REVIEW: Zombieland: Double Tap Is Mindless Fun

Zombieland: Double Tap is an action-packed joy ride that will leave audiences satisfied. Directed by Ruben Fleischer, Zombieland: Double Tap picks up ten years after the events of Zombieland. Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Wichita (Emma Stone), and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) are now in the White House and enjoying a domesticated, safe life away from the zombie apocalypse. Little Rock soon begins to feel suffocated from all the “family” time and takes off with a man, Berkeley (Avan Jogia) to a “safe place” in the South. None too happy with her disappearance, the others hit the road to bring her back, not expecting the wild ride they are in for and the cast of characters hell bent on disrupting their mission.

What is so wonderful about this film is that though it has been ten years since the first, it’s as if no time has passed at all. Tallahassee, Columbus, Wichita, and Little Rock are still the same quirky, sarcastic misfits fans fell in love with the first time around. It’s almost as though the screenwriters had this screenplay sitting in their pockets since 2009. The only difference is the introduction of a new kind of zombie, the T-800, which is harder to kill than the others.

Fleischer utilizes each actors’ talents and strengths expertly throughout the film. From Columbus and Tallahassee’s quick witted interactions, to Zoey Deutch’s dim witted portrayal of a woman who has survived the apocalypse in a freezer, Madison, every performance adds well to the story to make a complete, satisfying film.

Harrelson, Breslin, Stone, and Eisenberg reunite as everyone’s favorite unconventional zombie-killing family. Each actor returned to the role with zest and ease. All four have strong comedic timing and bounce off one another extremely well. Not once did the chemistry between them falter, even though the group does not share as many scenes as they did in the first film. Zoey Deutch, Rosario Dawson, Avan Jogia, and Luke Wilson round out the newcomers. These new characters are mainly on hand to move the story along, but Deutch’s performance brought the most laughs from the audience.

Zombieland: Double Tap brings just as many kills and thrills as its predecessor and possibly just as many laughs. The film is as mindless as some of the zombies in it, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a fun time.

Grade: B+