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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.--In the realm of zombie films, there are few that really stand out. There are few that critics and moviegoers alike can really say that are groundbreaking.

Unfortunately, "Zombieland" is not one of those films.

"Zombieland" is the brainchild of three men who most people might say haven't really cemented their place in Hollywood yet. Rueben Fleischer - a director who has only been a part of three "Jimmy Kimmel" episodes - Rhett Reese, who created "Clifford's Big Movie" and "Cruel Intentions 3," - and Paul Wernick, who has written episodes of television shows, none of which are really notable.

For these three to take on a zombie film was really a risk.

The story itself is simple. In a world that has been devastated and destroyed by a zombie invasion, there are few survivors. The narrator is Columbus (Jessie Eisenberg), a wimpy and slightly annoying teenager, who calls this new world Zombieland.

He creates a list of rules for how to stay alive, citing them throughout the movie, as they apply. Rules like "cardio" or "always check the backseat," appear randomly in the situations where they most apply. He finds himself a companion in the form of Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a wise-cracking cowboy, whose only goals in life are to kill zombies and find and eat a Twinkie.

They travel together for a while, until they are robbed and eventually kidnapped by two female con artists, Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), who not only pit Columbus and Tallahassee against one another, but manage to grow a bond between the two, as well.

To make a long story short, all four become wrapped in a journey to an amusement park near Los Angeles that is rumored to be zombie-free. There are many twists and turns in this journey that will leave you with a sense of an adrenaline rush, if nothing else.

The acting in this movie has its moments. Although Eisenberg plays his character well, capturing the essence of awkward and wimpy Columbus with precision, the problem is that in Eisenberg's claim to fame, "Adventureland," he played a character that is basically the same person. This type-cast may bore moviegoers after a while, as they have come to expect this persona from Eisenberg.

Stone falls into a problem that's very similar. Although she has played roles that are very different from one another, she always seems to be playing a person with the same personality. Moviegoers may feel her character in her landmark film "Superbad," reminds them a lot of her character in "Zombieland."

In both cases, moviegoers may feel almost like they are watching the same characters in a different movie. This is a pattern that if avoided, could have strengthened their performances.

The same cannot be said for Breslin and Harrelson, however. Breslin, whose career has really taken since her role in "Little Miss Sunshine," manages to break the outward appearance of a child and play one brave and strong character.

She created an image in how she interacts with others, which shows the character's confidence in herself, meanwhile still keeping the innocence of a child that the character demands.

Likewise, Harrelson, who we have come to expect nothing less than perfection from, really shines as the simple-minded Tallahassee. He has come a long way since "Cheers," and his experience shows through wonderfully. His humor really draws the audience in.

The story, however, doesn't manage to keep them. There is the groundwork for an amazing plot here, filled with tons of small touches that would have made this movie perfect. The rules would have been such an amazing plot device if they had been carried out further.

At various moments the rules are referenced but the movie never gives its viewers very many of them. At one point, there is a "Rule 32," but viewers only see about six or seven of the others. This may leave viewers with a feeling of unfinished business. A movie should never leave for a possible sequel what it can accomplish in the first film.

Another component that had some holes was the storyline. It can be said that a horror-comedy is not meant to be realistic, but "Zombieland" leaves it viewers with the same plot elements seen a thousand times before.

Such devices include: A character using very little ammunition to kill a lot of zombies, a character being forced to grow and overcome fears for the love of another, and even a character who is a wimp pairing up with one who is anything but. By themselves, these elements aren't always going to cause problems.

However, in this case, we see the movie almost acting like every movie that's ever been made. They make no effort to use these elements in new or inventive ways, rather they seem to continue to use the same as they have always been used. They are effectively used, but have been used so many times before.

The story is also predictable. This is something which every movie should shy away from, comedy or not. In this case, every single action done by these characters can be guessed by even the casual of moviegoer.

Even if this is meant as a joke at the elements used in zombies films, it fails to make a mockery of it to the point that the moviegoer can tell. It seems like the movie is just employing the elements that moviegoers know, trying to make them feel comfortable. It leaves with such promise for new content and creates a plot and story that doesn't have any.

The laughs are decent. There are very clear moments that are humorous in this movie. However, some of the laughs are hit-and-miss. There are moments that are just too outrageous to laugh, leaving the movie's humor in question.

The gore holds up just the same way. There are moments of gore that seem exciting and enhance all the action around them. Unfortunately, there are also moments that the gore seems too much or out-of-place, and doesn't add to anything. As a whole, the story was tied together nicely, despite the holes.

Overall, this movie is average. Zombieland is not going to keep you up at night, as "Night of the Living Dead" kept moviegoers up in the '80s, but it won't put you to sleep, either. You will find yourself watching it once, and not really caring if you see it again. It has plenty of laughs, and a solidly balanced cast, but fails to really push itself anywhere new. A flesh-munching 3.5 out of 5.