Zombieland Double Tap

Well, folks… I’m back hanging out with zombies. And writing about them I might add. But Zombieland: Double Tap – Road Trip offers a very interesting opportunity for me. First and foremost, the opportunity to write about the two great Zombieland movies. And secondly about the Zombieland: Double Tap – Road Trip video game. Let me explain.

The inspiration for this post is the cool Zombieland: Double Tap – Road Trip video game. We have it on sale here at IndieGala of course. So, if you’re a fan of zombie survival games and on the 2 additional Zombieland movies… Then this is the perfect pick for you.

But I figured that while I’m suggesting Zombieland: Double Tap – Road Trip, I might as well look back on the two Zombieland movies that I enjoyed so much. Hey, this game inspired me to binge on the movies, so I’m not complaining. I loved it.

However, before I get into the movies, I feel that it’s a good idea to mention a word or two about the game itself. Let’s begin shall we?

Zombieland Double Tap

Zombieland Double Tap: What’s the game all about?

Well much like in the movies, there’s plenty of zombie-killing activities as well. But, the game itself is developed by High Voltage Software. However, in its core, Zombieland: Double Tap – Road Trip is a top-down twin-stick shooter featuring local co-op multiplayer. It can hold up to 4 different players, and it has up to 18 different types of zombies for you to kill. Not bad right? Oh, and 18 levels and locations too.

But what’s different from the two Zombieland movies is the fact that the game not only has its own story. Also, the story itself takes place between the events of the first movie and the second Zombieland movie. Called Double Tap of course.

Also, the game allows you to play not only as your heroes from the original movie (a tough pick between Tallahassee, Columbus, Wichita and Little Rock). Not to mention, that the game allows you to incorporate elements from the movie as well. Key elements like the famous “Rules” or “Zombie Kill of the Week”.

Hey, the reviewer at Forbes magazine even called it a horrific guilty pleasure, so it’s up to you to indulge in it.

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Zombieland Double Tap: One movie at a time, please!

Indeed, I’ll be the first to agree that the 2009 Zombieland movie is a real masterpiece in the zombie-comedy sub-genre. It’s frankly a tough, very niche and very hard sub-genre to nail. Perhaps Edgar Wright is the true modern master of the zombie comedies, but Ruben Fletcher didn’t disappoint either. And Zombieland is his debut feature film. In fact, the director openly mentioned that the inspiration to make Zombieland, comes from Edgar’s Shaun Of The Dead. However, the Zombieland movie wasn’t supposed to be a movie at all. Originally Zombieland should have been a TV show, and I’m so glad that it was a feature film after all.

I’m also glad that it’s Bill Murray in this movie as well. Woody and Bill were amazing in Kingpin and I was so happy to see them together again. Fun fact! Patrick Swayze was originally considered for the role, but he was dying from cancer at the time of the shooting and was replaced with Murray. Sadly, Patrick Swayze died right before the movie’s premiere at Fantastic Fest.

Bill Murray

John Carpenter, Metallica and great characters

But speaking of the directors. Did you know that the king of horror John Carpenter turned down the offer to direct this movie? So, Ruben Fletcher stepped in. Here’s a fun fact for you! Fletcher will be directing the film adaptation of the cult video game Uncharted. Spider-man’s Tom Holland has the task to play Nathan Drake, while Mark Wahlberg will be playing Victor “Sully” Sullivan. Antonio Banderas is also in the Uncharted movie, but I feel that this would make for a great additional post. Stay tuned for that one!

However, what I love the most in the Zombieland movie (aside from using Metallica’s For Whom the Bell Tolls in the opening scene) is the introduction of the characters and their interaction with each other. The writing is fantastic as you can imagine, and despite being very different, they somehow fit together beautifully. I feel that the chemistry and repartee between the characters is the movie’s strongest side.

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Zombieland Double Tap: In Defense Of The Sequel

Yes, I’m very well aware of the fact that most sequels can’t live up to the original piece of work. And Zombieland Double Tap is just perpetuating that notion I’m afraid. But it’s still enjoyable and fun enough for me to defend it publicly. Even more, Metallica’s Master Of Puppet for God’s sake is now used in the opening credits. I love the continuation of Metallica’s greatest hits, to be honest.

And much like the time spent between the two movies, the same time has spent in the sequel’s timeline. Zombieland Double Tap takes place a decade after the events of the first movie, and things are different between the four characters. Little Rock is now all grown up, rebellious and will run away with a hippie because of that. Wichita is not eager to settle down and get married (unlike Columbus), and their dynamic will be shaken up by new addition of survivors.

But here’s a fun fact here as well. When the first movie was released, only Abigail Breslin and Woody Harrelson were Oscar-nominated actors. While making the sequel, Jesse Eisenberger joined the Oscar-nominated actors’ group, while Emma Stone won an Oscar in 2017.

Zombieland

Great cast, and new themes

Rosario Dawson and Zoey Deutch, are some of the new additions to the cast (along with Avan Jogia, Luke Wilson and Thomas Middleditch). But frankly, for me, Zoey’s Madison character was a true stand-out in the best possible way. It’s not easy playing the dumb blonde stereotype, but she managed that perfectly. Moreover, did you know that Zoey Deutch is the daughter of Lea Thompson (aka Lorraine Baines-McFly in Back to the Future trilogy)? And her father directed classics like Pretty In Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful and The Whole Ten Yards. Yup. A Hollywood royalty right there.

Although at times, misses the direction in which the movie is headed, I can’t say that some decent themes aren’t touched on. Themes like fear of commitment, teenage rebellion, rivalry and jealousy. Solid themes if you ask me, and I really liked the way they were incorporated within the story-line. But I would definitely recommend the sequel as well. It’s a rather good sequel that deserves love and attention of course.

Madisson

Zombieland Double Tap and your opinion:

Which of the two movies did you like best? The original Zombieland movie or the 2019 sequel Zombieland Double Tap? Tell us in the comment section. We’d love to know.

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