and play off each other with flawless comedic timing. Hats off to them and Ruben Fleischer for doing such a great job of harmonizing bubbling dialog with bursting bodies.
I won't go into plot detail, but will say the "fast-movers" of Dawn's 2004 remake are the type of flesh-eaters which threaten our heroes (as opposed to the purist Romero shamblers), and there is enough gore and adherence to the updated fast-mover mythos to satisfy the most anal-retentive living dead devotee, and enough pure comedy to amuse even those with no exposure to the Cinematic Zombie Historical Society (Romero's body of work et al).
In summary: I want this flick on DVD, I anxiously await any and all sequels, and even though it won't happen, I stand ready to begin the write-in campaign to support the spin-off TV series. I will, however, begin memorizing dialog next time I see it. Tomorrow.
Nut up or shut up, The Comedian
My son and husband saw it today. So I guess I missed a few laughs?
I’m not a big fan of zombie movies but I like the previews I’ve seen of this one.
The previews were fantastic..
The movie lived up to my expectations..
I saw Zombieland last night. I’d give it a 7 out of 10 score. Some really funny stuff in it.
Some of the best lines:
“Thank god for Rednecks”
“Shut up or Nut up”
“Nothing but f$&%*g snowballs!”
“..when mad cow disease became mad people disease which became mad zombie disease.”
The movie is so quotable, I can’t memorize it all. And the cameo is just classic!
Is it true thgis movie is an adaptation of a story written by a Viking Kitty??
Snowballs aren’t so bad. lol.
Nice review. I wasn’t even aware that this movie existed but now I’m intrigued.
And you are related to the producer - how?
Laughed my *** off.
Joe Bob Briggs should give it five stars.
I'm not, but you mom says hi, and I might be your father.
I just loathe Woody Harrelson...but you talked me into it.
No one got the Woody joke. He was dressed like Steve McQueen from “Wanted: Dead or alive” with the shortened Winchester (Mare’s Leg). Of course, I am old enough to barely remember it.
Funny movie, particularly the Bill Murray segment.
I have laughed through the previews twice.
That should be enough reason for most folks here to give it a pass.
Defund liberal Hollywood.
If it compares favorably with “Shaun of the Dead”, I’m there.
Thanks for the review.
I will wait till it gets to Redbox or the library.
I will NOT pay $10 to see Woody the leftist.
I must admit I didn't get that reference. Now that you mention it...
It’s the Godfather of zombie comedies.
I’m not really sure what that phrase means, but I thought of it after the movie and liked it.
Zombie bump!
I just watched 4 episodes of “Wanted: Dead or Alive” on DVD today.
I would have caught it.
Double tap and always wear your seat belt.
The Bill Murray scene was great too. They get high and he says...Watch this I'm going to scare those two. LOL
I’ll pass on movie, maybe DVD so I can f.fwd.
Love zombies but can’t stomach Wood-head.
I left this thread for a while to go to my library's web site to search for zombie and horror flicks, I asked for about a dozen of them to be sent to my branch for me to check out.
I also got the TV series "Wanted: Dead or Alive" that way.
I won't pay for a Woody "the leftist" movie.
I picked up on that too. As a kid I got one of those “Wanted Dead or Alive Guns” for Christmas. I shot these plastic bullets that sort of looked like cigarette butts. As soon as I lost all the bullets the gun disappeared too. LOL
Saw a trailer..ya looked funny. I mean it can’t be any worse than some of the product that Romero has put out in the past few years : (
Saw it Friday night and LOVED IT.
I haven’t found Woody this funny since his days on “Cheers”.
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