The first and best Wright/Pegg/Frost comedy

Rating: 7/10 (18 December 2016)

Appearing from out of the blue, this is a reminder of the good things that British cinema has to offer. A great caste, a cracking, laugh-a-minute script and a distinctively British twist on the old-fashioned zombie proceedings make this one to watch. It works brilliantly as a comedy, with tons of laughs (the dart in the head scene is still my favourite) and plenty of witty repartee. As a zombie film, it's also cool, what with social referencing, sometimes astonishing scenes of gore (we've got people being impaled, beaten, and in one outstanding moment, Dylan Moran getting his guts torn out and his legs torn off) and loads and loads of suspense and action. I've never seen anything quite like it.
Simon Pegg is the star and his crew from SPACED do most of the work behind the scenes. Pegg, who I'd never watched before, is great, with his typical everyday looks and impeccable timing. His brutish friend Ed, as played by the strangely familiar Nick Frost, steals every moment he's on screen, proving to be the better than Johnny Vegas. The supporting cast, of seemingly every British TV comedian in existence, is also fine , with Penelope Wilton and Bill Nighy as Pegg's parents particularly good. The film is chock-full of references; even the pre-credits production titles have the music from DAWN OF THE DEAD on them! There are plenty more scenes that you'll miss but that repeat viewing will show. The reason the film is so successful is because of the originality. Okay, so the overall plot is familiar, but the individual jokes, humour, and physicality of it pay off in dividends. The ending is a little too dark in places but nevertheless the film's winning streak of black comedy makes it worthwhile. Okay, so I still don't know if dogs can look up, but watching this film is a fine and fun experience.