• What’s Good: A bright and fun zombidy. Funny horror films are making a comeback and that there’s the best cinematic trend of 2009.
• What’s Not: Way too short. The film is so fun I wanted more. Though I really feel the amusement park final act could have been reworked or even rethought.   

Mah zambah eeeeett harmanz brahnz…nerrrgggg….orhhh, nnnnnh brahnz thhhhann uurrr thhhheennn goooo merveeee urrr waaaacchhh….lkkee ehhhhttt loooot… almmm aaaa gooooo aaaa brahnz.

I’ve never seen a zombie movie in which characters squirt on some hand sanitizer after smokeing a gaggle (what is the plural term for a zombies anyway?) of undeads. I’ve also never seen one in which the cause of the zombie plague is revealed to be bad hamburger meat. “You’ve heard of mad cow? well this is mad human” the protagonist states in the most casual, matter of fact manner possible. I once thought that the splendid and, at the time of their release, refreshing combo of Max Brooks’ deadpan “historical” zombie fiction satire novel “World War Z” and the only Romero approved post Romero zombie film ever, ”Shaun of the Dead,” was the logical end-point for outre zombie humor. But, like a glistening appitezing nugget of brain matter, newcomer Ruben Fleiscer’s palatable, instantly/insatiably enjoyable ”Zombieland” has come along to prove that not only is it not the end of zombie humor but that there may be no end in terms of comic possibilities. Zombies are funny: this film laughs at them.

This may be the best zombie movie ever made that, on the diegetical surface, adds almost nothing new or notable to the genre except for that whole mad human virus origin. There’s nothing really original about the film but, like a lot of simple but fun comedies, there doesn’t need to be. This isn’t a parody either, which would have been quite easy if the influx of trendy zombie student films is any gauge. Like any post-human meal, the film is all parts: the humor of “Shaun,” the last stand guts and bravado of “Dawn of the Dead,” and the fourth wall breaking aesthetics of the Russian horror cluster fuck ”Night Watch.” The nebbish, irritable bowl surviving protagonist, who is the kind of character that would result if Woody Allen had an ass baby with Holden Caulfield, learns to live by the creed of a boorish new partner he encounters on the road to nowhere, that of ”enjoy(ing) the little things” in an existence full of pants shitting dread (and I mean that literally). He’s right, and why not apply that dime store philosophy to the film because once you as the viewer stray off the path to look at the big things (like structure, plotting and the entire second half of the film) you see how unremarkable “Zombieland” actually is. The little stuff  –consisting of mostly the main character describing details of his world, quick one liners and sight gags– though, it’s got covered and covered so well that you aren’t even aware of anything else.

The film stars Jesse Eisenberg who was in ”Adventureland, of which “ZombieLAND” is nota sequel though oddly enough it is also set in an amusement park, and ”The Squid and the Whale.” In a welcome turn of events, Eisenberg is the new Michael Cera for people who don’t think Michael Cera is all that in terms of range or humor or, uh, range of humor. Eisenberg is fantastic because its not often we get to see a horror movie protag spazzing (as opposed to shooting) his way through a zombie apocalypse. This kind of fragile, self effacing personality works really well within the usually rigid confines of this subgenre. Woody Harrlson is the aforementioned partner who gets a lot of laughs out of his hillbilly act of shooting first and asking dumb questions later (ah, I love Woody). Playing a mix between father figure and frat buddy, Woody steals the show and doesn’t even have to try that hard to push the laughs as I suspect he’s just naturally funny. Like that squirrel from “Ice Age,” the running subplot where Woody searches high and low for one of the last remaining Twinkies on earth is perfect in its genus stupidity. Another big time show stealer is a cameo that I won’t mention even though it will very quickly grow become legend–the thrill of not seeing this cameo coming added so much to the experience of watching “Zombieland.” The film also stars Emma Stone, who is Mila Kuntis for people who don’t think Mila Kuntis is all that which, admittedly, is not as many people as Cera but… getting sidetracked, sorry. Her partner is played by the significantly better actress Abagael Breslin and the two gals, in another nice genre/character twist, are the masculine troublemakers who constantly one up the male duo. Breslin and Harrilson, the film’s “real” stars, ironically take a back seat to the lesser knowns but the formula works better that way. I am tempted to say this is a pivotal performance for young Breslin who proves here to be totally able to escape the soul crushing clutches of kid actor-dom.

This is not just a zombie movie but a zombie road trip movie. We don’t get many of those even though it seems like an obvious setting. Sure, to some degree, almost all Z movies start off all road trippy but most if not all settle into a semi-logical narrative holding pattern where the running characters find themselves cornered by the horde of flesh eaters in a house or bunker or tall building or barn or take your pick. This film starts on the road and stays on on the road and if it can be faulted for anything it’s that it isn’t long enough! ”Zombieland” really could have used a longer middle section –more random zombie bashing fun or weird antidotes or, my favorite, zombie “kill of the week” flashbacks– but I think the writers and director felt like they had to cram in an obligatory plot when that is the least interesting and/or essential part of what makes “Zombieland” so entertaining.  

Getting back to the road, I am reminded of one of my favorite current run graphic novels called ”Walking Dead” by Robert Kirkman. That sprawling series, however brilliant it tends to be, has zero sense of humor about zombies or the absurd situations humans find themselves in a world run by them. This film on the other hand contains a lot of humor and even lot of heart but not much else. The writing does a fine job of relaying the first two aspects and doesn’t even bother with trying to establish anything else. Again, it has not obligation to so it won’t be faulted. The directing is also interesting in that it starts off in the vein of Zach Snyder–the slow motion zombie attack on fat people, business people, old people etc. opening credit montage (a stylized hoot) and a manic introduction to the ways of world we now live in implies that the film is going to hit us with a flurry of style and gore but it wisley levels off into a more standard, unobtrusively made horror comedy that allows great sight gags and character moments to be the real focus.

Is this movie a zombie classic? I’m not sure. The jokes, often too clever by half but clever nonetheless, need some time to settle with me (will it hold up on a second viewing… I think so) but I feel this one has a good shot of enduring and, now that it’s made some money, hopefully even becoming a series. As I said in my “Drag Me To  Hell” review. we could use more humor in our horror.

grade: B