I keep hearing the words “zombie revival” touted around the place with regards to Ruben Fleischer’s debut film. With a load of solid Zombie films made over this decade is it really that much of a revival? It’s been devastating the box office in the USA over the last few weeks and its sure to do the same in the UK.

But is the film, which walks strongly in the footsteps of Shaun of the Dead, deserved of its revenue and seemingly almost universal critical acclaim?

Neurotic loner Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) sets up the United States of Zombieland in his hilarious, dry and mumbling introduction, delivering the back story and a small set of survival rules (fasten seat belt, stay away from bathrooms, and the brilliant “double tap” rule) which he has devised, in such a concise and beautifully crafted and blood splattered way that its had not to get a good vibe from the film from the get go.

The earth of course is now a wasteland filled with the quintessential flesh eaters after a bizarre mutation of Mad Cow Disease… nothing new there then, but it’s apparent from the extremely violent and very funny slo-motion title sequence (to Metallica’s epic For Whom the Bell Tolls) that any deep social commentary “Ala Romero” is going to be buried deep under a pile of flesh and glistening intestines. Zombieland makes to qualms about being an all out laugh and gore riot.

It wears its blood proudly on it’s sleeve.

Columbus meets the ultra redneck, Twinkie hunting, zombie killing, Tallahassee (a wildy over the top Woody Harrelson) (see a pattern forming here?) and the pair are ripped off and thrown into a “why can’t we all juts get along” type situation with double crossing sisters Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) and Wichita (Emma Stone). After a rocky start they set off to find an amusement park outside of LA which is apparently Zombie free. Its obviously then that, given the rules of zombie film-making, the four have to learn to work together in order to survive.

Though an obvious and unnecessary Tallahassee back story and a couple of other teen-glitches try to derail the film, the makers of  Zombieland absolutely succeed in delivering what they have set out to do.

Eisenberg (Rodger Dodger, The Squid and the Whale) nails another pitch perfect, well-timed and totally-wired performance worthy of a part in any upcoming Woody Allen film, Harrelson completely relishes his role, steeling numerous scenes and Abilgail “Little Miss Sunshine” Breslin and the doll-faced Emma Stone do far more than play the “girls kick ass too!” card and genuinely add to the proceedings and a smart and funny way.

There is a slight lag in the middle of the film (thankfully buoyed with a truly out there Bill Murray cameo) and there are some obvious plot forwarding scenes leading up to the finale but to his credit, Fleischer plays everything light and fast and the bumps are hardly noticeable.

Its good then that, in the end, the comedy is the overwhelming factor in Zombieland. It’s fast, dumb and fun and and on a rainy afternoon, there’s nothing wrong with that.