Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg Deliver Action, Laughs With Great ‘Zombieland’

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Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – The horror/comedy “Zombieland” is one of the few 2009 films to honestly deserve the overused phrase “thrill ride.” From the opening shots to the best post-credits tag in years, “Zombieland” attempts nothing but pure fun and completely delivers.

The most flat-out enjoyable horror/comedy since “Shaun of the Dead,” and a film that deserves to stand just under if not next to that sub-genre masterpiece, “Zombieland” is destined to have a loyal cult following for years to come. But this is not just the product of midnight movie madness planners. “Zombieland” is the kind of film that could easily move beyond its genre fans and become a true crossover hit. You can keep your vampires, “Twilight” fans. At least until “New Moon” comes out, the zombies rule.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Zombieland” in our reviews section.

With refreshingly little explanation as to why the world turned into something out of a George A. Romero movie, “Zombieland” stars Jesse Eisenberg as Columbus, so named because all major characters are simply referred to by their hometown, as if they are the only surviving member left from that city. Columbus is a neurotic, OCD-riddled, socially awkward young man who only gets the hot girl across the hall over on the night she happens to turn into a zombie.

Columbus has a series of rules, presented in narration and with spectacularly rendered title cards, for staying alive in a world over-run by brain-eaters. Most are variations on his OCD personality, something that it turns out can be very helpful after the zombies take over.

Continuing reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “Zombieland” review.

Woody Harrelson stars in Columbia Pictures comedy ZOMBIELAND.
Photo credit: Glen Wilson/Sony