A story of a fictional being that lives on an appetite for human flesh has been told over and over again since George A. Romero’s 1968 film, “Night of the Living Dead.”

This past Friday, director Ruben Fleischer released his comical rendition of the possible outcomes for a world at the mercy of these undead monsters.

So, how is one to survive when the world has been taken over and demolished by grotesque flesh-eating zombies that charge at the mere sight of a human being?

Well, one college student has provided a list of rules to follow in order to handle just that since his world’s population has been dominated by these beastly creatures after a dangerous viral strain broke out, infecting humans.

Meet Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), a geeky loner that sticks to a strict set of guidelines with his shotgun in hand; ready to take on any man-eating danger that might come his way.

These rules are practical as well, such as “always wear your seatbelt” — because after all, you never do know when you’ll have to slam on your brakes in order to propel a zombie out of your car through the windshield.

Even Columbus, who has been plagued with irritable bowel syndrome, has trouble following some of his rules, like “beware of bathrooms.”

However, Columbus has used these rules to survive in a world where he is alone and trusts no one but himself and his own instincts.

That is, until he is forced to bend his rules when he comes across Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), who also trusts no one but lives by very few rules.

Tallahassee has only one motivation — his hate for zombies and his love for kicking ass.

Thinking it best to stick together for survival, Tallahassee and Columbus (nicknames they give each other in order to conceal their real identities) embark on a road trip toward the East Coast.

However, Tallahassee has one more love that turns their cross-country adventure into quite the bumpy ride — a love for Twinkies.

Yes, that’s right, he insists that every store they cross, they must check for the spongy, packaged dessert that seems to be able to outlive anything else.

After searching one grocery store for these Twinkies and killing an array of fat, hungry zombies in the process, Tallahassee and Columbus meet two con-artist sisters that help make their journey even more eventful.

This hilarious action film has taken the best from zombie movies that precede it and created a fresh perspective on the living dead.

Long since his role as the goofy bartender Woody Boyd in the ’80s sitcom, “Cheers,” Harrelson’s performance as a tough boot-wearing zombie killer keeps the adrenaline pumping with his amazing ability to handle a gun, and the laughter rolling with his unforgettable dialogue.

A comical moment where his character, Tallahassee, says, “I haven’t cried like that since Titanic,” insists that he is a dynamic character, with more to him than just a passion for violence toward zombies.

The film also features a surprise appearance by a comedy star that is sure to cause some hilarity in the theater.

An excellent combination of fast-paced action, with a great cast and perpetual slapstick comedy, “Zombieland” is definitely worth a trip to the movies.

It should be noted for the squeamish, however, that in this R-rated movie, heads may turn at the graphic representation of zombies chewing through human flesh.

“Zombieland” is certain to keep its spot at the top of the charts and keep the laughter coming for a while.

Reach the reporter at bryan.brougham@asu.edu.