Zombieland: Double Tap

Zombieland: Double Tap

Starring Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin

Directed by Ruben Fleischer

The Story:
Ten years into the zombie apocalypse that's rendered America as Zombieland, hardened survivors Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) have formed their own sense of family and settled into the now-abandoned White House.  Columbus and Wichita continue their relationship while Tallahassee becomes an overbearing surrogate father to Little Rock, who wants to find love for her own.  The sisters depart and leaves Tallahassee and Columbus alone, and for months they continue living in the White House until they meet fellow survivor Madison (Zoey Deutch), who takes a liking to Columbus.

Wichita returns and tells them that Little Rock ran off with a hippie named Berkeley (Avan Jogia) as they discover a new type of zombie that's almost impossible to kill, and they set out on the road to find Little Rock and keep her safe, along the way meeting new survivors, sharing new experiences, and testing their friendship in ways they couldn't imagine.

The Synopsis:
Ten years ago the zombie craze was just amping up.  "The Walking Dead" was just hitting the airwaves, and everyone was clamoring for the undead in droves, but as the years have gone on, the zombie craze has waned to just a few shambling feet who are still excited about them.  It's in this day and age that the long-gestating sequel to "Zombieland" decided to hit theaters, and much like the concept of zombies, there's nothing new that the sequel offers to the original, but since it's kept the original cast, director, and writers, there's not much need for that - it's still a laugh-riot comedy horror that hits on all cylinders just like the first.

Our four lovable survivors return for another round, as we see Tallahassee, Columbus, Wichita and Little Rock take refuge in the White House, as they're all now seasoned zombie slayers who really don't have much to worry about anymore.  Their unique family blend is threatened though when Little Rock gets tired of Tallahassee's overbearing fatherly advice, and she longs to find people her own age.  Meanwhile Wichita grows worried about her relationship with Columbus, and the two girls set out for greener pastures.  After they leave, the men meet Madison, which complicates Columbus's relationship with Wichita when she returns and tells them that Little Rock has run off with a hippie, and the old gang (plus Madison) go in search for her.

The film reunites the old crew again, which makes the movie all the more magical because it wouldn't have worked with a different cast.  It's interesting to think how far the four main actors have come in the last decade - all are now Oscar-nominated actors (while Emma Stone has actually won an Oscar), and they've all been firmly established as A-list actors, so seeing them in a zom-com may seem like a step down for them all, but you wouldn't guess it seeing how they perform.  Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin have the same rapport that they did back in 2009, and it seems like it's only been days since we've last seen them instead of years.  Their inherent chemistry continues to mix well, and their playful banter is as hilarious as ever, and also there's a deep sense of family to them, and you can tell the actors truly loved working with each other here.  They reunite with director Ruben Fleischer (who also has gone on to bigger things like "Venom"), and unlike annoying house guests who make infrequent visits, you don't mind sharing an hour or so with these characters.

The film introduces unique characters that also offer their own flavor to the festivities, and are also very welcomed.  Rosario Dawson plays the no-nonsense Nevada who knows how to handle herself, and Luke Wilson and Thomas Middleditch give excellent cameos as Albuquerque and Flagstaff, who bear striking similarities to Tallahassee and Columbus.  Yet it's Zoey Deutch's Madison that steals the show, as she plays the role of the ditsy blonde to perfection, who doesn't become irritating or annoying but rather gives some of the best laugh-out-loud moments (especially when she's working against our protagonists).

The story itself is rather simplistic, but the charismatic performances more than make up for the lack of coherent storyline.  It's basically a search for Little Rock that finds our heroes at an Elvis-centric hotel and hippie commune that sticks out like a sore thumb in the zombie apocalypse, and makes you wonder how they've survived as long as they have.  The zombies have grown to adapt as well, as Columbus has separated them into different groups - from those who are totally harmless to those that are somewhat intelligent and others that are purely stealthy in their attacks - but they find a new type of zombie - the unstoppable.  No matter how many times you shoot it in the head, it keeps coming at you, and this adds a new sense of fear and terror as it's not just mindless zombies anymore - but they, like the actors, have grown in the last ten years.

The heart of the film still lies with the actors, who easily put the "fun" in dysfunctional family as they argue and complain about one another, yet will literally go to the ends of the earth to save each other as well.  Like Wichita says: "when you love something, you shoot it in the face, so it doesn't become a flesh eating monster."

The Summary:
Taking a gamble in releasing ten years after the original, "Zombieland: Double Tap" manages to maintain its heart and humor due to the return of the four lovable characters and also heightens the danger, but also gives more laughs and an enjoyable zombie road trip along the way.

The Score: A+