Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
"You got red on you."
Like most zombie movies made in the last half-century, this film's plot centers on the protagonists' survival, and the conflict that emerges from a group of people caught up in a stressful situation. So, in that regard, there isn't much to talk about as far as the film's story goes. However, since this is primarily a comedy, there's a fair amount of mockery and deconstruction directed at many of the tropes that have come standard in most zombie movies.
The first thing I noticed on this most recent viewing is that Shaun of the Dead may be one of the most "realistic" zombie movies out there. Like most zombie films, the film's heroes are just regular folk thrust into an irregular situation; however, unlike most films, they're incompetent for the most part and usually end up making things worse. This is evidenced most in Shaun's character, who basically makes every wrong decision possible. Instead of following instructions and staying home, he sets out to rescue Liz, who was safely barricaded in her second-story apartment and didn't really need to be saved. Likewise, his decision to hold up in a pub surrounded by the shambling horde wasn't the greatest idea either. Of course, this is where the film derives most of the comedy comes from. Well, that and the delightfully stoic reactions the British characters have regarding the impending apocalypse.
On a broader level, I loved how director Edgar Wright presented the world before the zombie invasion. In the film's opening minutes, we see Shaun going about his daily routine almost in a haze, stumbling about trying to get ready for the day. As he travels to work, he encounters other Londoners in the same state of malaise going about their mornings. This was Wright's not-so-subtle commentary on modern life and how Western society has already succumbed to a zombie apocalypse of a different sort. It's a point I missed in my original viewing back in the day, but one that certainly appealed to me this time around.
Acting/Characters:
Being a relatively low-budget zombie movie, this film isn't exactly overflowing with Oscar-worthy talent, but there were a few noteworthy performances, starting with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. At this point in both of their careers, they were a comic duo in the vein of Laurel and Hardy or Abbot and Costello. It was a pairing that works well, with Pegg as the straight man to Frost's goofball slacker, and their chemistry certainly shows onscreen. As mentioned earlier, Shaun is a bit of a sad-sack just coasting through life, and Pegg really nailed the image of a man firmly stuck in a rut. But, of course, when the shit hits the fan, and he's been forced out of that rut, he's an enthusiastic - if ineffective - hero.
Ed, on the other hand, is basically a disaster of a human being. He's a man that refuses to grow up and is content wallowing in filth because he's too lazy to clean up after himself. While such a character comes off as naturally unlikeable, Frost infuses him with a heart that makes it difficult to like him. The chemistry between him and Pegg makes the audience believe that they've been friends since childhood.
The rest of the cast is solid if not spectacular, with decent performances from Penelope Wilton as Shaun's good-natured but clueless mom, Barbara; Bill Nighy as her strict husband, Kate Ashfield and Shaun's girlfriend, Liz; and Dylan Moran and Lucy Davis as Liz's roommates David and Dianne.
Visual Effects:
Being a zombie movie, there are quite a few visual effects in this film. There is, of course, quite a bit of blood and guts depicted, which look very...B-movie in quality. We're treated to characters being ripped limb from limb and having their intestines pulled out, and it's pretty apparent when the shot shifts from the live actor to a dummy full of goop. However, I suspect this was intentional, as making things too realistic in that respect would certainly draw away from the more comedic elements of the film.
The zombies themselves also look very good, and since the film depicts the beginning of a zombie invasion, we don't see too many half-rotted corpses shuffling around, as these folks are all pretty fresh. All-in-all I found the effects struck a good balance between gory and funny.
Score/Soundtrack:
Honestly, I don't remember much of a musical score for this film, but there were some more contemporary and classic tunes tossed in (Shaun is an avid record collector). These included songs from The Smiths, Queen, Chicago and Goblin. Although, again, I don't recall hearing most of these (except for the two Queen tracks). Overall, it's better to have an unmemorable score than a bad one, and this film definitely falls into the former category.
Action:
There's a fair amount of action in this film, and most of it involves killing or being killed by zombies. Most of it appeared to be hastily but together and looked a bit sloppy. But, again, I suspect this was all intentional. There's really not much more to say other than that.
Final Verdict:
I still like this movie. It's just a simple story of survival during the early days of a zombie apocalypse. For the most part, the characters are funny, and it's got that dry British wit that I enjoy. Check it out if you're looking for maybe some lighter viewing this Halloween season.
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