Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone

Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) has made a habit of running from what scares him. Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) doesn’t have fears. If he did, he’d kick their ever-living ass. In a world overrun by zombies...( read more  read more... ), these two are perfectly evolved survivors. But now, they’re about to stare down the most terrifying prospect of all: each other.

Flixster Users

88% liked it

94,663 ratings

Critics

88% liked it

179 critics

R, 1 hr. 21 min.

Directed by: Ruben Fleischer

Release Date: October 2, 2009

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Flixster Reviews (20,258)


  • November 6, 2009
    Hits all the right Zombie notes, whilst managing to have an extraordinary sense of fun. I was never a fan of Shaun of the Dead, so it was nice to see a zombie film full of laughs. The film also builds upon some great relationships. They're a bunch of oddballs, but their personali...( read more)ties and dumb luck aid them in battling their way through Zombieland. It a film full of quirks, and the celebrity cameo is one of the best on film. The film also oozes cool by being gloriously geeky. The awesome opening credits, those quick witted rules, and numerous moments of fantastical genius. It's just a great damn action/comedy/horror and fills you with joy.
  • November 6, 2009
    ...
  • October 31, 2009
    "Zombieland" has everything you ask for in the title alone, the fact that it also happens to be really funny and well-developed, likable characters that makes it way better then any zombie film really needs.
    As far as plot goes there is not a whole lot to explain, just 81 minute...( read more)s of some of the most amazing zombie kills rank with Romero at his peak. While it doesn't have some of the flair or visionary style of those films. Writer and director Ruben Fleischer make up for those shortcomings through an excellent cast and dialogue. Everyone fits there role perfectly, while I'll personally have a special place in my heart for Michael Cera, Jesse Eisenberg is slowly taking over for it nerd, plus he shoots the crap out of zombies which always gives someone the edge. The scene stealer here though is Woody Harrelson, who seems to have never had as much fun with one movie as he does here while adding a surprising depth to the hillbilly with a shotgun role. Plus Emma Stone with a chainsaw makes me super weak in the knees. Add in what I'd argue is the greatest cameo EVER and you got yourself a good old time at the movies.
    Its certainly not perfect but has everything you could ask for from the genre plus a bunch of great surprises that makes it worth the trip to the theatre.
  • October 31, 2009
    By doing a bit of sleuthing (okay, one Google search), i've discovered that the shelf life of a twinkie is only twenty five days. "Zombieland"'s Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) better get moving.

    But, hey - I thought this was a horror movie. Twinkies? Neurotic teenagers? That girl...( read more) from "Little Miss Sunshine"? Where's the dread, the blood and guts, the jump scares? They're there, alright, but newcomer director Ruben Fleischer and screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick find a good balance between the horror and the comedy - namely, in a tired subgenre such as "zombie apocalypse", far more comedy than attempted scares.

    Now, i'm not saying that zombies aren't still relevant. In fact, there's one scene in "Zombieland" that involves the nightmare of a first date between Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) and a beautiful blonde neighbor (Amber Heard) that is up there with the best horror sequences of the past few years. But, for the majority of the runtime, "Zombieland" embraces zombies for what they truly are - punching bags. Creatures you can beat to death with gardening tools and still not suffer an ounce of guilt.

    The characters in the film are either named their hometown or their destination, a method the survivors use to not get too close to their associates. That doesn't stop Columbus, whom Jesse Eisenberg delightfully plays with deadpan gusto rivaling Michael Cera, from falling for Wichita (Emma Stone) on their first meeting. Little does he know, her and her little sister, Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), are con-women more interested in their belongings than any companionship.

    Perhaps "Zombieland" is purely funny for a bit too long - the biggest scares in the film are all in the first fifteen minutes, and after those are through the characters are never in any significant danger. This makes the climax, involving a series of neat ways to kill zombies in an amusement park, rather tedious and dull. Some people may like things getting shot at real good for a finale, but I preferred the witty post-apocalyptic banter that preceded it.

    "Zombieland" doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it certainly is successful at delivering eighty minutes of enormously entertaining horror schlock - the people both on and off the camera seem to be having such a blast that it's impossible to resist. It may not be the funniest comedy of the year, or even the most suspenseful horror film of the year (although, admittedly, that field is far slimmer), but it's such an entertaining release that it's bound to cement itself as a cult classic.
  • October 30, 2009
    Nowadays, using zombies in movies as a scare tactic has lost some of its shock value. Of course, there is the occasional legitimately scary zombie flick (28 Days Later.) But, overall, the genre has been abused to death and revived one too many times in order to remain effective i...( read more)n its goal to scare. So, what's the next step for the zombie genre? Parody!

