Zombie slayers Tallahassee, Columbus, Wichita and Little Rock square off against the newly evolved undead.
The long-awaited sequel to the popular 2009 film “Zombieland” is finally here after a long wait. I will say that unfortunately I haven’t seen the first film yet but for sure I’ll be checking that out soon. What this film produces is a great mix between a horror, an action and a comedy film - 3 very different genres but they are all combined together into just over an hour and a half of film time. The film essentially focuses on the group splitting up and then their adventure to find the lost members of their team to reconnect again, it’s a simple plot but these are often the most effective because it allows the film to be enjoyed to its full extent instead of the viewer having to spend ages working out what happened and why. However this can prove to backfire sometimes, and the main question is, is this film the first to be eaten by zombies or can it stand strong as an Olympic standard zombie killer? Here are my thoughts.
I’ll start off with what I liked and enjoyed about the film. Typically with sequels to films, the film starts off by either throwing us into the story because it assumes that we have seen the first film and therefore we don’t need an introduction, or it takes the other path and treats everyone as if no one has seen the original film, and begins to reintroduce us to basically everything and everyone again - so they typically target either new fans or returning fans, not both. What I loved about how this film starts off is how it breaks this rule, not only does the introduction speech from Columbus where he says “oh, you’re back for more” and the explanation of how things have changed and new zombies have adapted feel really personal and exciting, because it really feels like he is actually speaking to us. But it’s also just really fun and enjoyable to hear him talk about the various types of Zombies as if they were top trump cards because it introduces us to the humour aspect of the film really early on and gives us a good idea of the mood and feeling of the film. I thought that the film started off really well, and this continued basically right until the very end (even after the credits with a cool Garfield scene - worth watching!), the main reason as to why I think that this film is so great is because of the characters. I absolutely love how realistic and enjoyable they are, it was really nice to see that despite them being in a zombie apocalypse, the film still showed that the characters had their own personal problems, such as finding a Boyfriend - not only does this help to make the characters feel much more multi-dimensional but it also makes them feel relatable because they still act like normal people, it also means that scenes which focus on their personal issues feel much more exciting and meaningful because they are elevated above the apocalypse issue that they all share, which shows us that they aren’t just zombie killing characters, but real people. The characters also feel immensely funny too because of how well they seem to interact with each other, this is mainly because of the dialogue such as the one-liners and the insults that they throw at each other, such as the arguments between Columbus and Wichita and the subtle jokes about the notes and their relationship. But lines from Tallahassee about his strange love for Elvis and his dislike of the MPV also prove to be really funny too - with a lot of laugh out loud scenes which are actually genuinely funny. They aren’t just funny like a joke though, but we are so involved with the characters lives and their emotions that the jokes and lines that they say really have a meaning to us which makes them so much more effective than normal, even jokes like Columbus reading a “Walking Dead” comic and then saying “So unrealistic” feel really clever and funny because of how well integrated we feel with his character and the scenery. I like how the jokes and character dialogue here genuinely feels funny and fresh, I thought that they were really clever and actually contained some of the best character relations that I’ve seen from recent films, the characters work so well together here that it genuinely feels really really well made. I also like how the addition of new characters along the story, there aren’t enough additions to make the film feel confusing but there are just enough so that they really add something to the film, Madison for example (Columbus’s rebound) is brought into the film in a really simple, yet effective way through bumping into the group during a supermarket raid - yet throughout the film she brings a variety of laughs, jokes and general entertainment with her questionable IQ level and the way in which she floats in and out of the film due to her nut allergy. She doesn’t come in as the main character but the addition of her helps to keep the film feeling fresh and exciting as it progresses to see how she changes and adapts as a character. Woody Harrelson is as awesome as he always is, and is on top form. It’s always nice to see Emma Stone playing a fun role because I feel that this is where she is at her best. Yes, I know she is an Oscar winner and she should be playing the best parts she can get, but it’s just nice to see her having fun in a role again, as she is a good comedic actress, I love how integrated and genuine she feels here, questioning elements of the film such as whether she is hallucinating when she seems the Tallahassee and Columbus lookalikes - definitely one of the best parts of this film for sure. Now, when I hear the name Abigail Breslin, it's always the Little Miss Sunshine film which pops into my head, and even a long while later, she still has a lot to offer in these kinds of films that she is involved in because she is fun. But it was Zoey Deutch who steals the movie for me. She was such an unexpected, delightful surprise. Playing the dumb blonde is a hard act to do well without being annoying!! Generally outside of one or two performances I hate the cliche of a dumb blonde character, but she nails it. I wouldn't be surprised if this is her breakout role. The characters here felt genuinely funny, exciting and genuine which goes a long way because it really helped to make the film exciting and thoroughly enjoyable for me, it wasn’t just the characters which were amazing though.
