Zombieland (2009)
Production Company: Columbia Pictures in association with Relativity Media, a Pariah Production
Executive Producers: Ezra Swerdlow, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Ryan Kavanaugh
Producer: Gavin Polone
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Second Unit Director: GA Aguilar
Screenplay: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick
Director of Photography: Michael Bonvillain
Editors: Peter Amundson, Alan Baumgarten
Music: David Sardy
Production Designer: Maher Ahmad
Special Effects: Alterian: Tony Gardner, Steve Prouty
Visual Effects: Rocco Passionino
Costume Design: Magali Guidasci
Sound Editing: Sean McCormack, Kami Asgar
Stunt Coordinator: GA Aguilar
Locations: Atlanta, Hapeville, Newnan, Rutledge and Valdosta, GA; Los Angeles, CA.
Running Times: 80 mins.
Cast: Woody Harrelson (Tallahassee), Jesse Eisenberg (Columbus), Emma Stone (Wichita) Abigail Breslin (Little Rock), Amber Heard (406), Guest Cameo (Himself), Derek Graf (Clown Zombie), Mike White (Gas Station Clerk).
Synopsis: Agoraphobic shut-in Columbus survives life in a post-pandemic world populated with snarling killers, by following 31 rules that sustain him through the onslaught (including "buckle up", "always check the back seat", and "never be a hero"). He meets up with Twinkie-loving zombie killer Tallahassee, and the two make their way from Texas to California, accompanied by sisters, Little Rock and Wichita in search of a legendary zombie-free amusement park in Los Angeles.
Former internet producer Ruben Fleischer stumbled upon a film career through a friendship with Mike White (screenwriter of School of Rock and The Good Girl, who has a couple of scenes here), working as an assistant, before graduating to low budget music videos and TV advertising. The screenplay by TV writing team Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (The Joe Schmo Show, Invasion Iowa) was developed as a network series, before being reworked as pilot, and finally finding the budget is deserves on the big screen. Like a Twinkie, Zombieland is a guilty pleasure – tasty but unsatisfying, providing laughs and gross-out effects aplenty, but never quite adding up to the sum of its parts.
The chemistry between Eisenberg (The Village, Adventureland) and Natural Born Killer Harrelson carries the movie (Fleischer cites Midnight Run as an influence), and Emma Stone (Superbad, The House Bunny) and Abigail Breslin (Signs, Little Miss Sunshine) are both fine, but the film plays in the same key throughout, with attempts at emotional resonance falling flat, and indie rom-com tropes slowing proceedings down.
Things start well, with an excellent opening sequence, shot on the super slow-mo Phantom camera, that establishes the history of the plague and Jesse's rules for surviving it ("Buckle Up" being particularly memorable), but despite inventive camerawork from Michael Bonvillain (Cloverfield) the first half is bogged down with a flash-back structure, that distracts from the main story, as well as the sense that the protagonists make it across country a little too easily – gas is never the issue it ought to be when you're driving a Hummer.
The mid section is enlivened by an extended cameo I won't reveal here, despite the fact that Fangoria published it in their latest issue against the producer's wishes (along with a weak justification, blaming a blogger for doing it first). But even here, the fact that the star (playing himself) acts against his screen type feels like a missed opportunity (it would have been more interesting if he actually enjoyed the solitude and was pissed off at the intrusion). Thankfully the final act in the abandoned amusement park, allows for some enjoyable splatter and ends on a high note sure to send the college-age audience it's aimed at, off to spread the word (though hopefully not so quickly that they miss an easter egg in the closing titles).
Shaun of the Dead, Re-Animator and Evil Dead II remain unchallenged as the high water marks of back-from-the-dead comedy, but Zombieland avoids the uncertainties of tone that killed Jennifer's Body by falling solidly on the side of fun, and providing a quick hit sugar rush that's enjoyable, but forgotten minutes later.
October 7, 2009 at 9:40 AM
I saw the movie and really appreciated the cameo appearance. I had no idea he was in the movie and even though I'm very internet stimulated, I managed to not know about it going in. A welcome surprise!
October 7, 2009 at 12:36 PM
Hi David - Agreed, I loved the cameo and hope that it manages to stay a surprise for as long as possible. Real shame that a few writers had to spoil it, in an attempt to scoop the pool.
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