my thoughts on.... 'Zombieland'

when i first started reading about this movie.... i wasn't sure what to expect.... i was hoping that America wasn't trying to cash in on the 'Shaun of the Dead' popularity.... but the more i read about it and the more info that came out, the more i wanted to see it.... i've always been a fan of Woody Harrelson and seeing the trailer to this finally sealed the deal.... sadly, i didn't have the time or money to see the movie when it came out.... and despite more constant trying, it just never worked out.... so i began my wait.... my wait for the DVD.... and then it came.... and thanks to a friend who got me my own copy (thank you so much!) i was able to watch it last night.... and i was not let down.

this was not 'Shaun of the Dead'.... but yet it was still a "Zom-Com".... granted the blood, guts and gore were still there.... it was handled with a large dose of humor.... now for all of you who know me, zombies are my bread and butter.... pound for pound they're your best horror movie value.... they provide social commentary about everyday life, they provide an overwhelming sense of dread and they make you realize that it doesn't always take one person with evil intentions to kill you.... but a mass horde of slow moving and brainless creatures can overtake anyone eventually and just as effectively make them dead.
the storyline is your atypical zombie storyline.... some unknown event has happened and caused the human population to turn into the living dead.... in this case we have an unlikely hero who has a fear of just about everything.... and has created a series of rules that have kept him safe up to the start of the movie.... along the way of his journey towards home, he hooks up with several other survivors and they form an unlikely and unstable partnership.... what transpires from there is their adventures in 'Zombieland'.... a nickname given to the earth by our young unwilling hero....

one of the original concepts in this movie that i really found enjoyable were the way his rules were presented.... throughout the entire film, anytime a rule was enforced it would appear as a large set of letters on the screen and would then disappear.... i don't know why i found this so fun, but it just made me feel a little more apart of the story.... i guess.... you also could relate to the characters.... everyone didn't exactly become a super hero zombie stomper.... they all had their human nature and will to survive.... but not all of them could handle a shotgun like a pro just because of that.... and this is what i love about a good zombie film.... it's where the characters you grow to love and feel attached too.... like you could be in their shoes.... and you care if they live or die.... the writers did a good job of this in this movie.... and they created memorable characters that will stick with you after the credits roll....
all in all, a great time at the movies....! a tad slow in the zombie department during the second act.... but the third act more than made up for it.... and left you feeling satisfied about the last hour and a half you just invested.... i would give this 4 out of 5 stars easily.... and look forward to watching it again very soon.... i just hope that when the sequel is made, they keep the freshness and what made this film so likeable....

keep an eye out for a few suprises and let's all hope that the next time around, we get to see a few more 'Zombie Kills Of The Week'.... i highly recommend this to fans of serious zombie films, zombie comedies and anyone who likes to see Woody Harrelson kick some ass.... and lust after twinkies.

if you enjoy this movie, check out: 'Natural Born Killers', 'Shaun Of The Dead' and 'Dawn of the Dead' (1978)