Zombieland: Double Tap is the much-anticipated sequel to the absolute smash it out of the park 2009 hit, Zombieland. And what you loved and hated about the original film is everything you can expect in the latest film. While it’s the best part of seeing the original cast reunite, the film is ultimately exactly the same.
Double Tap picks up some 10 years later and the gang, Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) are still together. But it seems a change of scenery is needed so they head for the biggest house of them all, the Whitehouse.
But while the move proved to be the change they needed, it quickly lost its appeal and they wanted more. Little Rock wanted to meet people her own age, Tallahassee was desperate for someone to love and Wichita and Columbus weren’t quite ready for the commitment they were about to make to each other.
Setting off on a journey to finally spend time with other humans apart from their own little gang, they hit the road. Meeting some questionable and genuine characters along the way they discovered the Zombies have evolved.
With their lives in danger, each of them discovered a little more about themselves, each other and ultimately the world they live in. But that doesn’t come without the biggest battle they will ever face.
The great thing with Double Tap is how Director Ruben Fleischer managed to continue a similar pace and humour as the original. Helped by the hand of the talented writers, in particular, Rhett Reese who also worked on the original Zombieland as well as the Deadpool films and even Monsters Inc. It’s that easy humour that appeals to just about everyone. Humour aside, the two worked well bringing a basic storyline to life with as much visual splendour as possible.
It’s the basic storyline that actually stops Zombieland: Double Tap from going anywhere. It doesn’t attempt anything other than what would be expected from a Zombie film. The jokes are well set up for the execution and the plot is exceptionally predictable. If it weren’t for the cleverly written humour, Double Tap will easily have fallen short and become another classic sequel no one ever needed.
Woody Harrelson (Venom, Solo: A Star Wars Story, The Hunger Games) as Tallahassee brings his usual swag of acting ability. He did tend to struggle with the melodramatic scenes throwing apart the Whitehouse gym. But for the most part, offered a perfect blend of a father figure, lover and saviour of all.
Emma Stone (La La Land, The Amazing Spiderman, Easy A) as Wichita tended to hold back a little this time around. Stone tended to sit back and let the others take the spotlight for most of her scenes. That’s not to say when it required it, Stone was able to stand up and make the audience believe. But for the most part, Stone almost seemed to a degree, uninterested.
Overall, Zombieland: Double Tap is as you’d expect. It’s smashing up Zombies, having some end-of-the-world lovemaking and a road trip. The film doesn’t try anything new or different it doesn’t do one thing more than the other. It tends to flow almost identically to the original, which is also the downfall of this film. But what gives Double Tap that little push over the line is the great comedic performances.
