Shaun Of The Dead

What's the Plot?

Shaun (Simon Pegg) is 29 and is quite happy that his life is going nowhere. His best friend, Ed (Nick Frost), who contributes to the rent when he manages to sell some weed, is happy as well that his and Shaun's lives revolve around their local pub, The Winchester, and refusing to grow up or commit to anything. Shaun's girlfriend, Liz (Kate Ashfield), is not happy with his life and the prospect of spending the rest of hers in The Winchester with him and Ed. Philip (Bill Nighy), Shaun's step-father, is not happy with his life and wishes him to visit his mother, Barbara (Penelope Wilton), more. Despite promising to change for the better, Shaun lets Liz down for the last time and she flees to her friend's, Dianne (Lucy Davis) and David (Dylan Moran). Before passing out after a heavy drinking session with Ed in an attempt to get over being dumped, Shaun makes a list of things to do: get Liz back; visit Mum; sort life out. However, this will prove more difficult than Shaun could imagine as the dead have risen in London and want to eat anyone that they can lay their hands on. Armed with a cricket bat and Ed, Shaun is determined to fulfil his resolution's and get Liz and his Mum to a safe place, regardless of the hordes of flesh-eating zombie's clogging up the streets of London. Typical!

The Review

Romcomzom stands for ROMantic COMedy with ZOMbie's, and Shaun Of The Dead does exactly what it says on the tin. Fans of TV's Spaced - co-written by Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, who makes a brief appearance here as an old school friend - will immediately recognise the stylised writing and delivery of jokes ranging from the clever (film references, repetitive shots that subtly change, genre nods) to the basic (fart gags, pratt falls and physical pain, which always gets a laugh).

But don't despair if you haven't seen Spaced, for it's creator's - Pegg along with director Edgar Wright - first foray into the big screen doesn't require viewing of the programme or any of the zombie films that it so respectfully homage's. Pleasure and enjoyment is guaranteed. From the relationship quarrel's that all couple's should identify with, through to character's that are frightenly real, Shaun... has something to tickle everyone. Wilton's Mum is spot-on with her tea-making, slightly dizzy performance; Frost is the friend that you could murder sometimes due to their apparent lack of disregard for their mates (his inappropriate mobile phone call is priceless!) while Pegg himself demonstrates his comic-timing from his shrieks at the undead through to trying to communicate with something worse: a 17 year old shop assistant. What really gets the mark of admiration is the extent that each aspect of the romcomzom is afforded. The comedy, as already mentioned, is faultless, but the horror aspect is a true work of blood-splattering, wince-inducing gore-fest.

From a character's disembowelment that brings "all you can eat buffet" to mind, through to the various methods of dispatching the zombie's (unwanted vinyl records, cricket bats and shovels, parasol bases), nothing is spared, making it more like an 18 than it's 15 cert. Throw in the fact that Shaun has to deal with killing some people very close to him (but who, eh?), it makes this a flick that pulls no punches in the comedy, horror, serious and fun stakes. An absolute joy, whatever your poison.

STEVE'S SCORES

Fans of Spaced, zombie flicks and comedies.

All other people, undead or otherwise.