How do you make a sequel for a movie that has gone on to achieve cult status with fans a decade later? First, you make sure to bring back the original cast. Second, go with your gut. That is exactly what has happened with Zombieland Double Tap, the sequel to the original Zombieland which released in 2009. The problem is, there is something missing in this sequel – as there often is with sequels. The difference is, Double Tap gets so much right that it is a shame it still missed the bullseye.
What in the butt
If you are new to the Zombieland franchise, it is one of quick jokes, quips, and rules to live by. They come fast, they come seemingly at random, and they are often funny.Not something you usually see in zombie films.
Also, unlike other zombie films, Zombieland’s characters seem to intermittently know they are in a movie. This is exhibited from time to time – such as Columbus and his narration of situations, his commentary involving his rules, voice overs detailing situations and zombies they are facing, etc. With Double Tap it continues right off the bat with Tallahassee doing a narration in the beginning poking fun at it having been a decade since the first movie.
The bucking of the trend continues throughout Zombieland Double Tap. The dysfunctionality of the team continues as new members come and go while keeping that underlying feel that these characters will conquer their problems somehow.
Time to nut up or shut up
The first movie was all about moving and moving and, well, moving. Not really stopping anywhere and resting too long. Zombies were all over and they were constantly a threat to the team. While the zombies are still a threat to the group in Double Tap, the threat is played down quite a bit.  The group has become comfortable just shooting the undead as needed, avoiding the others as permitted, and sometimes getting a laugh from ones called “Homers”. This tranquility in a warzone is slowly being eroded as new, faster, more dangerous zombies are making an appearance. The root of the problem is some zombies are evolving beyond mindless brain eaters.We are told about Ninja zombies – quick, silent, and deadly. We are told about Homers – slow, stupid, not really a threat as they are too stupid to realize they should be eating you. Finally, we have the “T-800” zombies – harder to kill, faster, more dangerous, and extremely tough.
Of these more evolved, and devolved in the case of the Homers, the T-800 ones are the big baddies of Zombieland Double Tap. They are the thorn in the side of the group and prove quite formidable.
Besides the blonde, named Madison, that is introduced in the trailers (more on her in a minute), we also get to meet two other zombie killers. Albuquerque and Flagstaff played by Luke Wilson and Thomas Middleditch respectively, make an appearance and we get a few quips from Wichita, played by Emma Stone, about how much these new guys remind her of Tallahassee and Columbus circa ten years ago.
The similarities are striking, that is for sure – down to curly hair on Flagstaff. The difference being these two new hunters we meet are much more friendly and supportive of each other than Tallahassee is of Columbus. I wouldn’t mind seeing more entries in the Zombieland franchise following the adventures of other survivors and how they fared.
This is further fueled by the cuts to other survivors and how they achieved the fourth wall breaking “Zombie Kill of the Year” award that Columbus narrates. These are played throughout Zombieland Double Tap with some being quite funny. Some of that fun is how much better those kills were than what Tallahassee was doing in his attempt to earn that prestigious award.
Not a good sign when little peeks into the world of others in this dystopian world are better than what we are being treated to.
Tallahassee has apparently kicked his addiction to Twinkies which is good, I guess. The biggest let down for fans of the original may be the fact that I don’t remember Twinkies even making a cameo in Double Tap.
She is so adorable
Now, onto one of the more prominent additional characters we are introduced to in Zombieland Double Tap. Madison, played by Zoey Deutch, is a highlight of idiocy here. Deutch plays the part amazingly well, a part that in most other movies would be the low point, annoying, and pointless.  Madison is gleefully out of touch and more than slightly missing the point in many situations. She doesn’t really get that the proverbial crap has hit the fan, instead she is happy to be living in the mall in a freezer of all places. It is this woefully ignorant aura that Deutch can ooze in her performance that makes the character that much funnier and as Tallahassee put it, “…zombies survive eating brains, and she doesn’t have any.”Great for a sequel but lacking as most sequels are
Zombieland Double Tap is a fun romp and as many others have pointed out, the closer feels quite a bit different than the rest of the movie. For me, the closer is the worst part of the movie. I won’t ruin it for you, you will see what I mean.
I am not sure how long fans will have to wait for a third entry in the Zombieland franchise, hopefully not another decade. If there is another movie, I would like to see it set in the past or with other survivors and how they did things. If in the past, obviously set between Zombieland and Double Tap would fit, kind of like how the Jeepers Creepers franchise did it.
Considering the glimpses we got into the world of other survivors in Double Tap, I think it would be interesting to explore those a little more. As it stands, I don’t see the original team having many more adventures, especially if we are going to wait 5+ years for them and I would hate to see this series get the reboot treatment as the first Zombieland was quite good.
Zombieland Double Tap is not perfect, but it is in the top 10 best sequels, take that as you will. For me, I will be revisiting the original in a couple days after I go back to my creature feature kick.
Grab Zombieland Double Tap on Amazon and enjoy it right now. Fans of the genre will love it.
