Zombieland: Double Tap (Review)
Zombieland: Double Tap is a Sequel Horror Fans Have Been Waiting 10 Years for.
In all honesty, I’ve been waiting ten years for Zombieland: Double Tap. Those that are fans of Stars & Popcorn probably understand my love for the original if you’ve read my Top 10 Best Zombie Movies or my Top 10 Best Horror Comedies lists. Of course, that also means my expectations for this follow-up film were pretty high walking in. After all, this has the same writers, director, and actors as the first movie, so what could go wrong? Like so many sequels though, it’s not quite as good as the original but definitely won’t disappoint its fans. So, was the wait worth it in the end? I certainly think it was.
Zombieland: Double Tap catches back up with the gang from the original film (Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin) who seem to be doing just fine years into the zombie apocalypse. While they might be adept at killing the undead, their biggest problem that they face now are growing pains within their little family. While the guys might be fine with business as usual, the women are getting restless and feeling suffocated by the group’s newfound domesticity. Especially young Little Rock (Breslin) who is now a full-fledged teenager in the film and just wants to hang out with some kids her own age. Family drama in the middle of the zombie apocalypse is a recipe for disaster as they find themselves once more on an adventure to keep their family together and, more importantly, alive.
The stars of the original film are back and better than ever. While they were hilarious in the original, a few of them have grown a lot over the years since their last outing. Eisenberg especially has reached a new level of comedic genius (just see his recent The Art of Self Defense for proof). Back in those days, he was perhaps viewed as a poor man’s Michael Cera, but the tides have shifted plenty since then and he’s a star in his own right. As great as everyone is in the film, it’s the new characters and cameos that makes Zombieland: Double Tap so delightful. Zoey Deutch steals every scene she’s in as an airheaded blonde with a penchant for pink. Most of her gags are based around just how stupid she is, but I felt like her character set it up to show just how mean and miserable all the others had become. Despite their hatred for her and her bubbly personality, she proves to be a surprisingly capable new addition to the group and forces them to reevaluate their cynicism. The film also features cameos from Luke Wilson, Thomas Middleditch, and, one of my biggest Hollywood crushes of all time, Rosario Dawson. All of this new blood (no pun intended?) helps Zombieland: Double Tap to achieve much more than just a reheated sequel playing off what worked in the original. Though there is plenty of that as well.
Director Ruben Fleisher and writers Dave Callaham, Rhett Rheese, and Paul Wernick, know what fans loved about the original Zombieland. So, of course, they’re going to give us plenty of that once again. The foul-mouthed and judgemental dialogue is back, as the characters continue to make humorous observations about each other in the rudest way possible. Fortunately, all of them seem to be able to take it as well as they can give it and aren’t above admitting when they’ve been bested in their verbal sparring. It’s a film that seems to relish the ability for those closest to each other to pick at each other’s insecurities while still feeling safe. It’s a testament to their comradery and proves to be just as insightful to their relationships as it is hilarious to listen too. That’s because no matter how rude or mean they are to each other there’s still respect underneath it all. The chemistry between the leads is still well intact and proves once more to be the cornerstone as to why this approach is so successful when it comes to their group dynamic.
Unfortunately, with all the good also comes some bad with this new sequel. It feels like a lot of the characters are reduced to stereotypes strictly for the sake of comedic purposes. While I liked Deutch a lot it was mostly for her ability to keep her cliched character endearing no matter how bland her lines got. The same goes for pretty much every new character introduced along the way. They do little to help set up or add to the overall plot of the film. Instead, they seem more like roadside attractions on our heroes’ journey. In fact, Zombieland: Double Tap on a whole seems to really lack purpose in bringing back it’s characters for another romp. Sure, I’m not upset with it, since I love the characters so much, but the original was all about finding connection and family in a world ravaged by zombies. Zombieland: Double Tap doesn’t really add anything new to that, which makes it feel like simply an excuse to dust these fan favorites off one more time.
Once again, Zombieland: Double Tap proves to be the kind of movie that Stars & Popcorn was designed for. Looking at it from a cinematic standpoint, it’s not exactly a great movie. It is one that I would love to see again though, quite simply because it is hilarious and a lot of fun. It serves no other purpose than to just entertain audiences and give them something to laugh at, and that’s okay at the end of the day. Hell, I would even call it a welcome relief, because so many comedies struggle with even that much these days. Fans of the original will appreciate it keeping the spirit of the original intact (though maybe a little too much) and those just wanting a fun night at theaters will find it a perfect fit given all the heavy-handed alternatives out now. While it definitely wasn’t quite as magical as the first Zombieland, I’m still grateful that I finally got to see Zombieland: Double Tap.
