Zombieland: Double Tap

When i was a young boy, i remember the first time i learned something educational. And this did not happen in ordinary school, but through watching the VHS tape of horror film Zombie Flesh Eaters. Directed by legendary director Lucio Fulci, this film helped me learn what matters in life, wich is of course zombies. Zombie Flesh Eaters was made on a very low budget, but worked so well thanks to fun practical effects, great characters and a fantastic soundtrack. I remember getting my hands on the uncut UK release of this film on VHS, and i was probably too young to watch this film. But this was the best educational source material i could find during that time, that helped me become more intelligent than any math books. Zombie Flesh Eaters is one of those films in the zombie catalogue of films, that everyone should see. This is in my opinion one of the best film from director Lucio Fulci. My interest for zombie films continued over the years, and i watched a lot of films from different countries. One of the reasons why zombie films are usually entertaining, is that you can always find something to enjoy, no matter what the plot is about. So what happens if you mix comedy with zombies ? It worked really well in the British horror comedy Shaun Of The Dead, released in 2004. Actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are brilliant in their roles, and this is one of the best horror comedies ever made. But in 2009, we get a surprise when director Ruben Fleischer released his horror comedy Zombieland. This film turned out to be a really funny mixture of zombie horror and Comedy, combined together with some great dialogue. The combination of Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson worked really good, as well as actress Emma Stone and actress Abigail Breslin. I never thought we would get a sequel to Zombieland, but after hearing about a sequel was going to be made, i became excited. Is this the best sequel released this year, or is Zombieland: Double Tap a big disappointment ?

10 years have passed since survivors Tallahassee ( Woody Harrelson ), Columbus ( Jesse Eisenberg ), Witchita ( Emma Stone ) and Little Rock ( Abigail Breslin ) have managed to found a way to enjoy life as good as possible, even if the zombies are still around. But the zombies have evolved, where the most dangerous ones are called T-800. They set up a new home in The White House. Columbus decides to propose to Wicthita with the Hope Diamond, but Witchita is not ready. The next morning it turns out that Witchita and Little Rock have left with a note. Tallahassee and Columbus go on their own, even if Columbus is concerned over Witchita. One day Witchita suddenly shows up, looking for weapons. Turns out that Little Rock left her for a hippie known as Berkeley ( Avan Jogia ). They team up to go look for Little Rock, while the T-800 zombies are getting more dangerous.

Going into a sequel to such a great horror comedy as Zombieland, actually made me concerned. Would they really manage to pull it off again, and deliver a really entertaining sequel ? Well i got some good news for you folks. Zombieland: Double Tap is excatly the right kind of film for everyone to enjoy, especially if you love zombie films. This is actually a sequel that knows how to keep the same tone of the first film, and still bring some new ideas as well. I have to be honest though, i still enjoy the first film a bit more than this sequel, but let´s get into what i especially enjoy about Zombieland: Double Tap. The chemistry between actors Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson is really good. They manage to bring some magic moments with their characters Columbus and Tallahassee, especially when they deliver some really funny dialogue. The strongest performance in this film comes from actress Emma Stone as Witchita, a really cool character with a strong personality. But we also have some great cameos here as well, especially from actor Luke Wilson as the bad ass character Alburqurque. This is exactly the kind of guy you want next to you on Sunday dinner with family. The zombies are actually effective as well, and are divided into three different kinds of zombie species. The Homer zombies are actually a funny part of the film, where brain cells are clearly missing. The comedy timing from the cast also works well, in most scenes. There are a few times where the comedy scenes become a bit too hysterical, but not affecting the quality of the film. Director Ruben Fleischer manage to make a sequel that is entertaining, without loosing the thread of the first film. Zombieland: Double Tap is without a doubt one of the better sequel films released this year, so if you are planning to get a DVD or Blu Ray in January to watch, i suggest you pick up this one. A nice return to familiar faces, and who can say no to a zombie invasion ? I know i can´t, does not get much cozier than this.

Rating: DDD