Last weekend Zombieland hit theaters in its debut and went on to defy a recession diminished box office, and in the process earned critical praise. This comedy (which also includes elements of road-horror, teenage angst, and coming of age films) takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where a mutation of the swine flu virus has turned most of the human population into zombies. There are few human survivors, and as the film unfolds it brings together four of them who must learn not only how to navigate a world controlled by zombies, but also how to trust again in this environment where looking out for number one in a survival of the fittest seems the best response.

This film does include a bit of depth for those willing to probe below the comedic surface, just as other zombie films, horrorific and comedic, have done before. Within the context of late modern apocalyptic Zombieland presents the struggle of individuals to rise above their distrust of others and their stance of American rugged individualism on steroids in order to embrace some form of friendship, community, and family. The end of the film includes a voice over narration that concludes that some of this has been realized, however imperfectly in light of the circumstances.

Beyond these considerations Zombieland also includes zombie mayhem performed by humans including the idea of a “Zombie Kill of the Week.” Although I laughed at this idea as much as anyone else in the theater, it does raise frightening prospects. We might wonder whether the continued popularity of zombie films presents not only a forum for the social out workings of our angst over our mortality and the limitations of our flesh, but perhaps also (and disturbingly) a socially sanctioned forum for mayhem against other human beings. Granted humans kill and mutilate the dead returned to cannibalistic life in a form of self-preservation, but it must be remembered that the zombies were once human beings, and the ease with which we enjoy zombie kills raises questions about respect for the dead and the ease at which we create demonic “others” fit for destruction at our own hands. Similar concerns have been raised in regards to zombie kills in video games. But this was a comedy after all, even with the mayhem and zombies munching on the flesh of the living, so any deeper ideas within the film for reflection must be balanced against its intent to make the audience laugh.

In the opinion of this reviewer Zombieland belongs in the top three of quality zombie comedy-horror films along with Shaun of the Dead and the often neglected Fido.