Shaun of the Dead:
With a title that parodies one of the most famous zombie films ever made, you'd expect this to be the top zombie comedy. Well, I've got news, this blew me away. I mean, wow. Ithought this was a little over-rated when I started hearing about it, but now that I've finally watched it, I consider it not only a great comedy/spoof, but also a pretty damn good B-horror movie. The opening DVD menu and titles parody a 1970's exploitation flick, with goofy music to add to the charm. The story follows 30-something slacker Shaun, who is at an odd spot in his life. He has a near-dead relationship with his girlfriend Liz, and a strained relationship with his step-father. His best friend, Ed, is blamed for Shaun's laziness, despite trying to help Shaun out. Then, a zombie attack happens, and Shaun decides it's time to be a hero. He tries to save his loving mother and Liz, but, is it too late for Shaun to make up for his faults and be a good guy? And due to the constant swarms of zombies poring in, the hope for survival begins to diminish. This is a really well-made, gory, hilarious comedy with Wright's signature editing and directing style and the duo of Pegg and Frost's British wit. I've enjoyed other zombie satires and semi-comedies like Fido (which I highly reocmmend), Zombieland (a very effective, fun comedy) and Return of the Living Dead (a zombie cult classic, which is scary and funny), but this is the best of the bunch due to the chemistry between Frost and Pegg. Pegg doesn't come off like some slacker protagonists, as a stupid, pot-smoking jackass who's just lazy, but comes off as a likeable guy who just doesn't know what to do with his life. He's also funny as hell, as shown in the scene where he leaves his house, and continually misses all the cues of an apocalypse, like an idiot. Frost is also a likeable guy, who's not a total douche bag slacker, but feels like a guy who just likes to lay around a lot, and who's also a little slow. Kate Ashfield plays Liz. If this was an American film, she would be far more unrealistic and simple: either a way-too-happy girl who always forgives Shaun, or a bitchy and vindictive woman who never lets Shaun have a break. Here, she is likeable, sweet, and is reasonable, like a real person. She dumps Shaun for being a slacker and forgetful of her, but forgives him and bonds with him when he chooses to protect her from the zombies. Lucy Davis and Dylan Moran plays Dianne and David, a young couple who are Liz's best friends, and are also reasonable characters who have realistic reactions to certain situations. They play the "straight men", the normal characters who just react to all the madness and stupidity around them. Penelope Wilton plays Barbara, Shaun's mom. She's likeable and caring, and loves her son as much as he loves her. She's almost oblivious to the zombie attack, which is where some of the humor comes from. Renowned British actor Bill Nighy (in his usual Edgar Wright cameo) plays Phillip, Shaun's estranged step-father. He leaves a lasting impression for such a small role. He at first comes off as an uber-serious asshole, and Shaun dislikes him very much. But, Phillip reveals a lighter side when Shaun tries to get him to a hospital when he is bitten. The characters are only as good as the writing, and Wright and Penn do a great job. The characters have realistic dialogue. The character relationships and interactions make sense: step-father and son are estranged, boyfriend and girlfriend aren't perfect, buddies get in fights, etc. The comedy is great, too. Pegg and Frost's chemistry and funny moments carry the film. They became so popular because of this film, they became the stars of Wright's next feature Hot Fuzz, and then made cameos in Wright's fake trailer Don't, (created for Grindhouse), and then to being in the American films Paul and Run Fat Boy Run. They even were in Spielberg's Tintin, which was written by Wright, as the comedic duo Thompson and Thomson. And, as well as acting, many horror films are helped by the score. This film has a cheesy, fun score reminiscent of B-movies and exploitation films. It helps the B-movie feel escalate. Shaun of the Dead is the best zombie comedy ever made (so far). It's well-written, funny, scary, and gory, often at the same time 4/5 stars.
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