If you think this film is just a sequel to another cliché zombie movie, you would be exactly right; however, this film did not shy too far away from the fact that it is exactly that, but it does come with a twist. This movie is unlike the dramatized zombie TV show The Walking Dead—which this movie throws some definite shade at—and World War Z,e starring Brad Pitt. This one introduces comedy, an awesome soundtrack, and new elements to the undead world.
The road trip from beyond the grave
Image from IMDb
Zombieland: Double Tap, directed by Ruben Fleischer and released on Oct.18, tells all about the continuing adventurers of our beloved characters (named after cities around the U.S.) from the first movie, Zombieland. Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone), and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) are back at it again, roaming the countryside in search of a place to call home. After all these years, they have grown to be a family—if you consider a bunch of unrelated people who kill zombies to be a family. Tallahassee has developed a soft spot for Little Rock, who just wants to be an edgy teen with daddy issues and smokes weed all day, while Columbus and Wichita’s’ relationship goes to the next level…almost.
Long story short: Wichita and Little Rock ditch the boys for independence, only for Little Rock to run off with pacifist hippy (Avan Jogia), who helps fulfill her marijuana dreams. Without giving away too much tea, the gang travel in search of Little Rock and meet some interesting people. For example, they end up meeting a dumb blonde (Zoey Deutch), who will have you laughing throughout the entire film, and Columbus and Tallahassee look-alikes. Their journey throughout the movie provides new challenges for the characters to face, like specialized zombies. Additionally, some references from the previous movie are brought back. Despite some minor problems, the cinematography, editing, and visuals do a good job of creating an action–packed, colorful movie—and that’s not even mentioning the awesome soundtrack.
Classic rock that (usually) slays
Image from IMDb
Speaking of the soundtrack, although the film uses classic songs from artists like Metallica, Bob Dylan, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, the placement of the songs within the movie was a hit or miss. For example, the opening credits show the group annihilating some zombies in a gruesome, slow-motion scene as Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” plays in the background. For some, this was a good decision by the producers; they chose a Metallica song for the sequel, since the first movie featured a different song, but by the same group. To others, it set a tone of repetition throughout the franchise. Another example is in one particular scene when the group gets back on the road. Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” plays and, while it is a cherished song by many across all bars in America, the song seemed to be out of place for that scene.
As the soundtrack to this film was found to be a hit or miss, the style of the movie had some flaws as well. For being a zombie movie, one would expect the right amount of blood and gore. Not too little to where it’s boring to watch, but not too much to make people queasy. In this movie, the producers seemed to play it safe with the bloodshed, when it probably could have used a little more to make it more exciting. The opening credits, for example, during the slow-motion killing spree—which seemed to drag on a bit—showed a great balance of blood and brains, but then it seemed to just fade. Ultimately, it could have used a little more blood and gore.
A refreshing message from a dying genre
Image from IMDb
Despite some of the minor flaws with production, this zombie film works in contrast to other films and series about the same topic. Double Tap provides a comical side to an apocalyptic world that most zombie-related content does not. The Walking Dead reveals the struggle of surviving in an apocalyptic world with serious situations. Zombieland, on the other hand, doesn’t really focus on the struggle of surviving, but instead pokes fun at survival strategies. For example, the only reason the dumb blonde is alive in this apocalypse is because she lived in a freezer. Double Tap even goes as far as ridiculing The Walking Dead by calling it “unrealistic.”
While providing comedy and a sense of reality in an undead world, this movie also provides a message for the viewers. Throughout the movie series, Columbus has always been in search for that place to call home and feel safe. He was in search of a family since he didn’t have his own anymore and, after the instances in this film, everyone learns something valuable. The sappy lesson in this movie is that even in an apocalyptic world, a home is with the people you care about. Overall, the film provides all viewers—old and new—with a comical storyline and a heartfelt message at the end, which seems unexpected for a zombie movie. The production in this film, although minorly flawed, kept the viewer’s interest in the storyline, waiting to see where the journey would take them next.
Images: IMDb
Featured Image: IMDb
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