Nut up or shut up!

   It’s possible to say that there is no genre in cinema more versatile and malleable than the Zombie Film. As a writer you can do virtually anything with the undead and judging Hollywood’s output these days it seems people often do. Be it is using them as dark reflection of human nature in Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, a nostalgic and hilarious homage in the for, of Shaun of the Dead. Or, in extreme cases, just plain abused for the sake of low-budget seventies skin flicks like Nudist Colony of the Dead, a VHS abomination I encountered at a truck stop in Reno*. The reason zombies are put to such a variety of uses lies in the simplicity of their premise, i.e. ‘the dead are rising, lets run away’, you wouldn’t exactly need Jane Austen to fill out a movie on that notion. Zombie films also have the advantage of an antagonist already existing without the need to write a half-compelling villain. Although in fairness some of the better writers carve antagonistic forces out of their survivors that are more despicable than a zombie could ever hope to be. Charlie Brooker’s mini series Dead Set saw the creation of Patrick, the foul mouthed, egotistical producer of Big Brother, hell-bent on escaping the confines of his own show in the midst of a zombie rampage. More than willing to put his fellow survivors at risk for his own sake all while ridiculing and humiliating them, Patrick may be one of the foulest creatures in television and its satisfying to see him face the unstoppable force of an undead horde.  

  Because the simplicity of the genre zombie films are in abundance throughout cinema history however only a select few stand out as being significant. Zombieland might be the most significant addition since Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later, which is not the same as saying it is as good or as compelling. But in terms of what they both do with the genre, both films are essentially not Zombie films*. 28 Days Later is not a Zombie film or even a Sci-Fi film but in fact a human drama set within the world of a Zombie film. Occasionally yes, the zombies do affect the narrative but the focus of the film remains on the relationship that develops between the characters. In a similar vein Zombieland is a character driven comedy that happens to take place in an equally zombified setting. And while sometimes the zombies do get mixed in with the comedy the biggest laughs in the film undoubtedly come from this eclectic cast of characters. The first being a much beloved stock character, the socially neurotic Columbus, played lovingly by Jesse Eisenberg (Michael Cera watch out, he can do the awkward- kid thing and we’re not sick of the sight of him!). Eisenberg is on form as Columbus, a hapless college kid now thrown in the deep end of shit creek, surviving only on a rigorous set of rules which he sticks with all the dedication of a nerd. In fact it’s the rules which become one of the films strongest points, a series of recurring gags that break the fourth wall not only for a quick laugh but also as a clever commentary on the genre. The rule of double tapping for example, a fairly blunt nod to those moments in horror films where the killer is shot down but undoubtedly still alive and we, the audience, are screaming for someone to blow their brains out.  

Into Columbus’s secure little, loner world comes a bizarre surrogate family to keep the momentum flowing. Starting with Tallahassee (Woody Harrellson) a veritable badass utterly relishing the chaos around him. Shortly following is Wichita (Emma Stone), the standard-issue love interest and her sister Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) dragging the protagonists on a road trip that involves a hilarious celeb cameo and a mind-boggling trip to an amusement park. Leading to a climactic showdown and perhaps one of the best directed zombie massacres in recent years. The writing is exceptional here with Harrelson taking all the best lines as a Twinkie loving zombie-killer. It is the chemistry between him and Eisenberg’s character which is the films lynchpin, the neurotic little waif pedantically trying to push his rulebook on a man whose only response is: “Do you wanna see how hard I can hit”. As a result however the relationship between the girls feels underwritten by comparison and by extension Wichita’s chemistry with Columbus feels forced. Furthermore the film’s final moral about the nature of family feels overly sentimental and hardly in keeping with the tone of the film. Regardless the film is a hilarious, action packed zombie romp, skilfully written without venturing into the darker territory of traditional zombie films. Some may pick fault at the logic of the films finale in which the characters seek refuge in a wide open area filled with lights and loud music. But this is not a film about logic it is a film about people; stupid, crazy, annoying people just trying to enjoy the little things in life and seeing them do it is well worth the trip.

*It’s currently enjoying wide circulation in New Zealand thanks to one Alex Clark

*And not just because they don’t use the traditional slow moving zombies