ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP

US, 2019, 99 minutes, Colour.
Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Zoe Deutch, Avan Jogia all, Rosario Dawson, Luke Wilson, Thomas Middleditch.
Directed by Ruben Fleischer.

At least you know where you stand (or sit) by the title! You are in Zombieland US, where a virus has infiltrated the majority of the population who are now the equivalent of George A Romero's Living Dead, preying on the living and devouring them if they can (though they can run fast, chasing the living, rather than lurch as they do in Romero's films – which, it seems, is why the fat people are the first to be caught and eaten!).

Of course, not everyone wants to see zombie films whether they are serious or funny. This one is funny. There have been some scary movie spoofs but they tend to be a bit along the scratch concert line, hit and miss jokes – and sometimes aiming at the lowest common denominator.

Zombieland is much more cleverly written. It parallels and parodies the living dead conventions but has a lot of wisecracks, especially with movie references, so that there are frequent smiles and laughs.

With the bigger budget than the cheap parodies, the sets are more impressive, especially the climax at a fun park where the cast go on a literal rollercoaster to escape the zombies. And the cast is very good. Jesse Eisenberg gives yet another variation (no, that is too strong a description because he is much the same every time) on his wimpish, dorkish persona which he does so well. He speaks the voiceover narration and his delivery and timing are just right in describing what has happened to the world, how he ticks as a phobia-ridden young man (whose first encounter with a girl finished up with her being a zombie and attacking him) and his list of rules for dealing with zombies.

When he encounters a redneck human (Woody Harrelson at his manic best, shooting zombies but weeping for the loss of his dog - to the accompaniment of Paul Anka singing Puppy Love), there is a standoff but they decide to take the road together. Then they encounter two sisters (Emma Stone and, of all serious young actors, Abigail Breslin) who are not all they seem. It is as if the four of them are in a zombie re-make of I Am Legend.

The foursome, each with a particular eccentricity that makes for humorous interactions, arrive in LA and decide to settle in the mansion belonging to Bill Murray who is at home and gives one of his fine comic performances, sending up Ghostbusters and expressing, when asked, his movie regrets: Garfield!

Given the number of slasher movies, living dead and other horror films, it is good to have one that takes the genres seriously enough to parody them so well.

The above review is actually the review of the original Zombieland which was released in 2009. With some plot details altered, it can serve as the review of this sequel. It is 10 years later Jesse Eisenberg apologises for the absence because they have all been hunting zombies. This time, the foursome are now living in the ruins of the White House, go on a quest because Abigail Breslin as Little Rock has grown up and wants independence, is charmed by a hippy musician from Berkely and goes on a quest to find a peace and love settlement-refuge from zombies called Babylon. The others have to find her.

There are humorous adventures on the way, lots of killings of zombies, vicarious violence for us the audience because they are already dead! A couple of new characters, Rosario Dawson and two zombie-hunters, Luke Wilson and Thomas Middleditch. And, a zany glamorous survivor in Washington mall freezer, Zoe Deutch, who provides some romantic entanglement as well as some really daffy comedy. What worked in the first film, the voice-over, the rules, the deadpan wit, the zombie threats, all work well in this one, especially as even during the credits, a Columbia film, zombies suddenly appear to threaten the Statue of Liberty who whacks them away with her lamp!

One difference, the Bill Murray reference this time. He is interrogated about the Garfield films, especially Garfield 3 which does not exist. Audiences who have a compulsion to exit the cinema as soon as a credit word appears on screen will miss this amusing section – and, lonely devotees of full credits will be rewarded by some extra moments with Bill Murray at the very end.

1. Audience response to zombie films? The serious tradition? The comic tradition and spoofs? The original in 2009? And again in 2019? Changing audience sensibilities with the proliferation of recent zombie films?

2. The comic tone, the statue of Colombia beating off zombies? The zany tone? Parody of the post-apocalyptic era? Of zombies in the countryside? Of human survivors, living lavishly in the ruins? The White House, the DC mall? The countryside and settlements? The roving gangs? The weaponry and massacres? The categories of zombies? The pursuits? The Road movie, vehicles, the ruins of Graceland? The substitute Museum? Babylon and the hippy settlement? The buildup to the overwhelming attack of zombies, the climax of the town? And Columbus and his rules for dealing with zombies?

3. The four as a team, their civic names? The US, 10 years after the original? Tallahassee and Woody Harrelson’s style, character, talk, relationships, violence, sentiment? Jesse Eisenberg’s Columbus, his still dorky personality, the narrative, his rules? Wichita 10 years later? Columbus and the attraction, the Hope Diamond, the proposal? Little Rock and her growing older, age, their settlement in the White House? Columbus and his proposal? Wichita and her writing notes and leaving? Little Rock looking for something new?

4. Little Rock, the music, Berkely, the hippy, leaving, the vehicle, the drive across the countryside, settling in Babylon? The hippy settlement, the characters, no weapons?

5. Tallahassee and Columbus and their decision to go, the vehicle, the pursuit, Wichita’s return, the small car, Tallahassee’s dissatisfaction?

6. Madison’s arrival, living in the mall, glamour, brainless, not under threat from brain eating zombies? Dumb, sex, with Columbus? Wichita’s return, jealousies?

7. The quest, the road trip, the pilgrimage to Graceland, Tallahassee and Elvis? The issue of vehicles, Graceland in ruins, the alternate Museum, the encounter with Nevada, the effect on Tallahassee?

8. Madison, on the road, chewing the nuts, the allergy, her being sick, getting out, Columbus pursuing her, the shot? Her turning up again, the explanation? Accompanying them? Wichita’s reaction?

9. The encounter with Albuquerque and Flagstaff? Hunters, the bond between them, the vehicle and the crash? With Nevada, the bonding? The approach of the zombies, the going out, self-confidence, being bitten? The deterioration, having to shoot them?

10. Going to the settlement, finding Little Rock, with Berkely, his being exposed as a phony?

11. Tallahassee leaving, discovering the hordes, returning, the plan, giving up the guns and their being melted? Little Rock remembering her gift, shooting? The final challenge, luring the zombies to the tower, the trap, their falling to their deaths?

12. Everybody surviving – for further adventures?

13. And the reprisal of the Bill Murray comedy, the interview about Garfield, the attack of the zombies? And the final post-credits minute?

The rules:
1. "Cardio"
2. "Double tap"] ("Ziploc bags" in a deleted scene)
3. "Beware of bathrooms"
4. "Seatbelts"
6. "Cast iron skillet"
7. "Travel light"
8. "Get a kickass partner"
12. "Bounty paper towels"
15. "Bowling ball"
17. "Don't be a hero"; Columbus later changes the rule to "Be a hero" at the amusement park, after facing his greatest fear (a clown-zombie) to save Wichita and Little Rock.
18. "Limber up"
19. "Ziploc bags"
21. "Avoid strip clubs"
22. "When in doubt, know your way out"
28. "Double-knot your shoes"
29. "The buddy system"
31. "Check the back seat"
32. "Enjoy the little things"
33. "Swiss army knife"
34. "Clean socks"
48. "Hygiene"
49. "Always have backup"