Zombieland: Double Tap

What felt fun, fresh and new a decade ago seems to have gathered some rot since, as ZOMBIELAND DOUBLE TAP fails to satisfy until its hilarious post-credits scene.

What I remember most about the original film was its clever graphics, popping in and out on screen and driving the comedy as the characters were introduced. This time, it just feels tired with a few hilarious exceptions.

Woody Harrelson steals the movie as Tallahassee, the shoot first ask questions later leader of our fearless foursome. Jesse Eisenberg is the Woody Allen-ish Columbus, still spouting rules on dealing with the Zombie hordes that have taken over the planet while oozing angst over his relationship. Emma Stone is Wichita and Abagail Breslin is her sister, Little Rock.

After a meandering opening in the White House that feels pretty forced, Little Rock sets out on her own and Wichita follows, leaving the boys alone and in need of a quest, which soon arrives when one of the girls disappears.

The movie really comes to life only when dealing with the new characters in their adventure. Zoey Deutch (The Disaster Artist, Why Him?) is hilarious in every scene as Madison, the dumbest survivor on Earth. She’s a valley girl with no common sense, but plenty of survival skills.

Avan Jogia (Shaft) is very good as a hippy named Berkeley, Rosario Dawson slays it in her scenes with Harrelson and Luke Wilson has a lot of fun as Tallahassee’s macho doppelgänger, but his stay is far too short.

Harrelson’s Tallahassee is a passionate Elvis fan and it leads to most of the big laughs in the movie as a side quest takes them to Graceland. There are a couple good battles with the Zombies, but for the most part, the entire sequel just feels unnecessary, failing to one-up the original, but finding some redeeming moments thanks to it’s cast.

Fans of the first film will remember the hilarious cameo by one of film’s best comedians. He’s back for a post credits sequence that I almost missed as I was ready to walk out quickly after 93 mediocre minutes. If the rest of the film had been as funny as this sequence, my face would have hurt from laughing.

Alas, ZOMBIELAND DOUBLE TAP turns out to be an unwanted second helping that tastes all too familiar.

I’ll give it a C+.