A Film Review by Danilo Suarez (Puma Press)

Final verdict: 9/10

Zombieland

Providing its fair share of gore, guts, and giggles, Zombieland is easily one of the best films of the year and THE best zombie film I’ve seen in a long time. The story drops viewers right into the action as our pan phobic hero is pumping gas into his car and is soon pursued by infected assailants. After making his escape, he joins with another survivor whose character is quite contrary to that of the main protagonist. They later join two girls that are on their way to an amusement park assumed to be zombie free, hence the name “Zombieland”.

The acting is spot on. The actors portray their characters rather well. Even the gun-toting toddler was believable (well, actually 12 years old, but still as talented as she is young). Every character comes across as likeable, which is quite the task for Jesse Eisenberg, as his character is a whiney nerd redeemed by wit and pitch-perfect delivery. Harrelson adopts the role of the trigger-happy, face-smashing stereotype Tallahassee, southern drawl and all. What I love about this character is that while the character is a bit cliché, the film takes a humorous approach to it as though it acknowledges that he is cliché and makes fun of it rather than try too hard to have Harrelson assume that arch-type. Still the character comes across as very cool and lovable from the very beginning. Harrelson’s slack-jawed delivery couldn’t be better. All this could still make for a dull movie were it not for the razor-sharp wit of the writers.

However the plot is where this flick falls short. The four are heading to an amusement park for some inconceivable reason believing it to be safe. The movie is at its core a road movie and is primarily centered on the protagonists making their way to a theme park in Hollywood called Pacific Playland. The plan is ridiculously outlandish and its cliff-hanger ending leaves a lot to be desired, but the events that occur between here to there are so awesomely entertaining that it is forgivable. Unfortunately, it keeps the movie from a ten out of ten.

In the end, Zombieland brings at least one thing to the table that anyone could enjoy. It is chock full of vicious zombies and equally vicious humor. It had humor, action, and the best cameo in ages.

A word of warning: get a twinky beforehand. You’ll be craving one by the end of the movie.