Shaun Of The Dead [2004]

Shaun is a loser, stuck in a dead-end job and held back by his slacker pal Ed. Girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield) is exasperated by his lack of ambition and unceremoniously dumps him. As a result, Shaun misses out on what is apparently the end of the world. In a series of beautifully choreographed and edited scenes, including hilarious tracking shots to and from the local shop, he spectacularly fails to notice the death toll and subsequent zombie plague. Only when one appears in their back garden do Shaun and Ed take notice, hurling sundry kitchen appliances at the undead before breaking out the cricket bat. The catastrophe proves to be the catalyst for Shaun to take charge of his life, sort out his relations with his dotty mum (Penelope Wilton) and distant stepdad (Bill Nighy), and fight to win back his ex-girlfriend. Lucy Davis from The Office and Dylan Moran of Black Books fame head the excellent supporting cast. --Mark Walker

I didn't see the film in the cinema, so it was all new to me. Given British TV's habit of spawning naff films I was a bit wary, but needn't have worried. The first part of the film is really just like a big screen version of Spaced with only a few little hints in the background of the trouble brewing and lots of big laughs. The film then moves into the slightly strange territory which Spaced sometimes inhabited when the main characters start to realise that there are really Zombies on the move. When the action really starts the overt comedy is reined in a bit to let the pace pick up, which is about right: by then you are more interested in what happens next than in where the next joke is coming from.

Simon Pegg makes the transition from small to large screen well, and more surprisingly Dylan Moran does too. Much as Black Books is brilliant, Moran is still basically acting out his stand-up persona. here he is much more rounded character.

Fans of recent British TV comedy will have fun spotting all the actors from The Office, League of Gentlemen and Black Books turning up in roles ranging from major to blink-and-you-miss-it.

I can't really comment on the picture quality as my TV is on the way out, but the use of surround sound is very effective on this disc. During the seige scenes there is a permanent presence of zombie moans and scratching coming from all around to add to the atmosphere.

So, the film is a hit, but what about the disc? Its as good as you would expect from writers and directors who are big fans of the DVD medium, and one of the most loaded single discs you are likely to come across. The extras include 4 full-length commentaries, video diaries from several actors, outtakes and extended scenes as well as the now traditional photo galleries, making-of, TV spots and trailers.

Some of the less conventional extras are a run through of the original story idea on a flip chart, plot holes explained in comic strips with actor voiceovers, and one scene acted in the styles of Sean Connery and Michael Caine in The Man Who Would Be King. The flip chart extra is especially interesting as it pre-dates the filming, and even the full script-writing. Some of the original plot ideas or back story details didn't make it to the film, but its impressive how many details from the original conceptual stage made it all the way through, which says something about the completeness of Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright's original vision.

The thoroughness of the extras is exemplified in what the menu calls the "TV Bits". At various points in the film the characters watch a bit of television, and even though only a few seconds might appear in the film they actually made TV segments of several minutes which are included in full on the disc. And there are some 2000AD comic strips, poster designs, and loads more. There are even some extra extras, not listed on the box, which are tucked away in the sub-title options - a storyboard comparison and the Zomb-o-meter. The zomb-o-meter is a trivia track which lists everything from what the music is on the soundtrack and where a scene was filmed, to what films are being referenced and what game is being played on the Playstation. (Just like the feature on the DVD of the 2nd series of Spaced but even more informative.)

I am already more than satisfied with this film and disc, and I haven't had time to listen to the commentaries yet. Pegg already proved on the Spaced DVDs that he can do an essential talk track - essential to point out all the film references if nothing else - and he features on two of the commentary tracks: one with co-writer and director Edgar Wright, and the other with the main actors. The third commentary is my Shaun's parents (Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton) and the last track is by actors who played Zombies.

