Shaun of the Dead

The first of the Cornetto trilogy, sees Shaun, his mum and a small bunch of friends battling a hoard of flesh eating zombies.

I'm staggered to see an IMDb rating of 7.9, what on Earth have some people seen, that I haven't, it's an out and out classic. Shaun of The Dead is an absolute riot, a mix of horror and comedy, with a very British flavour.

It's one of those films that simply doesn't get tired, it doesn't matter how many times you watch it, it is just so appealing.

Can't decide what the best bit is, there are so many contenders, but final encounter in the pub, and zombie girl in the garden, there are a hoard of moments that can be chosen.

Zombie comedies had been tried before, and have been tried since, but none even come close to this, Pegg and Frost nailed it.

10/10.

Some 5 years before the making of this film the same team behind it wrote and directed series (season) 1 and 2 of an offbeat UK sitcom named "Spaced". Massively overlooked at the time of broadcast yet with a hardcore fan base of loyal devotees a third series was long overdue but never did materialise.

Shaun of the Dead is the continuation of what went before; of a similar format yet in a completely new setting, with new characters, plus new cast members and for the first time a feature-length run time for the big screen. So how does it play out? Even with such a departure from the original setting, the history of TV to cinema adaptations is a dodgy one to say the least. Fortunately for those of us who already fans or (more likely) if you've never seen the series before prepare to be impressed.

The style is all it's own. With inventive direction and editing making the visual impact which fans will instantly recognise, to the writing which importantly is firstly genuinely funny, interspersed with references to popular culture of the past two decades, always with a self-knowing grin, a wink to the viewer rather than a pretentious nod. And of course several self-references and in-jokes of the TV series all fill in the gaps between the tastefully presented killings. There is blood, after all this is a "rom-zom-com" or "romantic zombie comedy" - a self-proclaimed new genre and rightly so. This is as about as original as it gets. They actually manage to pull off humour, violence, decapitations, action, romance, suspense, sadness and joy all within the space of 90 minutes!

This is the best film I've seen in ages, and a real credit to British film, we already knew about "Fried Gold", now the rest of the World can see it too. An instant classic.

...He'll kill some zombies too! Brace yourself for some nonstop zombie action and laughs with the delightful horror-comedy "Shaun of the Dead."

Armed with a cricket bat, razor-sharp wit, and an attitude, Shaun (Simon Pegg) is perhaps the last guy that you'd want to save the world from the legions of the living dead that have suddenly begun to storm the London neighborhood where he lives. It could be stated, as this is a running gag here, that we're all dying slow deaths, so it's no surprise that when zombies begin to eat the flesh of the living, Shaun couldn't be any more oblivious to the chaos that has gripped most of London.

Shaun loves his dead-end existence of wasting his days at the Winchester, a local pub, with his friend and flat mate Ed (Nick Frost). The film's money shot arrives about 20 minutes in, when Shaun, hungover from a hard night's drinking, goes to the store and because he's so hungover and is worried about his ex-girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield), he doesn't even notice that the street behind him is teeming with the living dead.

While in the store buying a beverage, he doesn't notice the bloody handprints on the refrigerator door and he almost slips in a puddle of blood. I was quite amazed at the response this film got from people in the theater: it seemed that every time something funny happened, the response was almost always with riotous laughter.

Straight from Britain, we have what is certainly one of the most original horror movies to come out in a long time. Even in a genre that embraces gore, "Shaun of the Dead" is fairly light on it (at least for the first 45 minutes) and is dominated by laughs galore.

You may remember the character of "Ash" (Bruce Campbell of "Evil Dead" fame), who has remained pretty much the supreme demon slayer in the horror genre. But you know, Campbell's pushed past 40 and people today may not be weary of his history slaying evil Deadites in Sam Raimi's notorious film series. So maybe with "Shaun of the Dead," the torch has been passed to Simon Pegg, who slays more than his fair share of the living dead in this film.

It's pretty obvious that "SOTD" was greatly influenced by the works of George A. Romero (the director of 1978's supreme epic of zombie action-mayhem "Dawn of the Dead") and 2002's "28 Days Later" (directed by Danny Boyle). There are little itty-bitty references to the two zombie flicks throughout the movie.

Granted "Shaun of the Dead" is aimed largely at the gorehounds who idolized Romero's "Living Dead" trilogy, but it's also the first zombie flick to attempt making a hit with the mainstream. I guarantee any viewers out there that you'll spend more time laughing than you will being frightened.

10/10

Shaun's nearing 30, stuck in a crappy sales job, and his girlfriend Liz is unhappy with the amount of time he spends with his ultra-slacker B-class drug dealer friend, Ed, at their local pub, the Winchester. When Liz dumps him, Shaun's so glum he doesn't even realise that London's been overrun with flesh-eating zombies. But somewhere within his console-happy lazy self, a hero is born.

I can't even begin to emphasise how cool this quintessentially British film is. The amount of time it takes for Shaun (Simon Pegg) and Ed (Nick Frost) to realise anything's wrong is priceless. Director Edgar Wright, who co-wrote the film with Pegg, also demonstrates that there's little difference between glassy eyed commuters and their undead brethren.

The plot rips along beautifully and parodies both the romantic comedy and zombie genres, while at the same time remaining true to them. Hopefully a new genre, the romzom com, has been born – incidentally, that's where you can go to find out more about the movie – romzom.com. The fabulous supporting cast includes Bill Nighy (Love Actually) as Shaun's supercilious stepfather, Penelope Wilton (Calendar Girls) as Shaun's absent-minded mum, Dylan Moran (Black Books) as Liz's snooty housemate David and Lucy Davis (The Office) as wannabe actress Diane.

Shaun of the Dead was partially inspired by the classic zombie flick, Dawn of the Dead. Its creator George Romero was reportedly so impressed with Shaun of the Dead that Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright are taking on cameo roles in Romero's latest instalment, Land of the Dead.

Shaun of the Dead is one of the best comedy of 2004 and a must-see for all rom zom com (romantic comedy with zombies) afficionados. ****½/***** stars.

Shaun of the Dead is an incredibly entertaining and cleverly crafted film that seamlessly blends horror and comedy genres. The film follows Shaun, a dead-end retail worker who finds himself battling an undead horde in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. The humor in the film is top-notch, with hilarious one-liners and perfectly timed jokes that keep the audience laughing throughout.

What makes "Shaun of the Dead" so unique is its ability to balance the humor with genuine moments of heart and emotion. The film is a perfect blend of witty banter and heartfelt character development, making the audience genuinely care about the characters and their journey.

Director Edgar Wright's sharp direction and clever editing style make for a visually stunning film that is as entertaining as it is visually impressive. The performances by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are also worth noting, as they bring a level of chemistry and humor to the screen that is unmatched.

Overall, "Shaun of the Dead" is a must-watch film for anyone who loves horror, comedy, or just great filmmaking in general. With its perfect balance of humor and heart, it's no wonder that this film has become a cult classic and remains one of the most beloved comedies of all time. It deserves a solid 8/10 rating for its ability to make audiences laugh, care, and come back for more.