Zombieland (2009)

Rated: R for horror violence/gore and language
Length: 88 minutes
Grade: B+FCF=B
Budget: $24 million
Box Office: $130 million (76 U.S., 27 Intl., 27 DVD)

Written by: Rhett Reese (First script) and Paul Wernick (First script)
Directed by: Ruben Fleischer (First movie)
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin
With: Bill Murray

Summary:
After a mad-cow style disease turns most Americans into flesh eating zombies a la 30 Days Later, four surviving and quirky humans try to make it to a place where there may still be humans left untouched by the virus.

Entertainment Value: B+
Brilliant! I can’t believe a first script, first direction team managed to turn this into the absolutely hilarious, possibly best zombie spoof film ever. The premise that one guy survives by a set of rules (most of which are inherently funny) that keep coming back again and again throughout the film for humorous effect is brilliant. What can I say? Lots of people will hate this movie because of the gore. Fine. If you don’t like zombie movies, gore, and bad language, stay away. But if you have a twisted sense of humor like me and don’t mind that other stuff so much, you’ll certainly enjoy this. No one I’ve talked to who saw it didn’t think the same thing. 89% at Rotten Tomatoes.

Superficial Content: F
Drugs/Alcohol C, Sex/Nudity C, Violence F, Language D+
It’s definitely rightly an R movie. Not for kids. Lots of zombie gore and enough language to rate a PG-13 or perhaps an R. Not for kids. Again, it’s a zombie movie. Don’t watch it if this will bother you.

Significant Content: C
Without other people, you’re just a zombie anyhow. If you follow the rules, you’ll do just fine. Even bad people can make good companions if no one else is left uninfected by a deadly virus.

Artistic/Thought Value: F
Seriously? Although, I must say that as an artistic achievement in art and style, it’s actually quite great. But no thought value at all.

Discussion Questions:
~Tallahassee lives by his carnal desires, but Columbus lives by a strict set of rules. Which approach seems wiser? If you were to use these two characters to illustrate the difference between competing notions of Christianity, what would you say?
~How important is it to enjoy the little things? Is Tallahassee’s obsession with Twinkies something you can justify under the circumstances? Does it seem like idolatry? Or does it seem like precisely the sort of weird devotion that gives life its meaning?
~Does the Twinkie represent this movie itself in a world of big, scary, serious concerns? Is it trying to say that some sort of escapism is perfectly healthy?
~What do you make of the fact that all these people are named for a place rather than having their own names?

Poignant or memorable scenes:
~Cardio
~Double tap.
~Bill Murray
~First girlfriend.
~Snowballs, not Twinkies.
.
Overall Grade: B
It’s ridiculous, grotesque fun. Have it if you dare.