What if I told you that Zombieland
is one of the key pieces that turned me into a film buff?
2010 was the year I truly dived
into film as more than just fleeting popcorn entertainment—going out of my way
to watch all variety of genres from across history, giving each film my full
attention and viewing them from a more critical standpoint. Yet such analytical interest in film had
already begun blossoming between 2007-2009.
It started with Schindler’s List, showcasing how powerful
and influential film can be, as well as showcasing the artistic merits
of style and symbolism. The Dark
Knight displayed the depths of potent storytelling one could achieve with a
superhero blockbuster and that high-quality writing is not limited to specific
genres. Even Avatar helped me
better understand subjective opinions, and that it is alright to deviate from the
majority and/or critics regarding a piece of fiction.
And then there’s Zombieland,
the 2009 cheesy, over-the-top horror-comedy about a bunch of misfit individuals
surviving the zombie apocalypse.
Amusingly, Zombieland is one of two “land” named films starring
Jesse Eisenberg from that year, the other being the criminally overlooked Adventureland
co-starring Kristen StewART IS A VERY TALENTED!!!...ahem, sorry that's just my inner apologist
for Kristen Stewart coming out. Zombieland, is no masterpiece. The film has faults—there
are some pacing issues, characters will catch a good case of the stupids at
time, and unlike some of the critically acclaimed zombie films before it,
contains little to no social commentary.
It is, without doubt, one big popcorn flick—and it ends up being pure,
unadulterated fun as a result. Where
Zombieland succeeds is in its high entertainment value, its comedy and laidback
attitude, its great cast assembly playing endearing characters, the way it
gives time for these characters to interact and bounce off each other on a
one-on-one level, its big surprise no one saw coming, and its uniquely creative
style.
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