McCoy on Movies: Zombieland: Double Tap

THE BACK STORY: Taking place a decade after the events of 2009’s original film, Zombieland: Double Tap finds our familiar unlikely foursome of the sarcastic Wichita (Emma Stone), her now grown-up sister Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), Wichita’s rules-for-survival following Columbus (Jessie Eisenberg) and Little Rock’s would-be father figure/cowboy wannabe Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) living in bliss in the former White House. Unfortunately, Columbus’ dreams of marrying Wichita are driving her nuts and Wichita is ready to hit the road and hang out with some people her own age.


So, when Wichita and Little Rock split unexpectedly, Columbus and Tallahassee end eventually hitting the road as well – only to end up on a journey that will meet a less-than-intellectual bubbly girl named Madison (Zoey Deutsch), a guitar-playing pacifist named Berkley (Avan Jogia) and some more colorful characters that are going to make life in an era of zombies – many of which are evolving into new forms – quite interesting … If they survive.

THE REVIEW: Sometimes, a movie gets a sequel right  year or two after the original’s release and it feels completely unnecessary, like an absolute money grab made just because (see Hangover II and III). Sometimes, a sequel is made years if not decades after the original and it seems like it was just made for the fans but offers nothing really special to justify it needing to exist (too many to name).Zombieland: Double Tap is neither of those things; what it is, however, is a very funny film that honors the original and will satisfy fans old and new alike.

Double Tap does everything the original does with enhancements for round two: Have plenty of zinging jokes (Harrelson is almost like Samuel L. Jackson’s bald Caucasian brother both sarcasm and language wise), plenty of surprises (just wait till you see what they do with two characters … Also stay through the credits), character development/evolution and a general sense of fun while crafting a story that flows as it should in a completely absurd world. Whereas the public may be suffering zombie fatigue these days (we KNOW who to blame for that), Double Tap adds a bit of refreshing by focusing on its comedic elements without the characters themselves being silly. That allows the characters to be relatable, interesting and entertaining.

Of course, re-teaming the original cast with their original director in Ruben Fleischer helps to deliver the perfect mix of zany comedy with well-paced, reasonable action sequences to help the story progress. Double Tap is geared towards keeping the original film’s fans happy, but opens itself up to new fans with its irreverence. It’s bawdy, rowdy but balanced with its own unique (dare-I-say sweet?) qualities to deliver laughs from the literal opening title card to the credits.

You’d have to be a zombie not to like it.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):