Zombies. The stereotypical bad guy used to be the Germans. In the last couple of decades it has become zombies. They are everywhere. They range from lethargic sloths, to indefatigable sprinters, to mutated monstrosities. The only hard and fast rules seem to be that to kill them you have to destroy the brain and that if you are bitten by one you will die and become a zombie too.
Enter Shaun of the Dead, the latest installment of zombie killing to be added to the ever expanding genre. I’ve watched zombie movies since I was a kid. I believe I was about 9 when I first watched the classic Night of the Living Dead. Come to think of it that was the year my mom took my little brother and I to see Total Recall in the theater. My parents must have thought rated R meant “really cool.” Shaun of the Dead has less to do with Night of the Living Dead, than it does with Zombieland. Shaun of the Dead is more of a comedy than a zombie movie. The zombies serve more as props for the comedic antics of the main characters.
The story takes place in London and stars Shaun (Simon Pegg - Hot Fuzz, Star Trek), his freeloading slob of a best friend, Ed (Nick Frost – Hot Fuzz, Pirate Radio) and Shaun’s girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield). When zombies attack, Shaun and Ed don’t even notice at first. When they finally do notice they instead use it as an opportunity for a little fun, sorting through and chucking vinyl records at the slow moving zombies. They eventually realize the danger and formulate a plan to rescue Shaun’s mom and Liz then hole up in their favorite bar. The only problem, they are bumbling buffoons.
Their antics are hilarious if not well thought out. I found myself laughing throughout much of the movie. While the movie is totally and completely absurd, it is the good kind of absurd. The Monty Python kind of absurd. I’d highly recommend it for adults, but kids might still have problems due to the zombies ripping peoples guts out etc. I give it 8 / 10.
Enter Shaun of the Dead, the latest installment of zombie killing to be added to the ever expanding genre. I’ve watched zombie movies since I was a kid. I believe I was about 9 when I first watched the classic Night of the Living Dead. Come to think of it that was the year my mom took my little brother and I to see Total Recall in the theater. My parents must have thought rated R meant “really cool.” Shaun of the Dead has less to do with Night of the Living Dead, than it does with Zombieland. Shaun of the Dead is more of a comedy than a zombie movie. The zombies serve more as props for the comedic antics of the main characters.
The story takes place in London and stars Shaun (Simon Pegg - Hot Fuzz, Star Trek), his freeloading slob of a best friend, Ed (Nick Frost – Hot Fuzz, Pirate Radio) and Shaun’s girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield). When zombies attack, Shaun and Ed don’t even notice at first. When they finally do notice they instead use it as an opportunity for a little fun, sorting through and chucking vinyl records at the slow moving zombies. They eventually realize the danger and formulate a plan to rescue Shaun’s mom and Liz then hole up in their favorite bar. The only problem, they are bumbling buffoons.
Their antics are hilarious if not well thought out. I found myself laughing throughout much of the movie. While the movie is totally and completely absurd, it is the good kind of absurd. The Monty Python kind of absurd. I’d highly recommend it for adults, but kids might still have problems due to the zombies ripping peoples guts out etc. I give it 8 / 10.
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