    The culture is ripe for parody and, recently, movies like Shaun of the Dead and, now, Zombieland are employing the quirks of the living dead concept to their advantage in order to make people laugh. Where was a biting British comedy, Zombieland is a biting American one.

    From the opening credits sequence, you get the point that what you're watching is definitely a balls-out joke of a movie that isn't taking itself too seriously. Of course, they would run the risk of falling into B-movie territory; but somehow, it doesn't seem that way. The movie is fresh and funny and satirical all at once. It provides enough relevance for the die-hard zombie fans as well as enough deprecation for those who may be inclined to despising the genre for various reasons.

    One of those reasons is the brilliant and witty script. The cast (including a never-better Woody Harrelson) is top-notch and worthy of praise. The fact remains that even with a brilliant script; knowing that this movie is intended to be parody could have skewed one's perception and could have made the film seem cheap and uninspired. But rather than being insipid, the movie is vibrantly trendy while leaving its stamp on a cliché genre of film.

    Some of the gore in the movie is hilarious to watch--as opposed to cringe-inducing. Some of the acting is better than most Academy Award nominees--including that of Harrelson and Little Miss Sunshine herself, Abigail Breslin. Oh wait--she is an Academy Award nominee. You see what I mean? And the visual signature is almost literally seared into the film as cleverly-placed subtitles are placed throughout the film. These visual aides are not a hinderence or crutch for the film but, rather, a truly inspired technique employed to enhance the entertainment value of an alread entertaining film.

    You'll probably die a little from laughing so hard while watching this movie. But don't fret. It's a zombie movie, after all. So that just means you'll jolt back to life in no time--hungry for more.
  • November 8, 2009
    My heart will always belong to Shaun Of The dead but this was amazingly fresh still and had me in awe at all times
  • November 7, 2009
    If you have nothing to do for two hours, this film is tolerable, the tips are the funniest parts of the film. See it for Bill Murray.
  • November 7, 2009
    I really like this movie and has its fair twists for a Zombie movie but as far as the acting goes it was very interesting and I overall enjoyed this movie.
  • November 7, 2009
    WATCH THIS MOVIE FREE http://MoviesWatch.info
    Watch this movie for free for those of you that are short on money at http://MoviesWatch.info But if you can afford it go to the theaters and support the movies
  • November 7, 2009
    BAD ass! Metallica intro, wtf? Can't beat that shit. And oh yeah, Bill Murray's in it!

Critic Reviews


October 5, 2009
A.O. Scott, At the Movies

This movie is fundamentally empty. full review

October 2, 2009
Kurt Loder, MTV

'Zombieland' may be the first undead road-trip movie. The picture is light and unassuming, but it has a jaunty spirit; it's funny beyond the call of genre and - the cool part, of course - wonderfully ... full review

October 2, 2009
Claudia Puig, USA Today

The humor is vicious and the supporting cast is viscous. But underlying the carnage in Zombieland is a sweetly beating heart. full review

October 2, 2009
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

An improbably delicious comedy about a quartet of human survivors crossing an America that's been taken over by ravenous hordes. (There's even a Charlie Chaplin zombie working Hollywood Boulevard in f... full review

October 2, 2009
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

Zombieland is a romance, a comedy, a road movie and a freewheeling schlock horrorfest, all in one. full review

October 2, 2009
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

What you're ultimately left with is a movie for people who think what they really would like to do tonight is watch zombies. full review

October 2, 2009
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Director Ruben Fleischer mixes fright and slapstick with bloody glee. And the surprise star cameo is a wowser. Enough said. full review

October 1, 2009
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine

Unlike its spiritual predecessor Shaun of the Dead, Fleischer's film doesn't really get either zombie movies or human relationships. full review

October 1, 2009
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

From its inventive opening credits to a surprise cameo and accompanying laugh-riot Ghostbusters homage, the zom-com Zombieland delivers gore and gags in equally satisfying spurts, so to speak. full review

October 1, 2009
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Zombieland makes up in laughter what it lacks in screams, and the arch weariness with which it looks out at undead America hides a frisky yet disturbing message: We're closer than we think. full review

View more Zombieland reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • AsianNorthOfThailandGeneration
    October 31, 2009
    I ' m had watched it on halloween day 2009 . It ' s so funnys made me laughs ,Screams with humans vs zombies on the filmed . Hey 've you watch it ?
  • martinhiggins
    October 14, 2009
    This film is a classic will defo be buying this one on dvd/bluray when it comes out great to watch with the lads having a few drinks every scene with woody is excellent.
  • lytton666
    October 2, 2009
    Cant wait to this opens in the UK!!!

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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