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Zombieland

Zombieland

Nut up or shut up.

200988 minRMidcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Director
Ruben Fleischer
Starring
Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin

Columbus has made a habit of running from what scares him. Tallahassee doesn't have fears. If he did, he'd kick their ever-living ass. In a world overrun by zombies, these two are perfectly evolved survivors. But now, they're about to stare down the most terrifying prospect of all: each other.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Zombieland?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Zombieland streaming on HBO Max and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Zombieland?

Zombieland earns 10 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 5% in Action.

Show 2 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Zombieland worth watching?

Zombieland's Midcredits score is the 93rd percentile of all films, from 2M ratings across 6 sources. 84% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

93rd percentile

Better received than 93% of films

96th percentile among Action93rd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)89th
Approval (how many liked it)94th

74 /100

89th percentile of all films

95th percentile among Action89th percentile among 2000s

Critics 73 · Audience 74

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A tight consensus around 7.6 — people broadly agree on this one.

84% liked it

94th percentile of all films

96th percentile among Action94th percentile among 2000s
84% rated it 7–1016% rated it 1–6

Critics 89% · Audience 86%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 8 wins / 29 noms overall

99th percentile

2M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Action99th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 7% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$24M
Opening weekend$25M
Domestic gross$76M
Worldwide gross$102M

Returned 4.3× its budget — 85th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A lightweight, self-aware zombie comedy with a likeable cast and an irreverent tone.

Fans praised

  • Cast chemistry especially Harrelson & Eisenberg's odd-couple dynamic
  • Clever survival rule gimmick and hilarious cameo
  • Lighthearted fun balancing gore and laugh-out-loud moments

Detractors panned

  • Thin, predictable plot with illogical character decisions
  • Flat characters, especially the unlikeable sisters
  • Fails as horror—no tension or scares, zombies feel perfunctory

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Harrelson & Eisenberg's chemistry praised; detractors find Eisenberg's shtick grating

HumorDivisive75

Constant laughs for fans; detractors find jokes stale or missing

DialogueDivisive70

Quotable one-liners and witty banter; some critics find it uneven

PacingDivisive70

Snappy 88-minute runtime; some mid-film drag noted

CharactersDivisive60

Endearing misfits for fans; one-dimensional stereotypes for detractors

Effects and spectacleDivisive60

Over-the-top gore and creative kills; CGI criticized by some

OriginalityDivisive55

Fresh rule gimmick but derivative of Shaun of the Dead

Plot and storyDivisive45

Simple road movie structure; detractors note holes and predictability

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 8 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Zombieland like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
AbsurdThrillingWarm
Heaviest: late
Absurdist humor: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Register
PlayfulWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its zombie apocalypse for laughs but treats its characters with genuine warmth, balancing over-the-top violence with heartfelt bonding.
The rideMostly light and comic, with bursts of zombie action; the emotional warmth builds toward the finale.
StructureStraightforward chronological story with clear beginning (meeting), middle (road trip), and end (amusement park climax).

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayA light, entertaining ride that leaves you grinning and satisfied with the group's bond.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% (this title) · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Buddy comedy: A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).

11% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA road-trip comedy in which mismatched survivors journey through a zombie-overrun America, pairing a neurotic rule-follower with a gung-ho redneck.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% (this title) · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsComing of age · 5% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe journey transforms a loner into someone who values family, as four strangers bond into a makeshift unit.
StanceThe film celebrates found family and human connection as the antidote to a dehumanised world, without ever getting preachy.

The world

ContemporaryRuralSuburbanIn transitScience fiction
Orchestral modernRockSupportive music · hybrid · David Sardy
SettingA zombie-overrun United States, traversed from Texas to Los Angeles via backroads and empty towns.
MusicA propulsive, rock-inflected score that amplifies the comic action; features a prominent Metallica track (For Whom the Bell Tolls).

Content guide

Is Zombieland okay for kids?

R

Zombieland is rated R: “Rated R for horror violence/gore and language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (90/100), sexual content at mild (34/100), language at intense (79/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (53/100) and frightening material at intense (61/100). Overall it is heavier than 73% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 25 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada18A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland16
  • JapanR15+
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil16
  • BGD
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-15
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoB-15
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • Poland18
  • Russia18+
  • SK15
  • Spain12
  • Sweden15
  • SwitzerlandR
  • Türkiye18+
  • UA16+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 84% of all filmsHeavier than 73% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 86%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 30%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 72%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 67%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 48%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence, language, and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Zombieland have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Zombieland?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Jesse Eisenberg
as Columbus
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Woody Harrelson
as Tallahassee
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Emma Stone
as Wichita
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Abigail Breslin
as Little Rock
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Amber Heard
as 406
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Bill Murray
as Bill Murray
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Derek Graf
as Clown Zombie
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Elle Alexander
as Zombie Meter Maid
Melanie Booth
as Hippie Girl
Chris Burns
as Bicycle Zombie
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Zombieland?

Movies like Zombieland include Zombieland: Double Tap (2019), Step Brothers (2008) and The Odd Couple II (1998). Of the 12 closest matches, half are road-trip stories, and several are films set in the American West.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its story type: buddy comedy. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Zombieland?

1.9K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: horror comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.