The pleasure derived from going to the movie theater begins when the previews start to roll. On the back of remakes such as "Halloween", "Friday The 13th", and soon "A Nightmare On Elm Street" it appears that Hollywood is making a firm effort to pillage the pockets of movie goers-- but if your looking for some fresh meat, try Zombieland.

Zombieland is not a remake, its a movie that bursts to life seizing the attention of the gamers and horror movie enthusiasts in the audience. The slow motion shots are as chaotic and action filled as the jerk neck velocity of an NFL playback.

The movie has a strong action pulse, rarely leaving the audience wanting much more then is on offer. As the growing gaggle of zombies slalom around with blood sloshing from their dropping jowls and loose limbs swinging like pendulums, you are catapulted into slick one liners.

At the stories core is the talented young Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland, The Squid And The Whale), who plays his familiar role of skittish youngster. It's a character he plays with comfort, and which makes him entertaining in almost all situations. He walks with the same hands-in-the-back-pockets, outside-of-the-foot way of a young Michael J. Fox. and enables for plenty of physical comedy in the film.
The other hero is played by Woody Harrelson, who does a masterful job of spouting his lines while ever so gently dominating the scenes with his characters brash physical appeal.

The movie plays with the notion of family and unity. Exploring its chief characters desire to return to his at a time of great trouble. The movie even makes time to jab that little theme home in a reference to our protagonists relationship to the world through the portal of the Internet and more appropriately Facebook.

It's an enjoyable watch and time spent in the company of four main characters washes away quickly. But it is strictly for fans of the horror genre, or those with predilections for gore and or video games. Some of the frights are really well executed as are the on screen graphics which help highlight the humor.

However, the third act does fail in the plotting department. Character decisions appear to be dictated by a desire to stage zombie deaths. Essentially most of the third act action appears to be just for the hell of it. The graphic video game violence is highlighted when the audience gets a P.O.V. of Harrelsons character shooting zombies from a roller coaster cart. The scene is reminiscent of early shot'em ups, but nothing that hasn't been referenced in previous movies.

In one of the funnier scenes the dynamic of the group is explored as they take the long jaunt West towards California. The differences between Hannah Montana and Bob Dylan are never more appropriately explored then when a forty year old man and a twelve year old girl, played by Abigail Breslin, (Little Miss Sunshine) try explaining the others interests in this brief but beautiful montage.

There is a thin thread of character development and an even more bare morsel of meat on the love story involving Emma Stone's character. But ultimately those are not aspects of the plot that resonate with the movies core demographic.

Ruben Fleisher directed this monster, after Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick penned it. The gorefest brings together Hollywood glamor with just a hint of family values and a double does of run and gun action. At this time of year it's great to see some original horror.

Story by: Terry Winders