"Shaun" is anything but dead; one of the best films in recent years

Rating: 8/10 (20 June 2005)

Let me begin by saying that I am a huge fan of horror-comedies. I mean, what are two of the strongest humor emotions? Fear and happiness. Horror-comedies mix these two elements, and if done correctly - which is no easy feat - you can have one darn fine movie. And "Shaun of the Dead" is just that. I've been looking forward to this movie since I first saw it advertised in U.S. theaters, and I can sincerely say that it lived up to the highest of my expectations.
Simon Pegg (who has gained some popularity overseas for performing in the British TV show "Spaced") stars as Shaun, a 30-year-old Brit who is stock with a crappy job and a crappy stepfather (Bill Nighy), among other things. Then there's his slacker best friend, Ed (Nick Frost). When his girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield) dumbs Shaun, it looks like his life has taken the final step towards hell.
But Shaun is given a chance to win back Liz, as well as fix things up with his mother (Nicola Cunningham) and stepfather. How? Simple: he just has to defend them all against a neighborhood full of zombies.
I've always been a fan of movies like "Evil Dead II", "Re-Animator", and George Romero's original "Dead" trilogy. As a fan, I can say that anyone else who liked those movies will love "Shaun of the Dead". The script, by Edgar Wright and star Pegg, knows when to bring in some comedy and when to let loose the horror. (When it does bring in horror, the casual moviegoer's stomach will no doubt flip - ever seen a man get ripped to pieces right in front of you, while he's still living, and his guts eaten?)
The cast is terrific, Pegg especially. You care about the characters, and the only one who I didn't care about was ... uh ... dealt with. Edgar Wright manages to make the film look like a comedy when there's something funny going on, but when there's any horror (especially towards the end of the film), his direction becomes quite dark.
What can I say? This is one of the best films of the year, and easily the best horror-comedy in years. I was entertained throughout the entire film. Hilarious and absorbing, "Shaun" is anything but dead.