Movie Review – Zombieland: Double Tap
Zombieland: Double Tap
It doesn’t feel like it, but it’s been ten years. A film that took a lot longer than expected, director Ruben Fleischer has worked this to his advantage, by placing his sequel a decade later in timeline as well. Back are the fearsome foursome, Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin).
Little Rock has visibly grown-up, but not much else has changed for the group. Expect more of the same chauvinism from Tallahassee, anxious geek-outs from Columbus, and emotionally standoffs from Wichita. And while this entourage gained fans during their showing, Fleischer truly understands that to stay relevant, he has to adapt to the new generation of moviegoers. Therefore – Madison.
While there are other inclusion in this film that speaks to the director’s creativity and acerbic satire, none is more successful than Valley Girl Madison (Zoey Deutch). The pinked-out mall girl is suitably hiding out in a freezer at – where else – a mall, and a heartbroken Columbus instantly connects with her at a Yankee Candle store and brings her home. This triggers off a much-needed new dynamic in the group that feel refreshed, with new caricatures played up to some great laughs. Truly, it was hard to stop chuckling whenever her face appeared on the screen, something which Eisenberg admitted to as well, that he couldn’t keep a straight face when acting opposite Deutch. Now that’s commitment.
Threading in lessons on chosen families and working through differences, this new chapter which sees a new tanked-up zombie is just as charming as it was before. An admirable feat.
Full-time freelance writer with a part-time appetite for all things horror when time allows. And the rumours are true, I am a witch.
