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Zombieland: Double Tap
Our favorite Zombie hunters named after geographical locations return for more Zombie hi-jinks in 2019's Zombieland: Double Tap, a sequel to the 2009 hit that attempts to flesh out the characters in the first film and adds new characters that really don't bring much to the table, providing the viewer with another classic example of "Sequel-itis".
As this story unfolds, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone), and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), are residing in the post Apocalyptic White House, which is now covered in weeds. Columbus, Tallahassee, and Wichita leave their humble abode when they learn that Little Rock has run off with a pot-smoking, guitar-playing pacifist named Berkley (Avan Jogia).
Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, the creative force behind the Deadpool movies have crafted a screenplay that seems fashioned more like another Deadpool movie than this one, including an overly cute narration to the proceedings by Columbus that knocks down the 4th wall and pretty much announces to the viewer that they are viewing a sequel. The story takes too much time with exposition, setting up the disappearance of Little Rock and the strained romantic relationship between Columbus and Wichita, which is hampered by the lack of chemistry between Eisenberg and Stone.
Two new characters are brought into the mix with opposite effects. Rosario Dawson is a lot of fun as Nevada, a sharp-shooting Zombie hunter who finds herself drawn to Tallahassee. On the other hand, Zoey Deutch, playing a Valley Girl who has been hiding in a freezer in a mall for years to escape the Zombies, gives a performance something akin to fingernails on a chalkboard.
Once the film gets down to business and we have the good guys versus the Zombies, the movie delivers the action we expect, it just takes a little too long to get there. The film does feature first rate cinematography and sound, it just takes a little too long to get going. Director Ruben Fleischer is to be applauded for not falling into one common trap with "Sequel-itis"...they didn't feel the need to make the movie four hours long.
Our favorite Zombie hunters named after geographical locations return for more Zombie hi-jinks in 2019's Zombieland: Double Tap, a sequel to the 2009 hit that attempts to flesh out the characters in the first film and adds new characters that really don't bring much to the table, providing the viewer with another classic example of "Sequel-itis".
As this story unfolds, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone), and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), are residing in the post Apocalyptic White House, which is now covered in weeds. Columbus, Tallahassee, and Wichita leave their humble abode when they learn that Little Rock has run off with a pot-smoking, guitar-playing pacifist named Berkley (Avan Jogia).
Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, the creative force behind the Deadpool movies have crafted a screenplay that seems fashioned more like another Deadpool movie than this one, including an overly cute narration to the proceedings by Columbus that knocks down the 4th wall and pretty much announces to the viewer that they are viewing a sequel. The story takes too much time with exposition, setting up the disappearance of Little Rock and the strained romantic relationship between Columbus and Wichita, which is hampered by the lack of chemistry between Eisenberg and Stone.
Two new characters are brought into the mix with opposite effects. Rosario Dawson is a lot of fun as Nevada, a sharp-shooting Zombie hunter who finds herself drawn to Tallahassee. On the other hand, Zoey Deutch, playing a Valley Girl who has been hiding in a freezer in a mall for years to escape the Zombies, gives a performance something akin to fingernails on a chalkboard.
Once the film gets down to business and we have the good guys versus the Zombies, the movie delivers the action we expect, it just takes a little too long to get there. The film does feature first rate cinematography and sound, it just takes a little too long to get going. Director Ruben Fleischer is to be applauded for not falling into one common trap with "Sequel-itis"...they didn't feel the need to make the movie four hours long.