Looks like we are getting our fair share of zombie films in coming years. With Comic Con heating up, author of such living dead hits as The Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z and Max Brooks announced to MTV that famous actor Brad Pitt will play the lead role of the upcoming adaptation of his best selling novels.

Scheduled for a summer 2012 release, World War Z follows a journalist, who is tasked with gettting eye witness accounts of the war with the living dead that has ravaged the planet. The film is to be directed by Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace) and written by Matthe Michael Carnahan.

Paramount has also bought the rights for Brooks other zombie related works.

The zombie apocalypse fad has been growing in size for many years. Though the exact origin of this new zombie craze isn't apparent, it is known that the undead, infected, or cell phone crazies have been growing in popularity for years now. Spanning books, movies, and of course video games, Zombies have now officially been assimilated into the Borg of American popculture. It was only a matter of time before a good and proper American zombie comedy got made, and happily Zombieland delivers on this.

The film follows Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), a skittish loner, who finds himself alone after a zombie apocalypse has wiped out most of the human population. Columbus, who gets his name from the city is headed to, lives by a strict law code that keeps him alive against the hordes of ravenous cannibals. Columbus lives and survives by being a reluctant loner, something that he begins to take for granted. All changes however, when he meets Tallahasee (Woody Harrelson) a rugged zombie killing badass, who is the exact opposite of Columbus in every way. Tallahasee's main goal in life outside of killing undead is to find the world's last Twinkie, a treat that in his mind holds all the happiness he needs in life. The two become almost reluctant partners, and are eventually joined by two female conmen/car thieves Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), and the horror comedy becomes a misfit/ buddy story of epic proportions.

Zombieland works on almost every level. Columbus's inward commentary is vaguely reminiscent of works by Douglas Adams, and his mannerisms and overall geekitude make him not only empathetic, but hilarious. Harrelson steals the show in almost every scene he appears in delivering amazing one-liners, delivering sidesplitting acts of slapstick humor, or surprising and unexpected depth. Stone and Breslin also work well in their roles, and though not as funny as Eisenberg or Harrelson they deliver solid acting jobs that are commendable in their own right. The set pieces are used effectively and creatively to provide brilliant scenes of action, comedy, and yes horror. Zombieland does provide some quick jump scares, but this scares are done so in a comedic element, that once recovered from the initial shock you will find yourself laughing at. The jokes come flying at a unrelenting and perfect pace, and manage to tickle even the most hard hearted funny bone. There is one cameo in the film that had me laughing harder then any film I've seen in years. Zombieland is easily one of the best overall films I have seen this year. However, Zombieland is not perfect. The film is not for the squeamish as gore and blood are not shied away from at all. It also suffers from occasional slips in pace. Despite this Zombieland is somewhere you will want to visit, and despite its horrific premise you might even want to return there.


Score: A