Zombie Review: Amazon’s Zombieland Series Pilot (meh)

I’ve managed to summarize my thoughts on Amazon’s new potential series, Zombieland, in a single word: “meh.” Bluntly stated the newly released pilot from Amazon shows potential on many levels but fell flat for me on many more. If you care to know more about why I feel this way, read on!

Let me begin by saying I absolutely love the movie Zombieland. The onscreen chemistry and dynamics between Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin was truly amazing.  I really wanted to make sure I didn’t unfairly compare the pilot to the movie. I did my absolute best to make every effort not to compare the two too closely. For a true fan of the movie that is extremely difficult. I actually watched the pilot twice, just to make sure I gave it my full attention and wasn’t too hung up on the “this isn’t the movie” thing. It didn’t do much to help. Nor did it sway my opinion.

The minute you hear the names Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita and Little Rock you immediately want to start picking this show apart. That coupled with the fact that they hit you over the head with the Zombieland rules throughout the episode constantly made me think “yeah but this isn’t the movie.”  I probably spent the first 5 to 10 minutes forcibly reminding myself this isn’t supposed to be as good as the movie and I shouldn’t compare the two directly.  Once past that hump I was able to start seeing some potential in this pilot but it honestly didn’t make me like like it much more.

Since I’m a fan of the Zombieland movie I wanted to see this first episode with someone who isn’t. Fortunately my pre-teen son has never sat through the Zombieland movie.  He’s a newly converted zombie fan (like he has a choice with me raising him) and was more than willing to check out the 28 minute long pilot episode with me.  I should probably add here that I don’t recommend you take this approach if you are sensitive about what language your child hears.  There’s some F-bombs and other crude language in the episode as Amazon said there would be.  Fortunately,  my son is immune to four letter words since I’ve desensitized him myself over the years. 😉

My son and I watched the episode together and I was left feeling a little disappointed and less than impressed.  I kept my opinion to myself because I was worried my love for the movie jaded my outlook.  Once it was over, I turned to ask my son’s opinion. His take was pretty close to mine. At the end of the episode he shrugged his shoulders and summarized his thoughts with the direct and brutal honesty only an 11 year old boy can muster: “That was kinda dumb. They tried too hard to be funny.” BINGO. At that moment my own thoughts and opinion were validated.

I’ve seen some reviews on Amazon where the reviewer states the pilot was hilarious, awesome, or that they laughed their @$$ off while watching it. I’m not sure what these people were smoking when they watched this pilot, but I smell something fishy.   These people must be very easily amused because in all honesty this pilot is not that funny. There are a very few brief moments that were mildly comical but absolutely nothing made me laugh out loud. I did little but crack a half smile. Most forced attempts at comedy were cheesy slapstick moments that fell very flat and left me feeling like they were just trying too darn hard. It’s not all bad though. Let’s dig a little deeper into the cast, the plot and I’ll break down in detail what I liked and didn’t like about this first offering in the Zombieland series.

From Left to Right: Little Rock (Izabela Vidovic), Tallahassee (Kirk Ward), Wichita (Maiara Walsh) and Columbus (Tyler Ross). Don’t worry, that’s just pie on their faces. Why are they eating pie? You’ll have to watch the pilot to know!

CAST AND CHARACTERS:

The characters and actors were actually decent. Once I made a conscious decision to force myself to get past the fact that these actors are NOT Woody, Emma, Jesse or Abigail I was able to like them much more. Kirk Ward as Tallahassee was probably the most difficult pill to swallow.

I know it’s unfair to compare him to Woody Harrelson’s character but the two are so drastically far apart it’s hard not to. Woody’s character had such cocky arrogant zombie killing swagger and confidence you just had to love him. He always seemed one step away from insane it.  We’re supposed to believe Ward’s “Tallahassee” character is just as cocky and edgy but it’s a much more awkward and bumbling portrayal. He has one moment where he nearly “loses his $hit” and drops a series of f-bombs in a blaze of  “f*ckity, f*ck, f*cks” complete with flailing arms. It’s as lame and unfunny as it sounds. Getting past this new version of Tallahassee is probably the most difficult challenge if you’re a fan of the original film.

The next most hard to love character for me was Tyler Ross as Columbus. Again you can’t help but look at this guy and compare him to Jesse Eisenberg’s character.  Columbus in the series is still quirky, nerdy and gawky but lacks the hopeless dork quality that made you root for the character in the feature film.  That deep reflective inner monologue and narrative is still present with Columbus here in the pilot episode and I like it. It helps make this character more believable and enjoyable.

Next we have Little Rock played by young actress Izabela Vidovic. Little Rock doesn’t have a huge role in the pilot. She’s more or less along for the ride.  My initial impression from this first episode is Little Rock isn’t as hard and rough around the edges as the film’s character.  The film’s Little Rock is definitely a street wise and confident young lady that can only be created by the Zombie Apocalypse.  This series version definitely comes across as a sweeter, kinder, gentler and more innocent version of the character.   When not judged against the film’s version, the character is very easy to like and I can see the potential in developing her if the series goes on. I think Izabela does a great job of bringing  a character to the table that we can like and believe.

