1. Dystopia

2. Dystopian Conventions
A dystopian world is an imagined place or state (usually post-apocalyptic) which everything is bad or not nice; usually caused by natural disaster, scientific experiment, alien invasion or war . It is the opposite of Utopia ( a so called ‘perfect world’).
It explores postmodern themes by challenging narrative themes; offering a hyperrealism of an uneasy futuristic nightmare and using pastiche to offer hybrid genres.
Dystopian films usually relate to the fears in society at the time it is made. For example; technology advancements, wars, end of the world (2012), aliens and more.
Dystopian narrative tend to offer the possibility of human demise which is the struggle of survivors and the small chance of them being able to start society off again.

3. Sub Genre
Dystopian films tend to be a sub genre film. The most common sub genre for dystopian films is post- apocalyptic which is after the end of the world. It normally has limited survivors and they have to adapt and try and survive the new environment and eventually adapt a new society and possibly start up the world again. The Road is an excellent example for this - a dad and his son in a post-apocalyptic world trying to survive and find other to restart society.
Another sub genre that dystopian films use is Horror. They use a wronged scientific experiment or a chemical mutation to create ungodly creatures such as zombies, werewolves or mutants. This creates a chaotic world in which the human race have to try and survive and overcome the creatures. A good example for this is Zombieland which is about people trying to survive a zombie invasion.
Another sub genre that dystopian films use is science fiction which is when a scientific experiment goes wrong causing an big brother scenario. This relates to fears of society which is a typical thing you would see in a dystopian film. A good example for this is Equilibrium which is about a futuristic world which suppresses emotions by illegalizing books, art and music to stop war.

4. Zombieland - Postmodern Dystopian film
Zombieland is a 2009 comedy set in a post apocalyptic setting based around shy teen Columbus and his survival in the zombie infested wasteland.
HYPERREALITY? Although this is not a prominent feature of postmodernism throughout there could be aspects of hyper reality within the film. At about two thirds into the film the group of survivors decide to take refuge in LA at actor Bill Murray's house. The house itself could be seen as a simulation of reality due to the over exaggerated appearance of a celebrity home. This can also be said about Bill Murray appearing in the film as a non real version of himself which is more like the characters he plays in his films rather than a normal person.
INTERTEXTUALITY. When Tallahassee and Columbus enter the supermarket Tallahassee briefly plays a tune that attracts the zombies. This is actually from a scene in the 1972 film Deliverance where two of the characters play this tune. The fact that it is played to attract a zombie to be beaten to a pulp via Banjo can be seen as ironic due to the fact that in Deliverance that tune represented a moment of peace and enjoyment in the films narrative. Later on in Bill Murray's house Little Rock and Columbus end up watching Ghostbusters while Tallahassee, Wichita and Bill Murray act out a scene from the film.
DYSTOPIA. The film itself is set in a zombie apocalypse which is as a setting for any film very dystopian, but what adds heavily to the dystopian setting is the use of incredibly rundown set pieces and locations that were shot in the film. Examples range from a rundown theme park to an abandoned and desolate supermarket.Also the fact that in not only this film, but with pretty much all zombie movies killing and violence comes as an important feature in the narrative due to the characters need for survival.
NOSTALGIA. With the film set in a post apocalyptic environment there is massive of nostalgic features in the film. Nostalgia is used mainly to give background and add emotional depth to the main characters. For example for each character there is a section looking back to the world as they knew it before the apocalypse. Tallahassee remembers his son which died during the outbreak, Columbus looks back on his first zombie encounter and Wichita and Little Rock are shown conning members of the public out of money.

5. Character types
Male protagonist - Anti hero who turns out to save or survive.
‘Post-modern Cowboy’ - a cowboy who is alone and survives everything that is thrown at him and helps others out as well, even though he doesn't have to.
Survival groups - a group of people in a post-apocalyptic world trying to savage and hunt for survival in their new environment. They have to adapt and learn to live in this new world to try and overcome and restart society. The hero usual helps them and they remind of of the utopian world before the disaster giving them hope.
The helper - usually one of them things that have caused the dystopian world which helps the hero come to a resolution and helps him on his journey.