Zombieland

REVIEW: ZOMBIELAND IMDB

SYNOPSIS

• http://www.fandango.com/zombieland_v468313/summary OR
• http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1156398/plotsummary

WALKING IN F&T (FEARS AND THOUGHTS)

• Previews - the zombies walking in the amusement park. When they mentioned that the amusement park was their destination and I had not seen that scene yet I was angry. I want to see a quick story line and a little action that is it. If you bring in the major plot lines and/or give away parts of the movie I don't like it.
• Another zombie movie; how is this going to be done to keep my attention?
• It is a road movie, unusual for a zombie flick...no real goal other than the wandering...
• Woody...guy is a little out there...what will it do to the movie.
• First new zombie movie I have seen since Max Brooks books, how will it change the experience?

OPENING SCENE

• Opened well - Metallica music and the slow motion scenes (left a lot to your imagination)
• NOT for kids
• It is a zombie movie...less zombie killing that most, but you basically have it at "zombie movie" not too deep here...
• Seriously doubt that they said "imitate Michael Cera" for, there are just some actors that look very much alike...but the role may have been written with Cera in mind...Patrick Swayze was supposed to be in Tango and Cash, they got Kurt Russell...that kind of thing.
• Move came up and slapped you with some heart when you least expected it...kinda liked that - typical zombie flicks are quite predictable.

...OTHER SCENES

• Very entertaining, but annoyed by Jesse's acting. Casting challenge - who can do the best Michael Cera impersonation?....Jesse Eisenberg!! They even had a Michael Cera movie in the previews!
• Jesse Eisenberg -
  • It is like he studied Arrested Development as a primer for his role. Michael Cera should feel good to know that others are trying to copy his acting style (witty, goofy, shy)
  • Did a good job, but....
  • Jesse's (Columbus) first girl experience - the tongue with the blood through the plastic
  • The motorcycle scene was the persona of Michael Cera
• Good subtle plot lines
  • they didn't concentrate on 'how' they became zombies so much - who cares?
  • Lost his puppy - was actually a boy - MAJOR SPOILER
  • the twinkie
• Good flow of constant challenges:
  • how to stay alive
  • how to get a car (when their car was stolen)
  • how to get the girls back
  • where to sleep
• Great stack of cool stuff throughout the movie:
  • List of rules (find the rules online) (even liked the wording in the movie) - Totally out of Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z, by Max Brooks
    • Ferrenge rules of Acquisition (star trek) - quote a few from the book:
      • anything worth doing is worth doing for money
      • satisfaction is not guaranteed
      • don't trust a man wearing a better suit than your own
      • everyone once in awhile declare peace, it confuses the hell out of your enemies
      • Let others keep their reputation, you keep their latinum
  • Zombie kill of the week (no connection of how we would know the other 'kills of the week', but it was still entertaining)- it was just the characters attempting to fill in what the rest of humanity (if there was any at all) were doing...if they were still alive, they would (by default) be killing zombies...
• Bill Murray's house? Hilarious.
  • he is just naturally funny, full of great improv
  • another movie with Wood Harrison (Kingpin)
• Wood Harrison stole the show
• Moments of heart in the movie:
  • Character's "Quests" they are looking for others, but not really, as no one wants to get close to a companion as they may die at any moment (we can assume that there were other companions who were not so lucky), they were looking for other people, but only as a reason to get up in the morning.
  • The fake euthanization of Little Rock, pretty rough...make much more funny by how far they took the drama...
  • Death of Bill Murray...was it funny, was it not? I don't know...
  • Talahasse's Son...nailed me in my parent-spot. He was not trying to kill all the zombies, he was trying to die.
  • Quotes of the movie:
    • "Do you want to feel how hard I punch?"
    • "that's 45%" after punching him
    • "I don't like coconut. It's not the taste, it's the consistency."
  • The look on his eyes doing the Ghost Buster's scene with Bill Murray
• Runs into the 'haunted house'?
• Clown Zombie - good touch, he wasn't a small clown zombie

QUESTIONS:

• Number two already rumored?
• Wichita and Columbus both hop out to get maps of Hollywood?
• Hard one to ask questions about...they spoon-fed us what we needed to know, no real mystery to solve...

THE MACGUFFIN

• ...

CLOSING THOUGHTS

CHUCK Rating: 3

• Positives:
  • A lot of fun from beginning to end
  • Constant challenges to conquer
  • Story had enough quirks to keep me interested in the characters and their journey through another 'post apocolyptic' setting
• Negative:
  • Constant language keeps you from bringing the family (it felt kind of like a light hearted family movie)
  • They killed Bill Murray!
  • The director's use of Columbus as a 'Michael Cera'

MIKE Rating: 4