Good British horror satire

Rating: Null/10 (26 June 2005)

If you appreciate tongue-in-cheek humor in horror films, British movies, and well drawn characters you'll like this movie.
This film is really a love story between Shaun (Simon Pegg) and Liz (Kate Ashfield). Shaun is going nowhere fast as a temporary manager in an electronics store. Liz is his long time girlfriend who has just dumped him because his idea of a date is to spend time at the Winchester Pub. Shaun has two roommates. His mum is remarried and Shaun dislikes his step-dad. Shaun also has an ex. Shaun is a zero and his life is going nowhere. When the zombies appear Shaun gets his chance to lead.
Simon Pegg does a good job as Shaun. He is unknown to US audiences having worked mostly in British TV series. But it is Nick Frost who steals the movie as Ed the lovable, slobby, somewhat dimwitted roommate. Kate Ashfield is also good as Liz. Look for Bill Nighy as the step-dad (burned out rock star Billy Mack in Love Actually.) Some of the ways in which the zombies are defended against are funny, including a cricket bat and Ed's record collection. As a horror movie it's fairly tame, not at all like the Evil Dead or Day of the Dead. There are a few gory scenes but they aren't excessive. In fact, if those scenes were cut this could probably play on British TV. The special effects are simple, understated but just right. Credit Paul Dunn who has worked on Black Hawk Down and Gladiator.