In a recent interview Simon Pegg mentioned that George A. Romero himself liked the film, and if its good enough for him its certainly good enough for me. Roll on the sequel!


resurrecting British comedy...   August 7, 2004
Priyan Meewella (London, England)
22 out of 31 found this review helpful

I found the idea that a single film could singlehandedly resurrect (for want of a better word) the flailing genre of distinctive British comedy to be frankly laughable (for want of a better word). But that is exactly what intelligent and original RomZomCom (that's Romantic Zombie Comedy) Shaun of the Dead has managed to achieve, through the basic premise of questioning whether or not you'd actually notice if your neighbours turned into flesh-devouring zombies...

Shaun [Simon Pegg] is a 29-year-old who is shuffling through life in a dead-end job, sharing a house with flatmates who hate one another, and generally spending an inordinate amount of time in his local, The Winchester. When his girlfriend Liz [Kate Ashfield] dumps him, Shaun could be forgiven for being a little distracted, failing to notice those around him have become zombies until one attempts to bite a chunk right out of his arm. With best friend Ed [Nick Frost] he devises a plan to rescue his mum and Liz then barricade themselves inside the only safe and familiar place...the pub.

The comedy aspect of the film is filled with always amusing and often hilariously bizarre circumstances and solutions from the intrepid heroes, most notably an attempt to pass unnoticed through a horde of zombies by acting undead, and another sequence in which Shaun and Ed debate which vi nyl records are suitable projectile weapons. For the horror fans, the second half won't disappoint either as the film becomes successively gorier with each zombie attack, featuring the expected impalings, decapitations, and even stomachs torn open by hungry zombies with some particularly gut-churning special effects. Nonetheless, amidst the comedy, the carnage is all quite enjoyable - if a little disturbing - for those who are not used to such things. Shaun's romantic side does not fare quite so well, largely due to the fact it isn't granted enough screen time in comparison to the previous elements. It develops as a plot device to begin with, and is subsequently largely ignored until the closing scene.

Fans of the show will be pleased to know that Shaun of the Dead often feels like an extended episode of Spaced (another Wright/Pegg collaboration) but manages to avoid the usual TV-to-film mistakes. It retains the fast-paced style and uses a similar method of referencing other sources to good effect. To keep the genre geeks happy on the zombie side are numerous nods to Romero's Dawn of the Dead (and in fact Shaun's zombies are more faithful in their staggering shuffle than the recent Hollywood remake) as well as more recent examples like 28 Days Later, with a cheeky aside about "rage-infected monkeys". But it pays homage to a wide range of unrelated sources too, such as the sudden jump cuts used to portray characters getting their personal fixes (generally tea), a technique used in Requiem for a Dream.

Pegg is perfect as the "everyman" thrown in at the deep end of an apocalypse, managing to create a likably disoriented and inept character. Frost's Ed is in the running for worst possible flatmate, but again retains a likable and amusing charm despite his selfish laziness. The supporting cast are all seasoned British comedy TV veterans from the likes of The Office and Black Books, allowing for a brilliant cameo sequence where they meet another bunch of survivors, comprising of their TV-partners.

The editing keeps the pace moving well, although it is slightly disappointing that things do degenerate into rather old hat zombie survival fodder in the closing scenes. Nonetheless, choreographing a zombie battle to a Queen soundtrack is simply inspired, and must be seen to be believed. Arguably bordering on oversentimental at times, Shaun of the Dead remains almost always both refreshingly original and intelligently hilarious, allowing us to forgive the sidelining of the undeveloped romantic side of the story. The potent cocktail of horror and comedy with a wonderfully British spark hits the mark every time, and the special effects never look low-budget to boot. So with its deeper message about the way we do often stagger obliviously through life in zombie-like fashion, there's not much more one could ask for in the very first RomZomCom.


The Best Comedy of 2004!   October 30, 2004
17 out of 22 found this review helpful

This film is pure genius! And I think the key to it's genius(ness) is exactly what it tells you on the DVD, it's NOT just a comedy, it's NOT just a horror and it's NOT just a romance, it's a ROM-ZOM-COM!

Any other comedy using a name very similar to a classic Romero film, would have been a spoof, it would have made fun of the zombies, the characters would all end up being fine and there would be lots of stupidity everywhere. This is absolutely NOT a spoof. It uses full on gore effects, to the full, and there are parts where you're on the edge of your seat! This is basically a film about normal people being stuck in a crazy situation, and about them being totally unprepared for it.