Finally we have Maiara Walsh as Wichita. I have to admit I was a little surprised by this one. I already knew I was going to have a hard time with liking the series versions of Tallahassee and Columbus. I was open minded though. I was pretty sure I’d be somewhat indifferent to Little Rock.  Prior to watching the pilot I just KNEW I wouldn’t be able to like anyone other than Emma Stone playing Wichita.  Watching gorgeous Emma play Wichita in the film has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. Something about the cocky, no nonsense attitude of the character and her off the wall humor coupled with Emma’s looks and unique voice create an adorable and sultry character for me. I just knew no one could come close in the series.  I felt this way even after seeing cast photos early on.

I have to admit Maira really surprised me. While she’s definitely no Emma Stone (there can be only one) she really does a pretty good job of creating both an acceptable small screen version of Wichita and a character we would like had the original movie never existed. She’s easy on the eyes and has a way of delivering snappy little one liners.  It’s hard not to like her mild arrogance.

In the end these characters are ok. Columbus and Wichita are probably my favorites and I’d feel that way regardless of whether I compared them to the original film’s characters.  Kirk Ward’s portrayal of Tallahassee is unfortunately my least favorite performance of the the pilot.  It just fell flat for me. He has a few zombie kills and funny moments but this character isn’t one quarter as cool as the one in the film. That comparison aside, even on it’s own merits with no unfair comparison to Woody Harrelson, Ward’s Tallahhassee isn’t that funny. It feels too forced for me. Like he’s trying to be funny and witty and it just doesn’t come off right.

PLOT: (CONTAINS MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS. SKIP THIS PART IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE PILOT AND DON’T WANT A SUMMARY OF IT!)

The episode starts in an office with two co-workers engaged in some idle chat about stupid first world problems they have. It’s a ground floor office and the two workers have desks that inexplicably face away from large glass full length windows. While the man is telling his female co worker about his horrible morning consisting of things like a broken Keurig coffee maker, a cracked smartphone screen and getting the wrong latte at Starbucks we notice activity outside. While these two chat away oblivious to the world we can see the start of the zombie apocalypse unfolding outside through the windows behind them. It’s clear zombies are attacking everyone but this office hasn’t yet gotten the memo.

Tallahassee appears pushing a lunch cart. It seems he works the thankless job of pushing the “Which Sammy?” office lunch cart.  He kindly offers the office workers a dessert and we get a Twinkie reference within the first three minutes.  The male office worker begins to rudely complain about his tuna salad sandwich containing pickles. After throwing a mini-tantrum he tempts fate by asking, “Could this day possible get any worse?” Of course it can, and does. Right after his rhetorical question he gets a painfully literal answer to his question.  A zombie outside notices them and dives headfirst crashing through the windows.

Tallahassee jumps into action, smashing the zombie with his lunch cart and beating it into a bloody pulp with a leg off of the now dismantled cart.

He then confidently strides outside and we get a glimpse at just how bad the zombie stuff has hit the fan. We see people running and screaming, cars swerving and an airliner making it’s final descent in flames.

We then cut to the opening intro and the episode picks up  “two months later”.  We see Tallahassee sprinting from a fireworks store (Rule #1: Cardio).  He takes cover behind a pile of used tires with the rest of the crew: Columbus, Wichita, and Little Rock. They’re “enjoying the little things” with a self created Fourth of July fireworks display (even though it’s mid-June). At the end Little Rock comments that it’s still missing something. They all realize the missing factor was other people. No crowd. No “oohs and aahs”. No other companions. The group then vows to set out to find other survivors and/or a place to call home.

They climb into that familiar SUV with the Dale Earnhardt #3 spray painted on the side and begin their journey. How will they ever find other survivors? It’s simple. Tallahassee presses the SUV’s Onstar button and summons their friend Detroit.  She’s an ex Onstar service operator and their “eye in the sky” in zombieland.

The episode continues with the group of survivors proceeding from one survivor to the next, only to have each one die in some horribly awful accident. Sometimes it’s a zombie running in and attacking the new member while the rest of them isn’t looking, sometimes it’s a fall through multiple floors of a dilapidated construction site. No matter how hard the crew tries to add a new living member to their group, it ends badly. One of the better moments has to be when Detroit directs them to the 2 last remaining survivors in Los Angeles, an elderly couple.

As the group searches their house Columbus takes a break to wash his hands in the bathroom. He leans his shotgun in a corner only to turn around and discover Granny and Grandpa have turned into zombies. He’s attacked and grandma gnaws at his neck. Fortunately her dentures pop out and she harmlessly gums away at his flesh until Wichita saves him.

At the conclusion of the episode Detroit tells them there’s a large group of survivors in New York. While the group debates over whether to make the long “50,000 mile” journey (it’s actually under 3,000) they decide they should at least stop by Detroit. After all, Tallahassee can’t stop comment on how hot Detroit’s voice sounds. That pretty much ends this kooky first episode of Zombieland.

