Movie review: ‘Zombieland’

FloridaGator80
A still photograph from the movie “Zombieland.”

Zombie movies always need a lot of gore. After all, how else can zombies function and it be shown on screen? They eat people and they don’t have table manners or sensitive feelings. After the genre got into the real bloody scenes in the 1970s, the gore took over and ultimately it took the fast-moving zombie to pump some new life (pun intended) into the genre over the next generation. Then you would find that “The Walking Dead” actually put a plotline and real characters into zombie fare and took the whole genre mainstream. However, the film “Zombieland” had already taken the genre to a new level by the time of “The Walking Dead:” a great story line, humor, just the right balance of gore and wonderful acting and the best cameo by a major star in the past 45 years or so in cinema.

‘Zombieland’
(2009; 88 minutes; rated R; directed by Ruben Fleischer and starring Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Woody Harrelson)

THE RULES OF ZOMBIELAND

(NOTE: I expanded this review on Nov. 2, 2014, and then updated some links on Dec. 2, 2015. I reorganized it, expanded it again and updated links on Aug. 27, 2017. I expanded it again on Oct. 29, 2021. I expanded it again on Dec. 27, 2025.)

For three decades, I didn’t believe that any filmmaker could top 1978’s “Dawn of the Dead” for sheer quality in a zombie movie (click here to read my review). It was from the creative mind of George A. Romero, who had pioneered the modern zombie film with “Night of the Living Dead” in 1968, and “Dawn of the Dead” had outstandingly realistic gore sequences (the guy getting his blood pressure checked and the machine goes off the chart when the zombies begin chewing on him has an especially nice touch); and offered an imaginative plot set at a shopping mall.

So, I was completely floored when I saw “Zombieland” on video in 2010. Horror flicks had pretty much just become gore-fests with each trying to outdo the other with stomach-churning special effects (it’s difficult to enjoy cinema from behind your hand), but not with “Zombieland.” Knowing my sense of humor and enjoyment of horror films, our daughter suggested I watch it.

I’m very glad I did.

Just as Wes Craven rejuvenated slasher films with “Scream” in 1996 (click here for my review), “Zombieland” pumped a new kind of life into zombie films the year before the debut of “The Walking Dead.”

The absolutely magnificent “Shaun of the Dead” almost took over as “best zombie flick” for me in 2004 (click here for my review), but came up a smidgen short and was the modern standard for five years. The remake of “Dawn of the Dead” in the same year as “Shaun”was actually OK, but a far cry from the original and definitely no “Shaun.” Enter “Zombieland.”

As for the film’s plot (remember, a review is required to explain what’s happened), the United States (along with the rest of the world) has become a “zombieland” through a virus and Jesse Eisenberg, the headliner and narrator, has begun keeping a list of “rules” to live by (such as Rule No. 31: always check the back seat). His travel allows him to hook up with Woody Harrelson, who is a manic zombie killer on a mission to find a Twinkie. Of course, the two join forces.

So, they encounter Emma Stone and her younger sister, played pretty much to perfection by Abigail Breslin, and they all wind up together with the climax in a Southern California theme park. Oh, there are no names for the main characters in “Zombieland” as all are just known by the cities where they want to go: Columbus (Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Harrelson), Wichita (Stone) and Little Rock (Breslin).

Eisenberg is a sharp-witted, retiring nerd who feeds off Harrelson’s mania and, like a nerd, falls immediately for the initially treacherous Stone. The role is a year before his work in “The Social Network,” but he somehow effectively channels his computer nerd character in “Zombieland.”

Stone and Breslin offer solid, effective performances with some layers and depth, such as when Harrelson is flummoxed by Brelin’s lack of pop-culture knowledge of his generation or even an historical figure such as Gandhi.

In a class by himself here is Harrelson, who is not one of my favorite actors but gets four stars from me for this one. Woody knows how to go ballistic with any kind of weapon. In just one scene he uses a banjo, a baseball bat and a pair of hedge clippers (“Just gonna take a little off the top”) to dispatch zombies in a supermarket. The filmmakers brought a rare level of intelligence and creativity to this one.

Plus, he manages to keep Eisenberg grounded to the reality of their situation. In one scene where Jesse waxes poetic about life before zombies as they watch one zombie have a gory meal, Harrelson tells him that, “Look, whatever you have waiting for you in Columbus, I promise you it ain’t prettier than our friend here enjoying her Manwich.” An instant classic!

Here’s a quick look at the principal cast:

  • A still photograph from the movie “Zombieland.”

    An Oscar nominee (not for this one), Eisenberg does just about a perfect job here. He knows how to play the twitchy nerd, but also interjects some strength into his character without overdoing it. Eisenberg was nominated for “The Social Network” and has also been in “Café Society” and the “Now You See Me” franchise. Otherwise, Eisenberg has had eight acting credits since his appearance in the “Zombieland” sequel from 2019.

  • A still photograph from the movie “Zombieland.”

    As I already wrote, Harrelson isn’t my favorite actor, but he does a great turn here. He simply becomes the elite zombie killer called for by the character. He conveys what is a surprisingly deep and difficult role to the audience without anyone realizing the character has depth and it was difficult for Harrelson to convey this in this kind of film. I simply consider it an injustice, but this basically talentless actor has two Oscar nominations (“The People vs. Larry Flynt” and “The Messenger”). He showed just how poorly one man can act in “After the Sunset” with Pierce Brosnan (click here to read my review) and was quite forgettable in the great “Wag the Dog” (click here to read my review). Otherwise … who cares? I don’t. No more about Woody.

