Somehow, Zombieland has the mix of humor and violence that almost allowed me not to be completely freaked out by the zombies which dominate America. Columbus (Jamie Eisenberg, most recently of Adventureland) lives by a set of rules (a bunch of which we hear throughout the movie in various adaptations) that have kept him alive thus far. When he meets Tallahassee (Woody Harrleson, in one of his better roles lately) and the sisters Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), his world gets refocused even in light of the devastation around him.

The two pairs, one male and one female, strike up an uneasy alliance as they battle zombies, depression, and Tallahassee's all-consuming desire to find a box of Twinkies. They trip through grocery stores, around car wrecks, and over territories once inhabited by humankind. Columbus is searching for something metaphysical, like a family; Tallahassee searches for the previously mentioned Twinkies (specifically); and the sisters are seeking out Pacific Playland, a site believed to be zombie-free. Their journey, together and apart, provides the backbone of the movie, but the true movement revolves around zombie gags and the developing relationship between Columbus and Wichita.

The budding romance and overland haul takes a significant detour in the mansion of the legendary Bill Murray (playing himself). After a tragic mishap, the women take off again for the Playland, and the two buddies stay behind: Tallahassee doesn't see any point in leaving. But the dramatic, bloody, gory climax results when Columbus recognizes that the sisters need help and rides to the rescue like the white knight he's always wanted to be but never had the courage to succeed as. I read a G.K. Chesterton quote on courage that I'll probably zombie-butcher here, but he wrote that being courageous meant being unafraid to die even while accepting the possibility that death might happen. That is Columbus in a nutshell: he barges in brave, encounters fear, and reacts.

The movie in itself has the internal structure provided by the "Rules" but as you might expect in a zombie movie, they are all based on self-preservation. As I alluded to before, being selfish (even in the face of death) is matter-of-fact and expected for the most part. Being sacrificial and other-serving is countercultural, similar to the gospel of Jesus, and it's in this decision-making situation that Columbus finds himself. Yes, it's crazy, bloody fun, but it's also thought-provoking.

What happens when we live for others, even if they take advantage of us? What satisfaction do we get when we do the right thing, even if it costs us? These questions and more find their way to the surface of a zombie movie about teenage love and Twinkies. Isn't Hollywood great?