Movie Review: Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)

Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) directed by Ruben Fleischer

A decade later, the impromptu family formed in Zombieland is still together: father-figure Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), family-nerd Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), big-sister Wichita (Emma Stone), and little-sister Little Rock (Abigail Breslin). They've moved into the White House where they enjoy all the amenities, including using portraits of lesser-known presidents as Christmas wrapping paper. Family strife eventually breaks out: Tallahassee is too overbearing for Little Rock (who wants to be treated like the adult she is) and Wichita is upset when Columbus proposes to her. The ladies write a brief note and leave in Tallahasee's Mad Max-style roadster. To console themselves, Tallahassee and Columbus go to the mall where they find Madison (Zoey Deutch), a flighty blonde who has survived by hiding in the ice-cream store's freezer. Columbus latches on to her as a rebound from Wichita and takes her back to the Lincoln bedroom, if you know what I mean. The next day Wichita comes back because Little Rock has run off with a hippy named Berkeley (Avan Jogia). The whole gang goes after Little Rock to save her from a fate worse than living death.

The original Zombieland had lots of laughs, surprises, and heart. This movie continues the theme of caring for others even when you don't see eye-to-eye with them, though it feels less resonant than last time around. This movie does deliver surprises as they go on their long road trip to find Little Rock. The movie also delivers the laughs, with plenty of good, clean and not-so-clean jokes. It is a zombie film, so there's bound to be messy bits. The filmmakers do a great job using the "rules" of Columbus as part of the storytelling (like the first film) with some fun new additions. The voice-over by Columbus works well again in this film.

If you enjoyed the first Zombieland, you will definitely enjoy this one. It's like catching up with old friends who have hardly changed.

Recommended, highly for fans of the original.

Movie Review: Venom (2018)

Venom (2018) directed by Ruben Fleischer

Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) is a no-nonsense reporter who likes to uncover corruption and malfeasance. His publisher wants him to do a light piece on Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed), a major inventor in pharmaceuticals and space travel. Eddie uncovers some untoward experiments that Drake's company runs, including the use of homeless people in medical testing. When Eddie confronts Drake, Drake ruins Eddie's career. Eddie got some key information from his girlfriend's (Michelle Williams) laptop, so his love life is in ruins too because she gets fired from the law firm representing Drake's company. Six months later, one of the company's scientists approaches Eddie hoping to get an expose on the evil things Drake is doing. Eddie sneaks into the headquarters, only to wind up a host for an alien symbiote that they found in outer space. He becomes Venom, a muscly, tentacly monster with a proclivity for biting heads off of living things (including people). Drake wants his alien back and has lots of resources, so mayhem ensues.

The movie suffers a bit from tonal shifts. Sometimes it feels like a horror movie. Sometimes it feels like a comedy. Sometimes it's an action-adventure flick. Occasionally it flirts with Jekyll and Hyde moments. These various elements don't fit together smoothly. The advertising promised a darker anti-hero movie but this turns out to be a typical reluctant hero movie, of which there are tons of examples nowadays. On the other hand, Hardy gives a fine, twitchy performance as a mostly-loveable loser who has a hard time reining in his other, alien half. The special effects look great and the story moves along at a brisk pace. I just wish it had been riskier or had some substantial difference from other superhero movies.

Slightly recommended.