Zombieland

2009 zombie comedy

Rating: 10/20

Plot: The world is crawling with zombies, just like in every other zombie movie. And there are only a few survivors, just like in every other zombie movie. There's a nerdy virgin with a set of rules that have helped him survive the zombie epidemic, and there's Woody Harrelson, probably playing a character named Woody, who is your typical action hero, albeit one with a hankerin' for a Twinkie. They drive in search of survivors and run into a pair of swindling sisters. The four eventually decide to drive to an amusement park because all kinds of nifty zombie killin' effects can happen there! Just like in every other zombie movie.

This movie is stupid, unapologetically stupid. I'm not sure the world needed another zombie comedy (see the slightly better [as I recall (since it's also more than slightly forgettable)] Shawn of the Dead and the [also not funny but at least visually different] Fido) yet. When I want a zombie comedy, I'll just watch the satirical Dawn of the Dead again. It's not nearly as flashy, and it doesn't have Woody Harrelson in it, but it's got style and originality, things that Zombieland lacks. I didn't laugh a single time. I think I needed a laugh track or something to let me know what was actually supposed to be funny. I did kind of like the film references in the dialogue. The closest this actually gets to funny is a cameo appearance from an always-reliable funnyman, but that whole segment of the movie actually felt pretty contrived. Actually, the only reason why I'm glad I watched this movie is because it made me type all these words, including the word funnyman, which reminds me how much I like to use the word funnyman. "Who's on Letterman tonight, Shane?" "Why, it's funnyman David Cross!" Sonically, visually, make-uppily, action-ally, plottily, and characterily, this is all been-there/done-that. And the worst thing is that there'll probably be a sequel. I won't see it though.