The plot of the film was equally as good as the characters were, not only was the actual storyline really well thought through but the addition of a few small side stories really helped to keep the film feeling really fresh and exciting because we didn’t just have a single storyline to focus on. Overall though I think that the film really cleverly accommodates both loyal fans of the series, as well as providing a lot of entertainment for new fans like myself, this means that all types of moviegoers can check this film out and find something that they can enjoy. The actual film feels very well put together, it has a clear plot which actually makes sense and this level of simplicity helps to ensure that the film stays simple and easy to follow which allows us to enjoy it to its maximum potential - the plot is basically that 'Little Rock' runs away from the group with a new Boyfriend to Babylon and the rest of the group try to track her down during a zombie apocalypse, it's simple but executed very well. The plot stays exciting too by giving us continuous changes and developments to the story, such as Madison coming and going, as well as Nevada coming and going too, with her sidekicks who closely resemble Tallahassee and Columbus - these are key because they help to keep the film fast-paced so that when the characters aren't making jokes, they are killing zombies or doing something else interesting, I genuinely like how the characters are always doing something fun and exciting because it keeps the film flowing really well. It's just simple things like Tallahassee and Columbus's doppelgängers copying their styles such as the rules for Columbus but Commandments for Flagstaff, and the "I don't like you, at all" line that both Tallahassee and Albuquerque say at the same time - it's just little things like this which really show the depth that this film has, it is able to take even the most trivial scenes and events and somehow turn them into an enjoyable and fun experience. It doesn't just show depth though but also shows how well the film is put together because it isn't just a copy of a character saying the same thing, but the film adds in a clever twist to really keep them exciting, the attention to detail here is fantastic. What I also love about the films plot though is how during sticky scenarios, typically in films they find an unrealistic way out which leaves viewers laughing at the unrealistic nature of them, however I love how in this film this isn't the case. For example the Madison and Columbus scene where he supposedly kills her as she turns into a zombie, when she comes back they are all in disbelief, but the film provides a really clever and straightforward response, by allowing her to explain that Columbus shot above her to make her run away when she actually suffered from a nut allergy, even though she thought they were vegan... Also, the scene where the gang fight the developed zombies towards the end in Babylon, all seems lost until Nevada turns up in a monster truck, admittedly it is a little far fetched but it still provides an exciting and enjoyable explanation for us. The whole film feels really well put together though, not only is it just simple to understand because of the supporting narration but it is also enjoyable and unpredictable too, which means that there are a variety of exciting and fun scenes from zombie chases to arguments which combine together to make a really strong film. Who said that sequels can't be as good as, if not better than the originals? I must say though, one of my favourite elements of the film was the playful nature, seeing things like "Zombie kill of the year" where people did things like knocking the leaning tower of Pisa over onto a hoard of zombies and run them over with a combine harvester. But the final play was done by Tallahassee, at which point he led the zombies to the edge of a very high building, and promptly led them off to their deaths (second deaths?). It's something the movie had actually been building to the whole time, so it kind of fit. And it took out a lot of zombies...and probably made a bit of a mess. This was quite a small element to the film but definitely helped to personify the playful nature of it, and actually provided to be one of the coolest and most exciting elements of the film - especially seeing the award coming up on the screen like a "Top 10 goals" from Fifa award or something!
Unfortunately, though, this film wasn't 100% perfect, it had a few faults. I was a little surprised by Abigail Breslin because I feel that she was a little let down in her role, especially when she was with Berkeley, because this match of the two characters had a lot of potentials to really show an attraction and bring some excitement to her character but there wasn't anything really done to allow their characters to excel in them - the scenes with the two felt really boring and definitely like they were missing something crucial to enlighten them. A bit of a waste of her talents. Zombieland 2 ticks all the right boxes, and will definitely please those who liked the first. But it mostly plays it safe. Some might find it a bit of a rehash, and true it doesn't take any real chances. But it's a decent sequel if not as fun as the first.
Overall, I would give this film an 8.5. I thought it was great, the characters had terrific chemistry together, they were funny and brought out lots of laughs from me and the rest of the audience, the actual film felt really exciting and well put together too which means that not only will the characters have a sense of meaning but the film is put together well enough to ensure that the fantastic characters can be used to make a variety of cool scenes really exciting and enjoyable. Sure the film had a few issues, such as the comments from series fans that it doesn't offer much more than the first film but there are still plenty of funny moments, new "rules" and tongue-poking at the zombie genre, while also holding true to lots of zombie-isms. Nothing too serious or groundbreaking happens, but it's a solid, mostly-fun watch throughout and will definitely prove to be one of my favourite films of the year. Would I recommend seeing this? 100%! Not only is it funny but it's genuinely exciting and enjoyable, and definitely stands out in the lineup of films released this year as one of the better ones - 10 years is a long time for a sequel but if it's going to be this good then it would be a shame to miss it!
Thank you for reading my review, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did watching the film and writing this review, I hope you have a lovely day! J If you would like to check out my Official Facebook page where you can see sneak previous and more film insights then please consider checking out the link below!
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