Shaun of the Dead | Review

Low brow comedy is great companion film to zombie-film family.

For some time now, zombie films have a had a lackluster existence – that is until Danny Boyle’s low-budget 2003 production of 28 Days Later made its apparition and re-invigorated the genre. In that same moment, a couple of Brits have packaged

What appears to be a whole new subgenre, aptly referred to as “rom zom com”.

Director Edgar Wright provides a spoonful of spoof, taking shots at romantic comedies while providing plenty of good old fashion undead people walking the streets with their arms crotched outwards. Based on an episode from a television show that very little North Americans know exist, Shaun of the Dead takes George Romero’s classic and hatches it into a sort of stoners, gen-X, playstationers’ lost paradise. Wright and co-writer/collaborator Simon Pegg (who also serves as the film’s unlikely hero) initially unveil a kooky comedy with a first-half that keeps the laugh level high with moments that see a pair of flat mates so conceded and concerned with themselves that they seem unaware about the apocalypse around them.

For the most part life is passing them by, but when a girlfriend’s birthday is mishandled then the awakening occurs. A beer run combined with bad timing sets the story into the following gear – and a rescue mission that asks the joystick zero to become a romantic hero and a better, more thoughtfully caring boyfriend.

This genial homage to the zombie genre includes many knee-slapping moments and concludes with a good old zombie massacre – horror fanatics will appreciate the original choice of weapons that the survivors utilize, and more particularly how they employ them and stylistically Wright uses pacing, sound and quick shots such as an ambulance parked on a curb to delight the audiences. One sequence sees the two friends go through a record collection and determine which 33’s are worth keeping and which ones are worth using as flying objects. With a minimalist scope, Wright employs a bright lighting with a colorful location shooting – the neighborhood surroundings are faithful to everything Brit and having clotheslines and green grass gives a different take to what one usually expects from the genre. The likeable characters also throw the film into a curious loop, where we see colorful language and unique reactions to the ‘zombie’ situation instead of futuristic gun fare. The reason the film works is that it doesn’t feel overdone, while it remains an easy fair and does mash up the humour bits with some forgettable exaggerated moments this is still a very digestible, a mindless diversion where the laughs come naturally and avoids falling into that trap of forced laughs.

This British indie might be a tough sell for the North American market, Universal Focus Features new distribution arm Rogue Pictures’ first release shoots low, aims low, and gives a good crack of the bat. Shaun of the Dead might take its time to find audiences, but if you’re the type of viewer who enjoyed Mel Brooks’ take on Frankenstein then this alternative to Resident Evil might be worth your fare.

Rating 3 stars