‘Zombieland’ entertains with humor, blood

By Christina Ripley

Staff Reporter

Publication Date: 10/28/2009

If you like your satire with biting wit and a dash of blood-spurting intestines, “Zombieland” may be one of the most entertaining films you see this year.

With a great mix of horror, action and scathing comedy, “Zombieland” simultaneously embraces and lampoons zombie-film conventions. Reminiscent of “Scream” or “Shaun of the Dead,” the characters survive based on their own pop culture knowledge.

After a deadly virus renders the majority of humanity rabid, flesh-eating zombies, a skittish college student (Jason Eisenburg) makes a cross country road trip in search of other survivors. He ends up traveling with a sociopathic cowboy (Woody Harrelson) whose two passions are butchering zombies and finding Twinkie snack cakes. In addition to battling zombies, the two men are forced to square off against two ruthless sisters (Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin) who swindle, con and betray them at every turn.

The film’s razor sharp pop culture satire is a lot of fun, and includes a side-splitting cameo by Bill Murray reminiscing about his days as a Ghostbuster. Aside from the humor, there’s plenty of blood, guts, gore and violence to keep the audience squirming in their seats. Like the final action sequence, the film is a dizzyingly fast paced, carnage-filled, carnival visit.

Doing his best Michael Cera impression, Eisenberg perfectly embodies a neurotic nerd and an unlikely survivor of a zombie holocaust. Harrelson’s mix of violence and snarling sarcasm makes him a scene stealer.

The film is an unassuming Halloween treat. Every actor in the film seems to be having a good time, which proves to be as contagious as the zombie virus.