Zombieland: Double Tap is Double the Fun
Light spoilers ahead
“Zombieland: Double Tap” is one of the strongest comedy sequels of the past few years. The film captures the same tone of the original and maximizes its new potential.
The film follows the members of the original crew as they chase after a lovestruck Little Rock. It rewards fans of the original while successfully adding characters, story, and lore into the mix.
In terms of laughs, this film may be funnier than the original. The filmmakers seem more confident this time around and know exactly what makes their audience laugh.
“Double Tap” doubles down on more than just Twinkies. Throughout the film returning director Ruben Fleischer replicates everything fans loved about the original. Personality still oozes from every frame of the film, starting with a gory title sequence set to Metallica and concluding with a hilarious post-credit scene that fills in some gaps in the history of Bill Murry.
New zombie classifications take the narrative role of the rules in the previous film. As the film progresses audiences meet zombies like the homer and the t-800. Zombie Kill of the Week is one-upped to Zombie Kill of the Year and Tallahassee earns the award in spectacular fashion by the end.
Zoey Deutch as Madison steals every scene with her absent-minded quips and dominates every frame with her bright pink sweat suit. Madison is a woman frozen in 2009 waiting in a Pinkberry freezer until she stumbles upon Tallahassee and Columbus in a candle shop. Deutch’s portrayal of Madison should feel dated and tired, but she is an ironic reminder Zombies were not the worst thing about 2009.
Thomas Middleditch as Flagstaff and Luke Wilson as Albuquerque are great while they’re ‘living,’ but it would have been nice to have them serve as the antagonists of the second act. The second act of the film suffers from not having a strong antagonist.
The Flagstaff/Albuquerque duo could’ve been great rivals for Tallahassee and Columbus on their adventures. Instead, we are served a buffed up romantic subplot that gets old pretty quick, especially once viewers realize that, for all their on-screen bickering, there is no way the film concludes without Columbus and Wichita getting married.
As the film progressed, the new relationship between Nevada, played by Rosario Dawson, and Tallahassee is far more interesting than anything happening between Columbus and Wichita. Rosario Dawson is an excellent addition to the already solid family at the core of “Zombieland.” Dawson’s Nevada has all the gravitas and cameo appeal of Woody Harrelson’s Tallahassee while matching him shot for shot and blow for blow.
Nevada is a great mirror for Tallahassee and their relationship illustrates how much Tallahassee has grown over the course of the last two films.
Wichita, played byEmma Stone, shows so little character progression it becomes frustrating. The same trust issues that plagued Wichita and Little Rock follow them throughout the movie.
Wichita is no more trustworthy or loving than she was at the beginning of the first movie. While all the other characters have grown to love and trust each other, Wichita still lives by her old motto: trust no one.
“Zombieland: Double Tap” may not be cerebral or psychological, but it is hilarious and tons of fun. Fans of the original Zombieland film will love the film’s tone and character progression, while new fans may be drawn to the new characters.
“Double Tap” hits all the right notes for fans of horror comedy but is not for moviegoers expecting a meaningful plot or themes.
