Zombieland: Double Tap – Movie Reviews by Ry!
Zombieland: Double Tap – Tapping Satire with Zombies
From sports to video games, being a fan, you always yearn to hear something good of more about the things you enjoy. The same goes for film. From Star Wars to John Wick, fans always clamor for more. This long-awaited sequel brings back the original team with a hope to produce something great. Zombieland: Double Tap uses a lot of rehashed material but provides plenty of comedic moments. Even with mix results, this is a welcome return to Zombieland.
The film finds our band of zombie killers moving across the America Heartland. As they come across new survivors and zombies, they must deal with all these new obstacles while maintaining what they hold dear in this world. Each of the original members of the cast returns:
- Woody Harrelson as Tallahassee
- Jesse Eisenberg as Columbus
- Emma Stone as Wichita
- Abigail Breslin as Little Rock.
All four fall right back into their roles seamlessly. The oddity of their character dynamic brings genuine feeling to the film. Their sense of family creates true emotions, allowing the audience to see how their weaknesses are complimented by each other’s strength. The wittiness of their conversations allows for the comedic banter to lift the basic road trip/journey outline. As they go on this journey, the script taps into familiar territory by rehashing a lot of the same gags through subtle and unique ways. This feeling of ‘old is new’ levels out the journey, allowing for characters to seize the moments when there is no real story to tell.
As the group encounters encounter new characters, it creates a satirical window into the genre. This reflection of the zombie genre allows for the comedy to feel absolute and real. In created a sandbox for common tropes, it allows for self-awareness to gleam a different perspective. It brings about the idea of survival but plays with relationships in a ‘tongue-and-cheek’ manner. This creates a place of subdue reactions to the traditional zombie flick. Once in the third act, everything comes to head in a predictable ‘man vs. zombie’ scenario. This leads to a climax that is rushed and underdeveloped. Zombieland: Double Tap is a return that shines above with its main cast and self-awareness of the genre. If you’re a fan of the first or like to see a different twist on the genre, this is one for you. It is worth seeing at the theaters, as a matinee.
Full Score – 3.5 out of 5 (Matinee)