Zombieland (2009)
Zombieland is a post-apocalyptic zombie comedy film about a former college student and self-proclaimed loner who we come to know as Columbus, who has a very specific set of rules for survival. 1
In this world, zombies came into being from a mutation in mad cow’s disease, which was transmitted to a human from a contaminated burger that patient zero consumed. The zombies are capable of opening doors and they also run. 1
I liked the comedy in film, in particular Tallahassee’s antics and mannerisms, as it conflicts with Columbus’s very specific survival rules and personality. 1
Summary
Columbus pairs up with an ass-kicking, Twinkies-obsessed man named Tallahassee who reluctantly agrees to take him to Columbus, Ohio. On their travels, they fail to find any Twinkies despite coming across a Hostess truck. They eventually enter a grocery store in search of Twinkies when they meet two sisters, Wichita and Little Rock, who con them out of their possessions. They try to get revenge, get conned again, and then end up banding together in an uneasy truce when Tallahassee manages to repossess one of the guns. The sisters share that they are on a road trip to Pacific Playland, an amusement part in Los Angeles, California, as they hear that it is zombie free. 1
Arriving in Los Angeles, they stay at Bill Murray’s mansion for a few days. On the first day, Bill Murray, Tallahassee, and Wichita think it’s a good idea for Bill to try to prank Columbus by pretending to be a zombie, but this goes awry and Columbus shoots Bill Murray dead. Wichita and Columbus become close, but she decides to leave abruptly with her sister and can’t believe that she almost fell for Columbus. The sisters arrive at Pacific Playground in the evening, and turn on all amusement rides and lights. The light and sound attracts nearby zombies, and they become overrun with zombies as they are riding a swinging ship. They eventually end up stuck on a drop tower. 1
Columbus decides to go after the sisters, and Tallahassee helps as well despite at first saying that he wouldn’t. At the park, Tallahassee distracts all of the zombies and Columbus saves the sisters — although he has to overcome his fear of clowns to fight a clown zombie. The four decide to stick together as they leave the park. 1