Zombieland (2009) (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Review)
Directed By: Ruben Fleischer
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson
Rated: R/Region: A/2:40/1080p/Number of disc: 2
Available from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Searching for family. In the early twenty-first century, zombies have taken over America. A shy and inexperienced college student in Texas has survived by following his 30 rules: such as “look in the back seat,” “double-tap,” “avoid public restrooms.” He decides to travel to Ohio to see if his parents are alive. He gets a ride with a boisterous zombie-hating good-old boy headed for Florida, and soon they confront a young woman whose sister has been bitten by a zombie and wants to be put out of her misery. The sisters were headed to an LA amusement park they’ve heard is zombie free. Can the kid from Ohio get to his family? And what about rule thirty one?
Zombieland is a fun movie and that is all fine and dandy for the most part. Anyone who just wants to see a well paced horror comedy with zombies will be at home and surely love a film like this overall. I’d even go as far as to say that the actors play their roles well and fit the characters they are portraying perfectly. The thing is, with all the lighthearted twist and turns of the story we never seem to have a real plot. I feel like we start to build a few ways and then go other ways. Don’t get me wrong, I did like the movie a lot. I just never for once thought our characters were in any real danger because the movie doesn’t seem to build any drama or tension.
So, there isn’t much of a plot or a goal for our characters to reach. Unless we just play it off as four people just trying to be a place they belong and a family to be in. The film does seem more like what you’d get in a TV show rather than a one-off movie, but originally the story was intended to be a series. Regardless, it is a movie to just sit-back and enjoy for what it is. There are some legit laughing out loud moments and even if Tallahassy’s search for Twinkies is the most series goal the movie commits to, I still would suggest everyone see it at least once. It being a newer film we also get a near flawless transfer with great color and details, but that should be expected coming from Sony.
– Exclusive to the Blu-ray: “Beyond the Graveyard” Behind the Scenes Picture-in-Picture Track
Commentary with Actors Woody Harrelson & Jesse Eisenberg, Director Ruben Fleischer, Writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick
– Go Behind-the-Scenes with “In Search of Zombieland”
– “Zombieland is Your Land” – The zombification of the United States
– Deleted Scenes
– Visual Effects Progression Scenes
– movieIQ
– Theatrical Promo Trailers
– PS3 Wallpaper
