You'll laugh till it hurts!

Rating: Null/10 (16 April 2004)

Shaun Of The Dead isn't your typical zombie movie. In fact, the zombies don't truly enter the story until almost a third of the way in. So what's it really about? A man named Shaun, played by Simon Pegg, who lives in London and is a bit of a loser. He works in a dead-end job at an electronic goods store and spends most of his spare time at the local pub or playing video games with his unemployed roomate, Ed. One day Shaun's girlfriend, Liz, decides she's had enough of his lazy attitude and decides to leave him. When the city suddenly gets taken over by the living dead Shaun finds the perfect opportunity to prove himself to Liz, so he sets out to save the day, win his girlfriend back and keep his mum, Barbara, from being eaten by his step-dad who's slowly turning into a zombie.
Don't let the title and premise fool you, this isn't a simple spoof of Dawn Of The Dead, it's more a romantic comedy that just so happens to be littered with the undead. The film is also very clever, with a clear social commentary running throughout. The jokes that stem from this are absolutely hilarious but will probably be lost on any non-Londoners. It's actually quite unlikely that this film will translate to anyone outside the UK and this is a real shame and perhaps the films biggest flaw. But if you do get it, then good for you, because there is a lot of great stuff to be seen here. The script is wonderful and throws up many comedic moments, such as when Shaun and Ed are looking through Shaun's LP collection for a suitable vinyl to throw at two oncoming zombies, "Dire Straits?" "Chuck it!", or when Shaun and his friends beat up an elderly zombie in the pub using cricket bats, all to the rhythm of Don't Stop Me Now by Queen. The humour comes thick and fast, never have I laughed so consistantly during any film before, it only pauses briefly for a few dramatic scenes, all of which work surprisingly well. In fact the film tends to genre-hop quite a lot, and while some find this unappealing I think it works in its favour. One minute it's a comedy, then it's a drama and then it's a full blown horror. In fact some scenes are quite jumpy and certainly violent. One extremely gory part in particular is a clear homage to another famous horror film that shall remain unamed, but if you know what I'm talking about when you see it then good for you. That's the thing about this movie though, you don't need to be a horror fan to enjoy it. You just need to have the right sense of humour. Can I explain it? Well, no. You'll just know if the film's for you when you see it. I can assure you that most will like it. If you don't, then I really am sorry for you as this is about the most fun I have had in the cinema since Kill Bill . Ok, that wasn't long ago, but before that I don't think there was a film that was so rip-roaringly funny and then unashamedly brutal at the same time. There is nothing subtle about this movie, and yet it will simply go over the heads of most people. I urge you to watch the film and decide for yourself if you love it or hate it. It's not without its faults though, losing its spark slightly during the third act but it comes back with a vengence and gets in some really good jokes just before the credits roll.
Shaun Of The Dead is a great film. It's funny, it's clever and it's got zombies in it! Just when the British film industry appears to be dead this gem pops up and shows us what someone with a sense of humour and a real passion for the media can achieve. Go watch it, you'll laugh till it hurts!