The Zombie Apocalypse Has Never Been So Much Fun

Rating: 9/10 (15 January 2015)

Shaun of the Dead is not your typical zombie movie. Sure, there's lots of blood and gore, flesh eating zombies aplenty, and F-bombs beyond counting. And like most zombie flicks, this one follows an ever shrinking band of civilians as they try to survive against the undead hordes. But unlike Resident Evil, the remade Dawn of the Dead, or 28 Weeks Later, Shaun of the Dead is smart, witty, and absolutely hilarious. For those dazed by grim, near identical shoot-em-ups with about as much intelligence as the monsters they portray, Shaun of the Dead is a breath of fresh air.
At first, it actually seems like a typical slacker comedy. Shaun (Simon Pegg) is a thoroughly average Londoner who shares a flat with his friends from high school, works the day shift at the local electronics store, has issues with his stepfather, and is in a rut with his girlfriend, who dumps him after he screws up their anniversary. In short, his life sucks. At this point the last thing he needs is hordes of mindless undead knocking at his door. But when the zombie apocalypse descends on England, it just might be his chance to show he's not a complete loser after all.
Shaun of the Dead starts off strong, delivering hilarious romantic comedy while dropping ominous hints of what lies ahead, like a demented version of The Birds. And it only gets funnier when the zombies get involved. Writers Pegg and Edger Wright manage to effortlessly lampoon the clichÃ©s and improbabilities common to all zombie films, while using over the top gore for comic effect in a manner that would do Terentino proud. There are few things funnier than seeing two morons throwing records and video games at a pair of glacially slow zombies, except perhaps watching them beat said zombies back to death with a cricket bat and a shovel, all the while screaming like the warriors they wish they could be.
Even better is how even amongst terror and destruction, the hassles and concerns of everyday life are still there. Running into old friends, and their friends, and their friends' friends is still awkward, even when you're on the run from the living dead. Your mother remains deeply concerned about you and your stepfather, and is happier about finally meeting your girlfriend than frightened by the wandering zombies. There's still the one guy who would rather face the walking corpses than spend another minute with the rest of the group. And trust me; there's no time like the end of the world to work out your relationship issues.
These are the kinds of personal issues that have sunk movies like War of the World, but played out to a level of true absurdity they are utterly side-splitting. And the chemistry between cast members is remarkable. They bicker, argue, and get on each other's nerves like they've known each other for their entire lives. More than once, it occurred to me that this movie could be considered Night of the Living Dead meets the Office.
Shaun of the dead isn't for everyone. It's violent, it's gory, and people in it swear like stevedores. But it just might be the best horror/comedy since the days of Abbot and Costello. And on some level it's comforting to know that even during the zombie apocalypse, you mom's still your mom, your roommate's still an idiot, and you and your sort-of girlfriend still have lots of serious issues to discuss.