A fantastic flick

Rating: 10/10 (11 April 2004)

I must admit I was nervous about seeing this film. I am a massive fan of Spaced and thought the writing and direction of those shows were brilliant.. However quite a lot of writers and directors have proven that the transition from the small to the big screen just doesn't work.. and I so wanted this film not to disappoint. And, boy, it did not let me down at all. This is one genuinely funny and very creepy movie. When people likened it to the "An American Werewolf in London", it was justified, the laughs come quick, thick and fast - and so does the gore! Simon Pegg is brilliant as Sean, portraying a man who is, for all intents and purposes, a zombie as the film opens. Shaun's drifting through life, stuck in a dead end job, coasting through life, with his loser friend Ed (Nick Frost putting in a brilliant performance) by his side and stuck in the same routine (which is putting his relationship in jeopardy). Shaun's drifting through life so much he doesn't even notice the first signs of the Zombie epidemic occurring about him, and only when he is confronted with this situation does he finally take hold of his life, and spring into action to save his friends, his girl and, of course, his mum! This is a brilliantly observered comedy, the characters and their relationships with each other feel so genuine and because of this you really end up caring what happens to everyone in this film (something that so rarely happens in any film, let alone a horror movie). And the film, which zips along at quite a pace, has some very genuinely funny, scary and emotional scenes in it. Before you worry about the emotional scenes slowing the movie down it should be pointed out that excellent editing means that just as it might be all getting a bit too serious, a gag or a scare jumps out of nowhere and you're off again. It gets to the point where you're not sure what's going to happen next (emotionally speaking) and quite literally at this point.. all bets are off! The script is taut, sharp, intelligent and very, very funny. There is more going on on-screen that you'll never catch every joke or every reference in a single viewing. The acting is excellent and the zombies are genuinely creepy. All in all this is a fantastic flick, and I urge everyone to give it a viewing.