Characters in horror films and novels are not solely created to portray the personification of evil intended to horrify the masses superficially. Take a vampire for instance, these creatures of the night make mere humans face their fears of mortality, sex, and the very essence of life: blood. Zombies are not different. In the new movie "Zombieland", these walking undead eating machines are a metaphor for the self induced isolation that so many Americans find themselves living in every day. How many people do you know spend countless hours e-mailing, texting, Tweeting, and instant messaging instead of making actual, live human connections? Before you think the movie is purely a tale of 21st century social mores, I am happy to report that Zombieland is funny, endearing, gruesome and at its core, a love story. Who knew that a little horror movie could say so much in an hour and a half?
The film begins long after the zombie apocalypse has destroyed humanity as you and I know it. One of the last surviving humans, Columbus, is prattling off his list of do’s and don’ts to survive Zombieland. Rule 1: Cardio. Basically, make sure that you are in better shape than these surprisingly spry zombies. There are several others that are flashed across the screen, including my personal favorite, Rule 2: Beware of bathrooms. I think this one is pretty self explanatory, don’t you?
Along his travels Columbus comes across Tallahassee, played to perfection by Woody Harrelson. He is the ultimate zombie killing machine: ruthless, imaginative, and able to hit a lumbering corpse at 20 paces. The two become an unlikely duo, and head out in search of the elusive town in America that has been left untouched by the zombie invasion, and in Tallahassee’s case, the world’s last Twinkie. Unfortunately for this unlikely pair they soon come across two con-artist sisters, Wichita and Little Rock. I’ll leave out some foolishness involving stolen Cadillacs and standoffs, and just say that the four, against their better judgment, team up and head west.
Eventually the group ends up at a very unusual destination: Bill Murray’s house. Tallahassee and Wichita come across zombie Bill Murray who is only acting to fit in and avoid being eaten. Unfortunately, Columbus is the target of a practical joke and shoots the faux zombie Bill Murray in the chest. It is at Murray’s house where Columbus and Wichita also realize a mutual attraction, but true to her former nature, Wichita skips out the next morning with her little sister, leaving the males in the group behind once again.
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Everything comes to a dramatic conclusion at an amusement park. I hate giving away the ending, so I’ll just divulge that it is cautiously optimistic and Tallahassee at long last finds what he is looking for: his illusive Twinkie. The film was funny, thought provoking, and if I had one complaint it would be the lack of zombies. I know that might sound strange in a movie called "Zombieland", but there were simply just not enough zombies for my taste. I guess I am accustomed to George Romero’s films where there is a constant undead assault and zombie’s ripping cartilage and eating livers. Thank goodness the amazing acting, comedy, and whimsy of the film make up for any of its flaws. In conclusion, I would encourage anyone to run, don’t walk, to Zombieland as soon as possible. If anything, you’ll learn a few helpful ways to make it to the bitter end when the virus hits all your love ones turn into blood thirsty creatures, with the ultimate goal of devouring your insides whole.