“Zombieland” has a strange idea of ​​“living happily” in the apocalyptic world – a lovable “shy” exhilarating work

When the “rules” are broken, the hearts of the work and the audience become one.

"Zombieland" is also a story of the growth of one young man. A man who lived his life only thinking about himself learns "trust" through encounters with others, overcomes his trauma, and wins "love" - ​​this is the story of the birth of a hero.

The 32 rules that Columbus adheres to are a "better safe than sorry" to protect his life, but at the same time, they are a metaphor for the "wall" that separates him from others. When his "self" that wants to follow the rules is combined with his "spirit of sacrifice" to help his friends, the hero's greatest weapon, "self-sacrifice," is born within him.

In the film, these are clearly shown by the clown, a symbol of Columbus's fear. Wichita, his friend and lover, is in a difficult situation, and in front of him is a clown Dawn of the Dead, which is a trauma for him. The courage to take a step forward in this situation is reckless and against the rules. However, if he turns around and runs away at this point, he will not be able to escape from his old self...

Zombieland(c)2009 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. and Beverly Blvd LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This development is a very important highlight prepared for the second half of "Zombieland", and it can be said that all the scenes leading up to this point were prepared. By meeting his friends and learning about "love", Columbus' ideals changed from "I'm fine with living alone" to "I want to live with everyone". The very definition of "living happily" that is prominent in the work is fundamentally different from what it was before.

When Columbus overcomes the self-imposed shackles of "Rule 17: Don't be a hero," the film "Zombieland" also makes a big leap forward. The feelings of the audience will also change from affection to support. Although I wrote at the beginning that this is a "road movie," this is also a story of how the protagonist and the audience connect with each other as they travel together.

The film opens its heart so openly that viewers can also show their affection for it. This is the kind of happy friendship that permeates Zombieland.

Text: SYO

Born in 1987. After The Graduate from Tokyo Gakugei University, he worked at a film magazine editorial production site and a film information site before becoming a film writer. Works on a wide range of topics including interviews, reviews, columns, event appearances, and recommendation comments. Contributed to ``CINEMORE'', ``FRIDAY Digital'', ``Fan's Voice'', ``Eiga.com'', etc. Twitter「syocinema」

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Zombieland

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Sony Pictures Entertainment

(c)2009 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. and Beverly Blvd LLC. All Rights Reserved.