Short Take - Zombieland: Double Tap (2019): Summer Fun In October

Zombieland: Double Tap is that rare sequel that’s at least as good and, frankly, probably better than the original.  And unlike so many allegedly funny Zombie films, whose humor is tied to outrageous (thus ghoulishly amusing) gruesomeness, this one is built as a true comedy, and is quite likeable without being the least bit horrifying. There are zombies in the mix now and then, but they are very much a sideshow. Even the grand finale, featuring a giant horde of the undead flesh-eaters is more cartoonish than scary. Although its release this week is likely tied to the Halloween season, Zombieland: Double Tap more resembles a carefree, fun Summer movie.  I have to admit that I quite liked it and found myself laughing out loud more than a few times.

The original Zombieland in 2009 was a pretty enjoyable entertainment itself. Mostly it was played for laughs, along with a few thrills. The single sentence IMDB description of the original movie gives you a flavor: “ A shy student trying to reach his family in Ohio, a gun-toting tough guy trying to find the last twinkie, and a pair of sisters trying to get to an amusement park join forces to travel across a zombie filled America.”

The first Zombieland was blessed with a great cast primarily featuring up and coming young actors - 21 year old Emma Stone, whose main previous credit was a supporting role in Superbad (2007); 26 year old Jesse Eisenberg, whose breakout part was as a teenager in The Squid and the Whale (2005) and whose Adventureland (costarring 19-year-old  Kristen Stewart) was released six months earlier the same year as Zombieland; and Abigail Breslin, then just 13, whose claim to fame at the time was her role as “Olive“ in  Little Miss Sunshine (2006) when she was 10.  The only veteran in the starring group was Woody Harrelson (48). Eisenberg, of course, was the shy student, nicknamed Columbus for his hometown, and was perfecting his trademark awkward earnestness routine; Harrelson was the goofy tough guy comically overestimating his macho-ness, calling himself Tallahassee; Stone and Breslin were the two sisters (Wichita and Little Rock) on the naïve quest.

These four, now veterans (as actors and as denizens of the apocalyptic Zombieland world), are all back for Zombieland: Double Tap. It’s unclear how much time has passed since the previous movie, but Breslin is now a young adult. The attitude is closer to 2009 than 2019, however. As the story opens, these four have been camping for a while at the abandoned, derelict White House and – within the context of a zombie-infested world – living it up. But life has also been awfully stale. Little Rock in particular is itching to get out, try to find someone her own age and have some fun. Her sister Wichita has been coupled with Columbus for so long, she’s starting to find him a bit tedious. Everyone is tired of Tallahassee’s act and his presumption that he is their leader. All of which leads to a departure and new adventures.

And a few new characters to spice things up. There’s Zoey Deutch as Madison – a funny/ridiculous Barbie-doll blonde in love with pink and girly kitsch. Rosario Dawson as a tough as nails saloon lady known as Nevada, in a neon infused, otherwise vacant Elvis-themed hotel; Avan Jogia as a guitar-toting, neo-hippie, vegan, pacifist called Berkeley (natch); and Luke Wilson (Albuquerque) and Thomas Middleditch (Flagstaff), a couple of near doppelgängers for Tallahassee and Columbus, whose arrival sets off one of the funnier sequences in the film. And there are literally hordes of (largely inconsequential) zombies to keep things interesting.

The best things about Zombieland: Double Tap are the wonderful characterizations by Eisenberg, Harrelson, Stone and Breslin – along with several of the newcomers; and a terrific, witty, well-paced screenplay by original writers Rhett Reese  and Paul Wernick ( also co-writers of the very funny Deadpool movies), along with newcomer Dave Callaham (The Expendables 1, 2, and 3). Also of note: this is not a bloated movie (like so many sequels) – it comes in at well under two hours.

Nothing to think about here. Zombieland: Double Tap is just a well-made, fast moving, character-driven, lighthearted entertainment.  Which actually IS something.

1 hour 39 minutes                   Rated R (“for bloody violence [completely cartoonish], 

language throughout [which should rate PG-13], 
some drug and sexual content [ditto].”).

Grade: B+

In wide release.