MY THOUGHTS:

What I Liked:

• The characters weren’t bad. I see particular promise with Columbus and Wichita.
• Decent Acting.  The actors do a decent job and make the characters believable.  You might even learn to like them if you can get past the whole “the movie is better” thing.

• It tries to be funny. There are moments where you can see the potential.

• Numerous attempts at staying true to the feel of the film. Columbus’s narrative and inner monologue are great. I also like the fact that Tallahassee still acquires SUV’s and spray paints #3 on the side. The fact that we have constant references to the zombieland rules is great too…although I’m not so sure how well that would be able to be carried on throughout many episodes. Unless Columbus continues to add to his rule book.  We also see references to the “Zombie Kill of the Week” which is really cool.

What I Didn’t Like:

• Kirk Ward as Tallahassee:  Maybe he’s doomed because I can’t stop comparing him to Woody Harrelson. Maybe he just isn’t that funny or edgy. Whatever the reason, I had a hard time liking Tallahassee in the pilot. He just lacks the arrogance and leadership we see in the film. Perhaps I’d like Ward’s character better if it wasn’t supposed to be Tallahasse?

• The pilot is a little disorganized:   First we see the start of the zombie outbreak in an office. We see Tallahassee’s first zombie kill. Then we jump to “two months later” and Tallahassee, Columbus, Wichita and Little Rock are all together. I know it’s supposed to be an episodic sequel to the film but this just seem to lack continuity for me. If you’ve seen the film you know how the survivors came to meet. The pilot does little to explain this. I’m assuming it will be watched by many who aren’t familiar with the film and they have to be scratching their heads on what happened between outbreak and “two months later.” Maybe it will be addressed via flashbacks or some other method if the series is approved for a full season.

• The Detroit/Onstar Character:  What the hell? How does an ex Onstar service operator become their eye in the sky? How the heck is Onstar service even still functional during the zombie apocalypse? I guess I’m supposed to assume the satellites are still up along with all the necessary supporting infrastructure. Maybe. I’m then supposed to accept that this “Detroit” character has the necessary knowledge to somehow hack into this system and use it as a spy satellite? I’m not sure if that’s what we’re supposed to think but it’s a jump too weird for me to overlook, even in a comedy about the zombie apocalypse.

• Comparing the Cast to the Movie Cast:  Avoiding this was extremely difficult for me. It’s hard not to unfairly discriminate against these actors because of how great the movie was. I can’t help but think this pilot and series would have a much better chance if they somehow made it a spinoff using different characters we hadn’t already met. Different characters from different cities? It would definitely make me less critical of the characters.

• The Blood and Special Effects: The blood splatters and CGI special effects look a little too fake at times. In particular the blood is often far too bright red. It’s nothing that would keep me from watching the show, but I do hope they improve special effects if the series continues. The zombie makeup and effects on the closeups of the Grandma and Grandpa zombies was actually pretty good and shows there is hope.

The Final Verdict:

3 Out of 5

In the end I gave the Zombieland pilot episode 3 stars out of 5. If I didn’t see brief flashes of it’s potential I probably would have given it a two star/brain rating. Since I sincerely want this series to succeed and I see what it could be, I gave it three stars. Let’s hope I’ll be back here after season one raving about how great the series is and how wrong I was to give the pilot a hard time!

In the end I managed to get past comparing the characters to their big screen counterparts. The hit movie is better and always will be. As a fan of the movie you must come to terms with this in order to have any hope of enjoying this this show. Even when viewed on it’s own merits and not compared to the movie, this pilot episode fell short for me.

It’s a little awkward, a little forced and honestly, just not that funny. The blood, some of the zombie makeup and special effects are sub-par at times. That being said there is potential there.  With the right support and some changes I can see this being a successful series. With zombies being so big in pop-culture right now there is no better time for Amazon to green-light this for a full season and invest some time and money in it. The writers and cast have a lot of work to do to keep the very two dimensional plot from becoming boring and monotonous.  A search for a place to call home and survivors dying whenever the main cast finds them will get old in less than three episodes.

In the end I left my opinion and voted in favor of this pilot on Amazon to give it a chance with a full series. I was NOT impressed with the pilot but it was good enough that I can see the potential. A full series is typically better than the pilot and that’s what zombie fans should hope for here. If you’re hoping for a hilarious series version on par with the film I’m sad to say you’ll likely be disappointed based on this pilot episode. As it sits now it would be a series I could take or leave. I would watch it when time allowed, but it’s nothing I would go out of my way to watch. Hopefully Amazon approves a full season and time will change my opinion. That’s just my worthless opinion though. What did you think? Watch the pilot and let me know your thoughts in the comments section below!

Where Can I See It?

The pilot episode is available free via Amazon Instant Video. You can view the pilot by clicking the image or links below. 

Watch the Zombieand Pilot Free on Amazon Now!

Be sure to take the survey and give your opinion there. If there’s enough interest based on the pilot episode, Amazon will approve a full season for the series and you’ll be able to watch episodes via Amazon Instant Video!  After sharing your opinion with Amazon, let us know what you think of the pilot episode in the comments section below!