Basic Plot Synopsis:

Shaun is just a nice, normal guy with no real aspirations in life. He has a slacker best friend, a step-father he abhors, a dead-end job where he isn't respected, and a girlfriend who wants something better out of life. Then suddenly (without Shaun even noticing at first) people start turning into zombies. Now Shaun must take it upon himself to ensure the safety of his friends and family by taking them to the only safe place he can think of -- his local pub.

More Information on the Movie:

Shaun of the Dead was written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, the creative team behind the British comedy series "Spaced". Pegg also plays the main character, Shaun. Just in case you couldn't quess by the movie's title, the movie is an homage to "Dawn of the Dead" as well as other movies of the zombie-genre. It was promoted in England as the world's first "rom-zom-com" film (a Romantic Zombie Comedy), and it does a surprisingly good job on all 3 levels. The goal, according to Pegg, was to make a movie that was funny in terms of the characters and dialog while at the same time staying true to the horror aspect.

The cast is chock-full of English comedy actors. Shaun's best friend, Ed, is played by Nick Frost (also of "Spaced" fame), and fans of the show "The Office" may recognize Lucy Davis in the role of Shaun's friend Dianne. Someone you may not recognize is Peter Serafinowicz who plays Shaun's roommate Pete -- he was also the voice of Darth Maul in "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace". There are lots of other British stars in leading roles that American audiences may not be familiar with, such as Kate Ashfield as Shaun's girlfriend, Liz; Dylan Moran from the television comedy "Black Books" as Dianne's boyfriend; Penelope Wilton (from "Calendar Girls" among many others) as Shaun's mother, Barbara; and the ever-creepy Bill Nighy (most recently from "Underworld" and "Love Actually") as Shaun's step-dad, Philip.

In addition, many of the bit-parts are also taken by popular English comedy actors (including one of my favorites, Reece Shearsmith from The League of Gentlemen). "Spaced" alum and co-writer Jessica Stevenson also has a cameo role, and still other comedic talent who doesn't appear on screen manages to make their presence known via voice-overs as news reporters (including Julia Davis, Mark Gatiss, Matt Lucas, and David Walliams). If you aren't a fan of British comedies then these clever cameos will be lost on you (however that shouldn't detract from your enjoyment of the movie, which stands well enough on its own without them).

My Thoughts & Opinions:

I was really expecting a lot from Shaun of the Dead after hearing my English friends absolutely rave about the movie for so long. I figured I was bound to be disappointed because my expectations were already set so high -- however I was very pleasantly surprised! Not only is it hysterical at times, but the horror elements are well done and there are even great dramatic moments to boot! I was expecting a little low-budget British comedy, but what I got a well-rounded romantic comedy that also happens to be a horror movie.

What strikes me the most is how clever and well-rounded it is. This is not some simple spoof; it is a fully enjoyable movie that stands on its own legs. From the beginning it is poking fun at the horror-movie genre, giving false-scares and jumps from the get-go. Then as things start happening you actually do get drawn into the tale that is being told. Although funny things are still happening they do begin to take a back seat to the horror story. There are genuinely moving moments as some characters that you care about are "lost" (and I don't mean throw-away characters like you get in so many horror movies these days). I am not someone who cries at movies (especially comedies, for goodness sakes), but I did tear-up at one point in the movie -- it's just that well done.

I thought that the acting was quite good as well, with perfect comedic timing on everyone's part, especially Simon Pegg as Shaun. The characters all seem very real and normal (or abnormal, as most of us are really). Knowing that this was a "low budget" production (by Hollywood standards), I was impressed with the overall look of the movie as well as the zombie makeup. At first the gore was kept to a minimum, but later they did have a full-blown gore-blowout, so it isn't completely tame.

I'm not a huge zombie/horror movie fan myself, but my husband was able to pick out direct references to prior horror & zombie movies (I did at least get the "Evil Dead" reference, as well as the famous "We're coming to get you, Barbara!" line from Night of the Living Dead). If you are a fan of that genre you should definitely see Shaun of the Dead so you can pick up on those clever references that most people won't get (but it doesn't detract from the film if you don't get them).

This is one movie that becomes even funnier if you watch it multiple times. Some little, minor references (such as "You've got red on you" or a little side comment said in anger about a disagreeable roommate) seem like nothing special at first, but take on a deeper significance later. At the second viewing you can pick up on all of those little, seemingly unimportant things that actually are meaningful later. I LOVE that kind of thing! I also love the sly little references to other movies -- references that aren't "dumbed down" so that everyone in the audience gets them. Lastly, I love the attention to detail -- when the stuff going on in the background is nearly as interesting as what is going on in the foreground (for example, keep your eyes on the couple making out as Shaun and Ed leave the bar).

I won't claim that I was rolling in the floor with laughter, although there definitely were at least a couple of laugh-out-loud moments (for me, at any rate). I really loved a lot of things in the movie -- such as the way Shaun doesn't realize that people are zombies at first (usually thinking that they are just drunk people stumbling around), or the unique weapons they use to fight the zombies (my favorite weapons-of-choice are the painstakingly selected albums from Shaun's old record collection). I loved the fact that the zombies are the slow moving, shuffling type from the original Romero zombie movies (rather than quick-moving zombies like those in the more recent flicks) -- it gives you some time to poke fun at them before the real horror sets in. Some jokes are of the you-can't-miss-it variety, while others are a bit more subtle -- for example, my husband totally missed the one where Shaun is trying to convince someone that her loved one is gone now that he's become a zombie -- however as soon as the words are out of his mouth the zombie does something that was very in-character for her loved one. It was subtle and quite funny (if you caught it), but it also makes one wonder whether or not someone is totally "gone" after they are zombie-fied. There is just a lot of stuff on many different levels to enjoy in this movie.

I won't claim that the movie is the best I've ever seen (but I will certainly be buying it when it comes out on DVD). I wasn't a fan of the zombie-fighting to the beat of the song on the jukebox (the only thing in the movie that was just too "silly" for me, although some of it was done impressively well -- I discovered later that the scene was an homage to a choreographed fight from A Clockwork Orange), and there was a point where I was annoyed at the Ed character for suddenly becoming useless after having helped Shaun quite a bit when the two were on their own just a short time earlier. However those are really the only problems I have with the movie, which speaks very well for it (I've been accused of picking movies to pieces on numerous occasions).

Final Thoughts:

I would love to say that this is a must-see movie and that everyone should seek it out and watch it right now, however I am well aware that it will appeal to a somewhat limited American audience. If you are a fan of zombie and/or horror movies then you should definitely go see Shaun of the Dead because the writers clearly love the genre and wanted to "do it right" even as they were poking fun at it. If you are a fan of British comedy then you should definitely see it because it is really funny (and moving, and scary, and just generally well-done). If you like "clever" movies then this is a good one for you. I personally adored the movie and am looking forward to seeing it again because there is just so much to enjoy, and I'm sure that I didn't catch all of it in a single viewing!


Official Website:
http://www.romzom.com





Recommended: Yes