By Alice Micheli
If anyone who knows me is reading this review, they’ll know the importance of this sequel for me.
Being a cinephile, there’s a certain impetus to tell people what your favourite movie is. There’s an idea that whatever film you pick will define you as a fan, and as a cinemagoer. I’ve always found this entire process quite trivial. The answer to which movie I like best, above all the rest, is dependent on a lot of factors: mood, genre, length – and it changes as often as the weather does here in Melbourne Australia (that is to say, a lot).
So, to save me from the awkwardness of having to explain this every single time, I chose one I could standby no matter the situation, one that I would be happy to watch on any day, at any time, and that movie was: Zombieland (2009).
Therefore, when I heard that there was a sequel in the works, with each member of the high-profile cast returning, excitement doesn’t even begin to cover it! I was elated, with a strong dish of worry steaming on the side. How could you possibly recreate the magic in that previous 80 or so minutes. Could lightning really strike twice?
The answer? It might not quite hit the highs of the first, but it’s certainly enough to give anyone a good laugh and a fun time.
Six-ish years after the ending of our original story, Zombieland: Double Tap picks up with our dysfunctional family, following their new adventures in post-apocalyptic America. These involve new faces, new rules and new threats in the form of super-charged Zombies and peace-loving hippies.
From the beginning it’s a great ride, harkening back to why you loved these characters, and this world, in the first place. The comedy is biting, the action gruesome and the expanded world just realistic enough to not be over the top.
The cast is still strong, delivering great performances that almost make you forget the magnanimous careers they’ve gone on to have in between the years. It feels like you’re greeting old friends and they’re filling you in on what they’ve been up to.
Overall, what this film has going for it, is the well-timed humour and set pieces that can excite any audience member. As with the first, there is just enough story to keep everything going, but the real specialty comes from the interactions between our main characters, particularly the newly renamed Ohio (Jesse Eisenberg) and Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson). They’re neurotic/hillbilly pairing only gets exercised more in this film, showing that all involved remember exactly where the original found its charm, and didn’t emphasise it beyond this point.
However, during my ruling, I did mention that it was lacking in a certain je ne sais quoi, and although I have sung this films praises paragraphs, I stand by that assessment. There is something lost due to this being a sequel, meaning that the ingenuity and surprise that many got from the original just isn’t possible this time around. It’s sad, but it’s a fact of life that is impossible to avoid when following a stellar first part.
However, if you’re a fan of the first one, then you’re going to have a ball this time around anyway, there’s no question there.
With the schlock of 80’s action films, the comedy of Deadpool (courtesy of its screenwriters), the sarcasm of Venom (courtesy of its director) and the chemistry of vinegar and bicarb, there is something here for everyone.
So it’s time to nut up, shut up, and watch this film!