Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) Review [Dir. Ruben Fleischer]

In amongst the post-grad panic of applying for jobs (and getting rejected from most of them almost immediately), I found the time to catch Zombieland: Double Tap, the sequel to the 2009 zombie-comedy Zombieland. It was gore aplenty, something I’m not great with, but it was just as thrilling and funny as its predecessor.

The film centres around the loveable but dysfunctional family we met in the 2009 film, Columbus (Jesse Eisenburg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), as they navigate surviving not only a new branch of the undead but also the challenges that come with their relationships.

I really liked these characters. I loved the first film and everything I liked about these characters was still apparent in the sequel (Columbus still had his rules, Tallahassee still had his rhyming catchphrases, Wichita was still sarcastic as and Little Rock was as moody as a teenager stuck in an apocalypse would be!). I also loved the additional characters, particularly Madison (played by Zoey Deutch), who added a touch of humour and lightness to the film.

I really like that, even ten years on from the first films release, the humour was still there. There were nods to the last film (though most of them went straight over my head considering I haven’t seen the film in soooo long) but in a way that didn’t make this seem like it was singing from the same hymn book. I like the fact that Columbus mocked another zombie franchise, showing that this isn’t a film that takes itself seriously. There was also a good few nods to a certain someone from the last film (I’m not going to mention who, at risk of spoiling it) as well as an extra scene (so, definitely stick around after the credits – unlike people in the cinema yesterday!).

The one thing I’m not keen on, which possibly explains the frequent motif of the number 3 in the film, is a sequel. Don’t get me wrong, Zombieland and its sequel are great, I just feel like leaving it where this film left off would be a nice way to not only wrap up this film but the franchise as a whole.

Zombieland: Double Tap is in cinemas now