After a decade since its original film came out, the sequel to a cult favourite zombie apocalypse movie has finally arrived. Zombieland: Double Tap satisfies old and new generations of zombie flick fans in the same fashion of blood-and-gore, with plenty more laughter.
In the mid- to late-2000s, along with Shaun Of The Dead, Planet Terror and Warm Bodies, Zombieland was one of the new-wave zombie films that enlivened the genre, bringing it to a wider audience with new mainstream appeal as it mixed humour with horror. Zombieland was directed by Ruben Fleischer and featured an appealing cast including Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin.
The film was an instant hit in 2009, confirming that various genres can be mixed together. But while Zombieland felt like the indie-ish representation of the zombie genre, Double Tap is a more polished, established work for the category, putting the comedy element to the forefront.
Although it's been 10 years, Double Tap picks up about five years on from the original film's timeline. The story still follows these four unlikely companions Tallahassee (Harrelson), Columbus (Eisenberg), Wichita (Stone) and Little Rock (Breslin) who meet and befriend each other in a post-apocalyptic time and decide to travel together across the lifeless land surrounded by countless undead.
The zombies in this film have evolved and become tougher to kill. One of the super-zombies takes multiple gunshots to kill, leading Columbus to nickname it the T-800 after the Terminator franchise. However, the four are bound by their rules of survival, and have managed to steer away from any trouble (Double Tap is actually a clever title for Zombieland as it's also one of Columbus' own rules for survival).
One day, Little Rock, who's now in her teens, can't put up with Tallahassee's father-like overbearing behaviour. She decides to run off with pothead and aspiring musician Berkeley (Avan Jogia). The two drive their way to an anti-weapon hippie community called Babylon. So in order to keep her safe, the rest of the gang set out on a quest across zombieland trying to find her.
The locations in Double Tap are really different and unique. There's the Elvis-themed Graceland motel, a hippie commune, a shopping mall, the White House and a bunch of other sweet locations. The new film has some exciting action, with several solid, gruesome zombie kills that should satisfy hardcore fans of zombie movies.
Again, the original cast works together flawlessly and their shtick and chemistry are no less engaging or entertaining. Every single one of them nails it, especially the performances of Harrelson and Eisenberg that are as good as before. The roles of Stone and Breslin are sparse and somewhat left in the background, as if they're only here because they were in the first movie. There are some interesting cameo appearances by the likes of Luke Wilson, Rosario Dawson, Thomas Middleditch, and of course, Bill Murray, who reprises his role from the first film as a fictionalised version of himself.
But seriously, the star who shines brightest in Zombieland: Double Tap is the newcomer Zoey Deutch. Her performance as Madison is worth the price of admission. While her character is created to be a so-called "dumb blonde" and insanely annoying character, somehow she plays it so well and is so irresistibly funny that she's the film's scene stealer.
Story-wise, there's nothing new to offer here. The first half of the movie is better than the second half. The final act is also too predictable while feeling more polished than its predecessors, more manufactured, and less like the rest of the movie.
Double Tap is probably not as good as the first movie though with better pacing and better storytelling. And yes, this sequel is kind of late in the game, and probably should have come out eight years ago. There's no complications or depth behind the plot as the new film is fully embracing the comedy genre. It's got some fun moments and amusing dialogue. I found myself smiling and giggling my way through. It may not be Gone With The Wind, but it offers 99 minutes of sometimes pleasing entertainment.
So keep your expectations realistic and don't demand to see anything profound or deep. If you just want to have some laughs, you should go and give Double Tap a shot.
- Zombieland: Double Tap
- Starring Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone
- Directed by Ruben Fleischer
