Zombieland

The latest Coen Brothers movie is opening, and a newly restored print of Rashomon is playing too. Tempting, but today I indulged in Zombieland. It's a comedic take on the hungry undead, but still falls into the horror genre as evidenced by the trailers of upcoming movies Saw VI and The Wolfman shown beforehand.

The movie opens on a world devastated by a plague that has transformed mankind into flesh eating ghouls. We're talking the whole human race so these flesh eaters are a mixed bunch; there are car-pool Moms, Chaplin impersonators, tuxedoed spies, tiara decked princesses and exotic dancers among others, all in need of warm entrails STAT. Ready for battle are the handful of survivors; the nebbish, the redneck and two grifter sisters played by Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin respectively.

First-time feature director Ruben Fleischer confidently moves his players into the story and through their bizarre road trip that culminates in an amusement park. His debut is full of energy and removed of anything tired or gimmicky. The savvy script by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick adds polish to zombie humor and breathes life into the main characters who have but 90 minutes to win over their audience. And they do. They really do.

Saying anything more would spoil it. If you like Zombies, you'll love the movie. If you hate zombies, you'll still have a good time.