"Shaun of the Dead" is a Perfect Blend of Action, Comedy

It's so rare to find a movie that does even one thing right - making Shaun of the Dead's spectacular success as an action comedy downright astonishing. This 2004 British "rom-zom-com" (romantic zombie comedy) gained wide popularity in its home country and in the U.S. as critics and audiences alike raved.

Not much of a horror fan at the time, I never would have bothered with Shaun of the Dead if a trusted friend hadn't recommended it. I decided to give it a chance, and I didn't regret it for a moment.

Undoubtedly Shaun of the Dead's strongest aspect is its wide appeal. When I first saw it I'd never been exposed to any of George A. Romero's movies, including Dawn of the Dead, after which it is named. And although the movie is packed with references to this and other classic zombie movies, they aren't crucial to enjoyment of the film. The comedy stylings of director Edgar Wright and actors Nick Frost and Simon Pegg (who also co-wrote the film with Wright) are top-notch. It simply doesn't matter if you know about zombies, care about zombies, or have ever seen a zombie movie before.

The premise of the film is simple: in the midst of a zombie invasion, loser Shaun must try to win back his girlfriend and save himself and his friends. Shaun and vulgar friend Ed are lovable, believable heroes. Their biggest flaw is an inability to climb out of their rut - and who among us hasn't run into that problem a few times?

Shaun's girlfriend, Liz, who is sick of dragging Shaun into new experiences, decides to move on after one fateful night at his favorite pub. But when the zombies rise, Shaun realizes she is still the most important thing in is life and becomes determined to protect her. He is intermittently helped and hindered in his efforts by Ed, as well as Liz's friends David and Dianne and his own mother and step-father. This unlikely band of resistance fighters travel to the pub and barricade themselves inside, some of them getting picked off by zombies along the way.

Shaun of the Dead is completely effective in everything it does. Laugh-out-loud comedy, terrifying scares, heart-pounding action, and tear-jerking drama are all to be found here. If you skipped this movie because you didn't think you'd get it, give it a chance! You'll thank me.

Where to Buy

Amazon.com
Deep Discount DVD
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