Friday 22 November 2019

REVIEW: ZOMBIELAND-DOUBLE TAP

3.5/5

Swipe Right.

99 Mins. Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Zoey Deutch, Avan Jogia, Thomas Middleditch, Luke Wilson & Rosario Dawson. Director: Ruben Fleischer.

Nut up! Shut up! And hit the road like Willie Nelson with Tallahassee, Columbus, Wichita, Little Rock and Madison (!?!) again. It's hard to believe it's been a decade since 'Zombieland' bit theatres. Just think of the people you knew back then. Well all of your four, favourite friends Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin are back and more as even the torch wielding as a weapon Colombia Pictures logo geniusly gets in on the action. All grown up (Breslin went through her own personal zombie growth in the profound 'Maggie' Z dark fate drama. Under the gun of father figure and none other but 'The Terminator' himself Arnold Schwarzenegger on her own 'Judgement Day') and stars of their own shows (Emma Stone stepped into the Academy dance with the envelope to her Oscar win for the 'City Of Stars', 'La La Land' (the four horsemen of this zombie apocalypse are all Academy Award nominees...except Emma that is)). Even though it has been ten years since '30 Minutes Of Less' director Ruben Fleischer fleshed out the first film and his own feature debut, the long awaited arrival of the anticipated sequel still surprisingly comes with an "already (?!)" vibe. Even years after being in its own undead, development hell. Perhaps it's because with there being so many brain eaters this writer with walking dread never got with the whole zombie genre horde. He actually welcomed 'Zombieland' with open teeth bared for its satirical, cataract eye poking fun. That was until I played 'Left For Dead' like a "suitcase full of pistols and money" as a noob and left my two gamer friends with even more slack jaws as I completed the Golden Gate Bridge last level they couldn't get over for hours in one take (you don't need to reload a cricket bat). Watched Brad Pitt's fast horde of the morally and society conscious 'World War Z' (now there's a delayed sequel). Read in turn the writer Max Brooks 'Zombie Survival Guide'. And then truly got infected with the South Korean genius of 'Train To Busan' and it's animated 'Seoul Station' prequel (you can imagine the camera, captions and the fear came out travelling between both cities by rail in the Far East) last month. Now I'll truly swarm to the cinema for any Z nation like the horror genre that is now alive in my still hiding behind the sofa, frightened mind. Even Pennywise I fear, you clown. Even if the rotting pumpkins on our porch being replaced by fairy lights tells us we aren't in Halloween anymore Dorothy...or should I call you Kansas? BOO!

Dawn of the dead walkers are running amok towards us again with 'Zombieland: Double Tap' that finally catches up with the Instagram age. And with its own 'Ten Year Challenge' with the film's identical promotional poster, you're going to like this. A satisfying sequel that's big, bold and f###### fun! 'Double Tap' takes residence in the Oval Office, kicking Trump out the White House and even storms the gates of Graceland with these undead killers finding a monster truck rest stop for their Beast in the neon of a Hound Dog, Elvis Presley motel (which gives cowboy Woody the chance to shake his legs one time like the King, or you pulled that drawstring out his back). All the way to the crazy carnival of another fireworks finale that is epic and explosive and one-shot just like you're playing a video game with your first person popping corn. Delivering us that as it does in turn, refusing to die like the T-800 zombies (and just wait until you meet the Homer and Hawking ones) or the crawling genre itself, this sequel on the double even taps into an even bigger cameo than the infamous, iconic one from the first film for you to marvel at. Doubling down, all this black blood and gut puke yet this still has heart. Tinder surprise! You won't swipe left on this one left for dead. Even after all this time, it's good to be back. Even if it does play by all 32 graphic credits, Brooks like rules. You're going to want to beware of the bathroom breaks like you forget your cardio. Lumber up and buckle up as you remember the seatbelt rule. This one enjoys the little things. Zombie kill of the year.

Look at these clowns! Back together, but picking up more baggage as one goes on the run from her band with one of those Berkley guys who always pulls out the acoustic guitar at parties (the irritatingly hilarious Avan Jogia) who would rip off McCartney if he could play The Beatles off as his own. Coming together though, Harrelson, Eisenberg, Stone and Breslin make one hell of a dead killer team. All the way to Babylon...word to David Gray. Where they melt their weapons with an axe to grind and the monster truck event formidable finale that rolls over everything. 'Natural Born Killer' and Wild West 'True Detective', 'Highwayman', Woody Harrelson was born to play a cowboy. And even pulls of leather with that Stetson, wearing ammo as more than an accessory like Arnie, armed with a sawn off. The man that's been in more movies than IMDB can keep up with gives us the cheers of one of his signature best that he is most known for because of so much character he and the part he plays shares. Only being a cocktail stick away from being the coolest like when he seemed to be shaving his already bald head for his sinister entirety of the last 'Planet Of The Apes' movie for perhaps the dawn and rise of the best human character in that CGI before it's time trilogy. And just wait until you see his Vegas Elvis impression thank you very much. 100% power. Just where are the twinkies? Whereas Eisenberg's big Jessie to his Woody awkward acting aces high in this ass kicking 'American Ultra' violence in the true social media age for the Facebook famous actor. His best moments are his brilliant back and forth with what may aswell be his 'Double' doppleganger in 'Silicon Valley' star Thomas Middleditch. Joined by the 'Idiocracy' of one of the Wilson brothers Luke, doing his best Harrelson imitation inspiringly. But it's the stone cold killer of the leather rock and roll attitude of Emma Stone and the amazing Abigail Breslin coming of age and her own stage who are the real heart and soul showstoppers in this movie, passing clip for clip. Add a 'Dawn Of The Dead' (amongst so many undead) mall meet homage with 'Everybody Wants Some' teen star Zoey Deutch in Von Dutch, stealing the show as an amazing airhead. And the 'Sin City' of every street-level Marvel Netflix nurse and the LEGO Batgirl herself Rosario Dawson as a dame you don't need to kill for...she does it herself, and you're in for one wild ride on a highway full of things that should be in hell. Like Cruise in 'Collateral', one to the sternum and a bullet to the head, this one finishes everything off permanently and perfectly...with a little life left in it yet. Triple tap? TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Zombieland', 'Maggie', 'American Ultra'.

No comments:

Post a Comment