Dead funny, seriously.

Rating: Null/10 (24 September 2004)

I'm a simple guy and this is a simple movie, therefore I can get into this film without feeling ashamed. We've got a few simple characters in a simple town filled with simple zombies just trying to eat some flesh. Simply put this smart British spoof of Dawn of the Dead has more class and style than we've seen come out of any Hollywood scary movie.
Shaun's having himself an early mid-life crisis and he's so wrapped up in his own problems that he hardly notices that his town's being overrun by flesh eating zombies. When he and his flat-mate Ed finally clue into the recent apocalypse they slightly spring into action, attempting to save Shaun's mom Barbara, girlfriend Liz and hole up in the local tavern. Of course things get complicated with Shaun's step-dad, Liz and her friends and an increasing mass of slow-moving and persistent zombie horde.
For a discriminating yet simple movie-goer such as myself, there's just so much to like in this movie. An amiable "regular Joe" main character you can identify with, a flatulent foul speaking sidekick, a genuinely sweet girlfriend seeking to advance their relationship, a cheerful mom and, of course, some zombie smashing action with cricket bat and shovel. Throw in a few hilarious cuts from action to inaction, brilliance to idiocy and really, there's not much more you can ask for in a movie. There's little in the way of actual scares but there just didn't need to be. Although not stupidly naive about the situation, these characters deal with the crisis in a light hearted but task oriented way. Mind you they don't always think ahead.
Bottom line, if you like British humor and an extra mild serving zombie frights you owe it to yourself to be entertained by Shaun of the Dead.