Zombieland: Double Tap

Ten years is a long time in popular culture, and in the decade since 2009's Zombieland the walking dead have been embraced and endlessly mined by the mainstream thanks, in part, to its own success. Refocusing on the original foursome - played by Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Abigail Breslin and Emma Stone - this sequel from returning director Ruben Fleischer finds them cut off from other survivors and deep in dysfunction. As they make tentative steps to reacquaint themselves with the living, hasty hook-ups and a proposal provide the emotional fuel. But the humour no longer feels edgy and, although it opens with a certain bravado as the quartet mow down zombies to a Metallica soundtrack, Double Tap is fatally short of ideas. There are partings, reunions and a horribly conceived "dumb blonde" character (Zoey Deutch) whose lack of brains for the undead to feast on is a painful running joke, while there's another stereotyped supporting character in a swarthy, peace-loving musician (Avan Jogia). The polish of the performers, the odd decent gag and a smattering of visual energy stop it expiring entirely. But it offers too little, and it's certainly arrived too late.