  • An Oscar winner and two-time nominee (not for this one), Stone gives a great performance in a film that is in a genre that doesn’t usually allow critics to bestow accolades on an actor. However, Stone, like Harrelson, elevates her character and makes you believe she’s who she’s portraying on screen. Stone won her Oscar in 2017 for “La La Land” and was also nominated for “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” and “The Favourite.” Stone is quickly becoming an actor’s actor with work in such films as “The Help” and “Crazy, Stupid, Love” and she’s been in “The Amazing Spider-Man” franchise as well as doing TV and voicing.
  • Also a Oscar nominee (not for this one), Breslin, who was 13 when “Zombieland” opened, had already received excellent reviews and the nomination for her work in in the critically acclaimed “Little Miss Sunshine” and was also in the cast of “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.” Here, she goes from the perfect sidekick to Stone to the vacant teen who never heard of Willie Nelson or Gandhi. A real homerun for the filmmakers with her casting and another for her effort. Prolific at a young age, Breslin has 59 acting credits through the 2025 update of this review.
A still photograph from the movie “Zombieland.”

These four actors are the movie, with the exception of the cameo I’ll describe later. There’s very little supporting work unless an actor is screaming while being eaten or the one doing the eating amidst blood and gore.

Amber Heard is the only one with any significant screen time as a human (“406,” a girl spending the night with Eisenberg). She wakes up as a zombie and … well, you can figure out what happens to her since she’s in the “first reel.” The rest of the supporting cast has characters named like “Banjo Zombie” or “Zombie Meter Maid.”

Yes, there is a bunch of gore in this film but it is also avoided at times. For example, in the scene with the hedge clippers, special effects could have done a great gross-out “taking a little bit off the top,” but all you see is the bloody clippers sliding along the floor after Harrelson kills the zombie. Nice touch and no hand to cover the eyes for this one.

Another nice touch is the little details like how zombies are dressed. In the rural supermarket the zombies are obese country folk, while in Hollywood one zombie is a street performer dressed as Charlie Chaplin.

Now for the best part of the movie: the cameo.

** SPOILER ALERT … don’t read past here if you haven’t seen the film and want the full effect of the scene **

A still photograph from the movie “Zombieland.”

Once they make it to Los Angeles, Harrelson has them head to camp out at a very special star’s home: Bill Murray. In a great few moments in the house, Breslin learns about “Ghostbusters” and Murray himself appears … as a zombie. But wait, he’s in makeup so he can go out and play golf and just “mingle.” Murray delivers in a few minutes what he’s sometimes failed to achieve in several starring roles.

Murray is smooth playing himself and you get the feeling that he’s exactly as he would be during a zombie apocalypse. Of course you know Murray best for “Caddyshack” as well as the original “Ghostbusters.” If you can’t stand zombie films or gore, get this film and just go to Murray’s scenes. They’re worth the price of admission.

Oh, and make sure you get to the end of the credits for one more appearance by Murray. It is the perfect bow on top of the perfect cameo.

In the final analysis, if you can stomach some of the gruesome scenes, then you’ll find this a jewel encrusted with gore.

“Zombieland” was the 42nd ranked film at the U.S. box office in 2009 with $75.9 million in ticket sales, according to Box Office Mojo. Worldwide, “Zombieland” made a total of $102.3 million on a budget of $23.6 million, according to Wiki. The No. 1 film of the year was “Avatar” and two others that I enjoyed were “The Hangover” (ranked sixth with $277.3 million – click here for my look at that film franchise) and “The Blind Side” (ranked eighth with $255.9 million). Here are the other films from 2009 that I’ve reviewed:

Additional cast notes (via IMDb.com):

  • Stone’s birth name is Emily Jean Stone; and Harrelson’s birth name is Woodrow Tracy Harrelson.
  • Fleischer was quoted as saying he was inspired to direct “Zombieland” because of “Shaun of the Dead.”
  • Stone was originally cast as the doomed character “406.” Absolutely the right move to make her a headliner.
  • Directly from IMDb.com: “The amusement park scenes were filmed at Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta, GA.”
  • Harrelson was arrested for possession of marijuana during the filming and the production was delayed for a day.
  • Horror directing legend John Carpenter turned down a chance to do “Zombieland.” I’d say this was a good move for the audience, since I’m not sure Carpenter would have done the film as well as it was accomplished by Fleischer.
  • William Goldman was reported to have done uncredited rewrites of the script.
  • The original title was “Another Day in Zombieland,” but the ignorant suits at Columbia Pictures thought that that title would confuse the public and make them think it was a sequel. Of course, corporate idiots in charge of money had the power to change the title created by someone with creativity.
  • A remake of “Zombieland” was released in 2013 from Amazon studios. I didn’t see it, but have to wonder why a remake in four years? It took 26 years to remake Romero’s classic “Dawn of the Dead,” so the remake here has to be bad. It was intended to be a series, but was scuttled after only the one show.
  • Finally and directly from IMDb.com: “Contrary to popular belief, the supermarket scene was not filmed at an actual supermarket. A movie set was built from scratch to look like a real supermarket, and some of the merchandise is fake. For example, the stuff behind the glass refrigerator doors is just printed on paper. According to the producers, it was cheaper than buying out a supermarket and paying them for broken merchandise.”

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