Zombieland: Double Tap - Review

Release Date:  October 10, 2019​​​​​​​​​

Too Late For A Comeback?

​The first Zombieland came out in a different time, before it's actors were Oscar-nominated and when its 90-minute runtime was appreciated. Now, a decade later, can the sequel recapture the magic that made the first one such a fun film. It always seems like sequels stumble and rely heavily on previous gags, so I'm looking for a companion piece that can stand on its own. My fear going into the sequel was that it would be impossible to have the same style of film today. The results surprised me; I was shocked to find out that Zombieland: Double Tap was funny and overcame a lot of its shortcomings.

​When going to see this movie, do not expect an action-packed thrill ride with blood squirting from every orifice. These movies have always been comedies with a sprinkling of zombies. It actually really works since each zombie encounter seems to be tied directly to the story rather than just for another action sequence. Comedy is front and center with some bits that delivered throughout the movie. One of the best things about this entry in the series is the expanded cast.

At first, I thought adding more people to the isolated incidents of the original would quickly make the story feel too crowded. Thankfully, the trailers are more extreme in this department, and the new additions don't drag the movie down. If anything, Zoey Deutch was the perfect thing to add, keeping everything fresh; she has some really great lines and interactions with the rest of the cast. The outcome of her performance overcame a lot for me, though, I could never shake the feeling that she was putting on an act. I could tell this was not her real personality. It threw me off at the start, but the material was so good that I just accepted it.

​The rest of the cast does a good job too. No one seems to have missed a beat during the ten year hiatus. This is mostly a shout out to the screenwriters, as writing characters that were defined by 2009 could have been tricky to continue in 2019. The temptation to sanitize a role that screams balls and dicks all the time would have been powerful. I could have done without the slow-mo intro, the same trick they used for Deadpool, but it wasn't egregious. 

Overall, Zombieland: Double Tap spiritually feels like the first, and that's good enough for me. It definitely lacks the tight storytelling and has pacing issues, but makes up for it with its charm. It gets you laughing and has quite a few scenarios to do so, making it very entertaining. The worst part is the ending, as it doesn't play to the movie's strengths, but as a whole, it delivered. This result was probably the best I could have asked for.

5/10
Might be fully tapped now