7.7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.4 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.4 |
A shy student trying to reach his family in Ohio, a gun toting tough guy trying to find the last Twinkie, and a pair of sisters trying to get to an amusement park join forces to travel across a zombie-filled America.
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Amber HeardAction | 100% |
Dark humor | 50% |
Comedy | 31% |
Horror | 24% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French (Canada): DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH, French
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy (on disc)
Bonus View (PiP)
BD-Live
movieIQ
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
This is now the United States of Zombieland.
Poor zombies. All they want to do is eat, and they're slaughtered for it. The living dead crave a
liver, the dying living crave a Twinkie. Is there no justice? Is there any difference? Dead is dead
is dead is dead.
Livers,
Twinkies, at the end of the day, it's all about clogged arteries, rotting flesh, and decay. So
Zombies might not want to live off of Twinkies and Cokes. To them, it's all about the protein.
Good for them. But come on, flesh fresh off the bone? Strings of sinew? Miles of intestines?
Liters of blood? Somewhere along in the transformation process, these poor, hungry Zombies
have lost the art of French cooking. Raw this, bloody that, where's Julia Child when
she's needed the most? Just imagine the possibilities, Zombies. Remember the pleasures of
pepper? That old staple salt? Or how about some rich, creamy butter? One can never have too
much butter. Julia said so herself. Well, there's something to be said for consuming raw and
bloody meat. A rough-and-tumble man's meal, for sure, but for the Zombies of the world, a feast
fit for the fairer sex, too. Zombies: equal opportunity carnivores. Isn't it ironic, though, that
zombies eat to live, not live to eat. Survival 101, right? But wait! Zombies are the prized prey
of self-proclaimed "survivalists" the world over, those brave and unwavering highly-trained
Zombie
killin' spesh'lists with an airsoft M-16, a six-turned-two pack of Bud, a 54" waist, and an Internet
connection in their mama's basement. So the creatures most likely to go out of their way -- like
climbing up
an amusement park ride or braving to waltz under that perilously-hanging piano in front of the
doorway just for a chance at a bite to eat -- to survive are the targets of armchair commandos
that see poor little hungry
undead-ites that just want a bite of that last finger (it's likin' good!) as their mortal enemies.
What
oh
what has the world come to? It's survival of the
fittest out there, to be sure. Kill or be killed. Eat or be eaten. Pass that kidney.
Good advice even in Zombie-free times.
Zombieland dazzles with a consistently excellent 1080p, 2.39:1-framed transfer that's borderline visual perfection. Shot digitally, the image is smooth and lacking in background noise, lending to the picture a clean and exceptionally clear glossy exterior that houses plenty of intricately-rendered detail throughout. The film features several slow-motion shots that showcase breathtaking levels of fine detail, whether shattered glass or globs of blood, bile, and general carnage. Even 24 fps shots dazzle with rich textures on pavement, blades of grass and weeds that are so fine as to be able to be counted, and the general world of Zombieland and all its devastation -- rubble, bodies, charred cars, and the like -- are precisely detailed. Black levels are consistently deep and inky with only a few scenes seeming a bit overwhelming and swallowing some finer details. Additionally, flesh tones retain an accurate tint throughout. Colors are exceptionally vibrant. Whether the brighter shades of a yellow sweatshirt or the H2 Hummer that features prominently in the film or any number of other hues seen throughout, Zombieland sparkles with a natural but eye-popping visual tone that suits the film's fun and morbidly cheery style perfectly. Though the film often features a strong sense of depth, some darker shots do tend to look rather flat. Additionally, minute banding is visible in a couple of shots, and one or two images appear slightly less sharp than the rest. All said, these are but minor quibbles in what is otherwise an impeccable transfer from Sony.
