I never liked movies about zombies, those mindless, creepy, grotesque, bloody, flesh-eating ghouls, who traipse around with only one thing on their agenda - eating people.

I deal with too many of these types here at work anyway.

Zombies and guys like Jason in the "Friday the 13th" movies always give me the creeps, and I'm also not a big fan of blood and gore fests on screen. I like to be scared but not grossed out.

But I am a fan of "Zombieland," now playing in wide release.

This combination buddy movie-road movie is funny, and very well written, with a host of gross-out moments featuring gooey, bloody zombies.

Written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, creators of the "Joe Schmo Show" on Spike TV, and directed by first-time director Ruben Fleisher, "Zombieland" is a fast-paced comedy, which separates this zombie movie from many past efforts.

The movie stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin as four survivors of a terrible epidemic that has infected most of America, turning them into rabid cannibals.

Special effects makeup designer Tony Gargner has taken the zombie route before, assisting Rick Baker with the makeup on Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. Here, like the music video, the ghouls are both sickening and gross, but also humorous looking.

As far as the survivors, Harrelson is very good as Tallahassee, a good ole boy with a love for trucks, guns, hunting down zombies and Twinkies. Eisenberg, seen this past spring in "Adventureland" and known for his dramatic role in "The Squid and the Whale" (2005), is perfectly cast as the nebbish Columbus.

The film is narrated by Columbus, and a very funny running gag is his list of rules for survival. The list includes silly notes about avoiding public bathrooms and wearing seatbelts.

Stone and Breslin play sisters Wichita and Little Rock, who eventually team up with our heroes on the run. Breslin, an Oscar nominee for "Little Miss Sunshine" (2005) and also the lead with Cameron Diaz in past summer's tear-jerker, "My Sister's Keeper," is cute as the little sister who has not been allowed to have a childhood. All she wants to do is go to an amusement park in California that is supposed to be zombie free.

Breslin is one of the best young kid actors around, and I predict a long, successful career for her.

Stone, who had a hysterical turn as a ghost in "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" earlier in the year, is terrific as the attractive, hard-nosed older sister. She has a tough exterior, but only cares about taking care of her sister. She does a really nice job and is extremely cute in her performance.

She is slowly growing up from her "Superbad" and "The House Bunny" roles.

While on the run, the foursome crashes for a time at Bill Murray's Los Angeles mansion, and Murray is hysterical in a cameo role as, well, Bill Murray. He has no problems having fun with his own fame, and here he skewers it with tongue firmly in cheek.

As in most movies of the genre, there is a big blowout at the end. This one is crazy, funny and exciting. Harrelson is in his element during the climax and looks like he is having a blast. You will, too.

"Zombieland" will certainly not win any year-end awards, but it is a really fun way to spend some time in a theater.

There is already talk of a sequel. I look forward to that.

"Zombieland"

Rated: R for zombie horror and gore, and language

Running time: 1 hour, 22 minutes

Score: B on the Brad-O-Meter