If you have seen Spaced, you will absolutely love this film! I've not met one person that doesn't really love this film so far, it's one film that absolutely must be in your DVD collection!

If you haven't seen Spaced and enjoy Shaun of the Dead, I recommend buying both series of Spaced on DVD!

The extra's on this film are ENDLESS (and good!)


One of the funniest films I've seen for a long time   June 7, 2005
Sally-Anne (Leicestershire, United Kingdom)
17 out of 20 found this review helpful

The banality of Shaun and Ed's lives is the usual sort: they have no specific ambitions - they're just sleep-walking towards middle age, keeping themselves entertained down the pub and messing about with their computer games. They are quite content in their comfortable rut. When pushed on the subject, Shaun dallies with the idea of doing something decisive in some vague future, to achieve oh ..., something, but not just yet - in a year or two, perhaps. It's driving Shaun's girlfriend mad. He blows his last chance with her and she dumps him. He's very unhappy about it and spends the evening drowning his sorrows with Ed. When they leave the pub, they're amused to see a couple who seem to be 'devouring' each other. Then a man who appears to be drunk joins in with the chorus of the song they're singing, with an incoherent bellow. When Shaun wakes with a hangover the following day he doesn't notice all the odd things happening around him as he stumbles down to the shop. There are people lurching about with gimpy legs and floppy heads. There's blood. Shaun's oblivious to all the signs. And his failure to observe his peril isn't entirely the result of his hangover. The fact is, they don't look very different from what he normally sees, apart from the blood and the shambolic gait. The vacuous, disconnected look isn't out of the ordinary - though he might've noticed the eyes look a bit peculiar if he was paying attention. No wonder it takes a while to register that something's wrong. When the boys do notice the growing population of hungry dead, they snap into action and, finally, shut the front door. After that, the real fun begins. They've been catapulted out of their comfortable rut. Things are serious. They need a plan. The plan is agreed and they're off ..... not to save the whole world, but at least some of the bits they care about.

It's very very funny and I enjoyed it enormously. It's a zombie film and I liked it in spite of the fact that I don't usually like zombie films. Of course, the story is daft. But the acting is excellent. The comedy element is comical, the horror element is horrible and there are a few very touching scenes. The combination, in my opinion, is extremely entertaining. It still makes me laugh even though I've watched it several times. I recommend the film.


British Comedy at its best.   May 3, 2006
H. Pierce (UK)
15 out of 18 found this review helpful

It all starts one cold morning in North London. Shaun (Simon Pegg) gets up, goes to work and comes home. During this snapshot into Shauns monotonous existence, he manages to fall out with his step-father, break up with his girlfriend, and find himself the one responsible for the impending eviction of his best friend Ed (Nick Frost). Whilst he's absorbed in his own problems, and let's face it - they're bad enough, he's completely oblivious to the rise of the dead all around him.

All around him people are being infected with this virus, by being bitten, and as a result are dying. However, in true horror style, they don't stay dead for long and return to 'life' as zombies, intent on passing on the virus.

Shaun is first alerted to their existence and the crisis at hand, when a pair of these zombies wander into his back garden. And Shaun, and Ed, are soon making plans to save themselves, and those important to them, and find a safe place to hole up until the danger passes.

From the very start of the film it is apparent that Shaun of The Dead is destined to be more than your average horror flick, breaking the mould of traditional Hollywood horror, in favour of a more British angle.

Leaving aside the comedy of the script, Shaun of the Dead is anything but brainless. (no pun intended) This is a clever zombie movie both well-scripted and well-executed (Ok I couldn't resist that one!).

Shaun of the Dead comes across as a terrific satire on life in the city as well as a fantastic parody of the zombie-movie we all know and love. How it manages both, I can't even begin to understand; but its exquisite cast, perfect scripting and on-form directing will likely have a lot to do with it. Shaun of the Dead will appeal to audiences of all ages and tastes, and is a fine example of British comedy done well.