Zombieland arrives on Blu-ray with a nicely-balanced DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack that's of high quality across the entire spectrum. The film boasts exceptionally-realized power during action scenes, a reserved atmosphere that's nevertheless wholly engulfing and aurally satisfying, and handles all the material in between with ease. Music enjoys exceptional clarity throughout, with a hard rock number as heard over the title sequence blaring from the speakers with pinpoint accuracy and an aggressive but natural flow that allows for the precise reproduction of every note and penetrating guitar riff. Sound spreads evenly about the soundstage; Zombieland's DTS track is spacious and natural, never confined to any single speaker or section of the listening area but instead creating a seamless 360-degree sonic environment. Ambience is exceptionally represented; buzzing insects, for instance, invade the listening area with a realism that's second-to-none, and overhead fluorescent lights hum naturally in another scene. Such are but examples of the track's impressive ability to immerse its listeners in each and every environment presented throughout, but the track also shines when it comes time to open up on some Zombies. Gunfire -- shotguns feature prominently in the film -- offer a natural, loud crack that's of exceptional sonic value, whether fired in the great outdoors and allowed to linger or when fired inside a cramped structure that offers an altogether different aural signature. Additionally, a solid "thump" accompanies rounds impacting flesh. Also featuring the expectedly pitch-perfect dialogue reproduction, Zombieland offers an all-around exceptional listen on Blu-ray.
This Blu-ray release of Zombieland comes with a meaty supplemental package that's fit
for
consumption. First up is the Beyond the Graveyard Picture-in-Picture Track, a nicely
produced secondary video track that features a myriad of topics and participants. The track
showcases the construction of various scenes both with and without cast and crew commentary,
showing scenes in various stages of filmed and digital production, raw behind-the-scenes footage,
storyboards, cast and crew interview snippets, and much more. Also included is a standard
audio-only commentary track with Actors Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg, Director Ruben
Fleischer, and Writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. For a five-man track, this one flows nicely,
never feels jumbled, and offers a wide array of pertinent information but shared with a light and
agreeable tone. Topics include the creation of some of the film's more involved shots, the writing
of the story, the work of the stuntmen, the performances of the cast, shooting in Georgia, the
film's humor, and a whole lot more. The track is a blast of a listen, and fans of the film will
definitely want to spend 88 minutes with it. In Search of 'Zombieland' (1080i, 15:57) is
a solid making-of piece that looks at the film's origins as an idea for a television show, the
combination of horror and humor in the script, the work of the ensemble cast and their
characters' traits, and crafting the look of the zombies and applying the gruesome make-up.
Zombieland is Your Land (1080i, 11:59) is another making-of piece, this one focusing
more on the film's exceptional production design, offering viewers a glimpse into the creation and
implementation of several of the film's most notable sets, including the trading post, the grocery
store, Columbus' apartment, the abandoned freeway, and the amusement park. Next up is a
collection of seven deleted scenes (1080p, 5:27) followed by Visual Effects Progression
Scenes (1080i) which showcase the following four scenes in various stages of composition:
Washington (2:08), Seat Belts (0:34), Banjo Zombie (0:30), and
Falling Zombie (0:23). Also included is BD-Live functionality; Sony's MovieIQ
connectivity; a collection of five film-related Theatrical Promo Trailers (1080p):
Bounty Towels (1:11), Bowling Ball (1:13), Buddy System (1:49),
Skillet (1:07), and Swiss Army (1:09); and additional 1080p trailers
for Black Dynamite, The Boondock Saints II: All
Saint's Day, Universal Soldier:
Regeneration, Breaking Bad: The Complete
Second Season, Ghostbusters, Michael Jackson's This is
It, Snatch, and Night of the Creeps.
Additionally, a PSP-only digital copy is included on the Blu-ray disc proper, and a second digital
copy for use on portable devices, such as the iPod, is included on disc two. Unfortunately, neither
were eligible for redemption at time of writing.
Zombieland is a genre lover's dream come true, a movie that's put it all together, realized what the genre is all about, and what it needs to continue on, at least with a fresh and novel approach to keep things cinematically interesting until the real Zombies start poking their (literally) rotten noses into everything, and then movies won't matter, anyway. Indeed, Zombieland is the Star Trek of its genre. Hip, happening, true to its roots, but taking a few liberties and incorporating some new ideas that make it all the more fun and fresh and infinitely entertaining, Director Ruben Fleischer's Zombieland is primed to become a modern classic and a pillar in Zombie movie lore. With a sequel rumored to be in the works, cinephiles can only hope that the (potential) series retains the charm, wit, and allure of this exceptionally-crafted and altogether wonderful Horror/Comedy hybrid extravaganza. Sony's Blu-ray release of Zombieland excels in every area. Featuring a dazzling 1080p picture quality, an equally impressive lossless soundtrack, and plenty of ooey-gooey extras, Zombieland is a must-own disc that's deserving of a spot in every Blu-ray collection. Highly recommended.
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