Zombies Actually

Rating: 9/10 (25 September 2004)

**SPOILERS WARNING**
On Friday, Shaun is in a rut. At 29, he's coasted through life--and still hasn't gotten very far, usually winding up at the local pub, the Winchester. His roommate Ed looks up to him--when he can take his eyes off the TV, that is. Liz is re-evaluating their relationship, particularly after Shaun fails to do something special for their anniversary on Saturday. Living with a roommate named Pete that is a little more demanding than Ed's liking.
That day, there are train delays, people fainting in the streets, TV news reporters on unexplained calamities. It would that everyone single citizen in London are suffering from a hangover. While Shaun goes into his usual early morning routine, he doesn't even notice that the city is pretty much in a post-apocalypse state. When Ed finds a woman in their backyard, they examine the person only find that she is drunk.
Or so it appears. When the woman is impaled with a pipe, and survives, both Ed and Shaun begin to wonder just what the f*ck is going on. Yet another "drunk" citizen arrives, and now it's clear something isn't right. Can it be? No, it can't be. But it is--the dead have risen! Saturday's isolated incidents mushroom into a full-on zombie assault and, once daylight breaks, it's Sunday bloody Sunday.
As manners and flesh take a beating, it's time to separate men from meat, humans from zombies, and living from undead. Shaun and Ed grab whatever is at hand to repel the attacking zombies, a cricket paddle and a shovel. Now summoning reserves of strength they didn't know they possessed and straining muscles they forgot they had. Now it's time to start rounding up friends and family.
Shaun ventures to his ex-girlfriend, Liz's house. Along with her roommates, the ever so pricky David and his girlfriend Diane. Making their way through the streets of London, the crew make towards Shaun's mothers, Barbara, place. His mother is fine, but his step dad, Phillip, has been bitten and is pretty much already dead. Still, they bring both and all together must fight off armies of zombies.
Shaun comes up with a plan to bring the rest of the living to his favorite local spot, The Winchester. A local bar and both Ed's and Shaun's favorite hideout. Now it has become a sanctuary that may save the survivors. Holding the zombies off with nothing but a rifle and a few nitnacks, there's not much hope.
After all, all that stands in their way are a hundred hordes of the flesh eating undead that have straight from the fiery pits of hell craving the flesh of the living and will stop at nothing to get what they want. Like that'll stop them a drunk, a loser, and a couple regular old' citizens.... right?
The tagline for the film is "A romantic comedy. With zombies." That seems to pretty much spell out this film. It's the best film I've seen in theaters all year. The movie is a riot. Apart from Bad Santa, it's the funniest movie I've ever seen. And I wouldn't even call it a comedy. I don't know what to call it.
The movie is also the bloodiest, most goriest zombie flick I've seen since "Day of the Dead". Which is my favorite zombie flick. Well, next to Shaun of the Dead of course. There is one particular scene when a character is literally torn to pieces. And my mouth was literally wide open. I was in disbelief at what I was seeing. Myself, and a friend caught an advanced screening of Shaun of the Dead and we both loved it.
This is best movie I've all year. A pleasant surprise that it didn't suck. It at first appears to a spoof, but it is definitely not. It works as a zombie movie, a comedy, and a romantic comedy. To me it's basically Love Actually meets Dawn of the Dead meets Dumb and Dumber. It's a perfect blend of horror and comedy. A good portion of scenes made me jump. Some horror movies don't manage to do that.
I am a huge fan of zombie movies, this one takes the cake. I loved the remake of Dawn of the Dead. Awesome suspense, even some scary parts. But this just rules over any other zombie movie. The original Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Zombi, Day of the Dead, they are all classics. And I know that Shaun of the Dead will soon become as popularly and as respected as those.
I feel lucky that my teacher, yes a teacher, gave me two tickets to an advance screening to see this movie, because it doesn't looks like it's going to be put into very many theaters. And I don't think it'll do too well at the box office. Being a huge movie fanatic, this was a rare treat to see an advance screening. This was my first, and even better. The movie rules. This is now of the all time favorite movies.
I thought that zombie movies were dead. Boy was I wrong. Dawn of the Dead, Resident Evil, 28 Days Later (which I did not enjoy), and now Shaun of the Dead. These movies are just as alive as they were back in the days of The Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead. I can't wait till the next zombie movie arrives. Hopefully a remake of Day of the Dead is in order. Or another George Romero gorefest.
Either way, it just goes to show that zombie flicks are anything but dead. I've never met a zombie I didn't like. By that I mean zombie movies seem to always rule. Return of the Living Dead was quite entertaining. Not too bloody though. The remake of Night of the Living Dead was another excellent zombie flick. However, the Return of the Living Dead sequels aren't as good as the original or any other zombie movie for that matter.
I certainly didn't expect this to suck, it just was a whole lot better than I could have imagined. It was incredibly gory, bloody, so much swearing, (When English people swear it's funny), hilarious zombie movie with a lot of heart and soul. You don't need to be a fan of zombie flicks to enjoy this movie.
****/****