MOVIE REVIEW: Zombie spook delivers a uniquely comic blood fest
Grade: B+
With a recent revival of Zombie flicks such “Twenty Eight Days Later,” and the “Dawn of the Dead” remake, comes the wickedly smart mockery, “Shaun of the Dead” – a gore-heavy, wise-cracking comedy that delivers low-blow, slapstick jabs to the genre while, at the same time, contributing to it aesthetically.
“Shaun of the Dead” is neither a complete farce, nor a gore-heavy horror, but nestles itself in a peculiar subgroup somewhere in between. It certainly doesn’t lack aspects of both genres; at times, so blood splattering terrifically, one begins to think it is in its entirety an over-the-top horror film.
But on the other hand, its subtle, satirical nature gives it the feel that it’s nothing but a spoof. This teeter-totter effect requires the right kind of dead-on balance to make it work.
“Shaun of the Dead” has that.
Shaun, (Simon Pegg) the 29-year-old title character lives in a world of routine, spending day hours working at an electronics store and drinking his evenings away at the Westchester pub. The drudgery of his daily life appears Zombie-ish; like the daily bus rides to work, where he and fellow passengers bounce about, sleepy-eyed and sluggish looking more dead than alive.
Unbeknownst to Shaun, his London neighborhood slowly becomes a free-for-all Zombie Zone, (the film never mentions how or why) as the flesh-eating ghouls start blending with the already docile working class and converting (biting) the live ones to the other side.
The film’s depiction of the living, and their likeness to Zombie-hood creates its sarcastic tone. Zombies are out terrorizing the streets and Shaun’s bustling about as normal as ever oblivious to the entranced creatures. At one point, Shaun and his flatulent-happy roommate, Ed, (Nick Frost) mistake a female Zombie wondering about their backyard for a hung-over drunkard. It takes a blunt, television news anchor to open Shaun’s eyes to the current state of things.
“Bodies of the recently deceased are coming to life and attacking the living,” says the anchor. “Stay indoors and avoid all contact with the assailants.”
As they surf television channels looking for more information, one reporter offers a tip to combat the Zombies. “Remove the heads and destroy the brain.”
The two then return to the backyard, with a crate full of miscellaneous objects, including beer cans, coffee mugs and picture frames and begin hurling them at will toward the Zombie. With no luck, and more Zombies coming their way, they arm themselves with a shovel and cricket paddle and began pounding at the Zombies’ heads.
Some of the funniest moments come from the friendly interactions and obvious differences of Ed and Shaun. Ed, an overweight, pseudo drug dealer fires off crass offensive insults to the Zombies, while Shaun, passive in personality, apologizes to the creatures after bashing their brains in.
As the movie progresses, the streets soon become plastered with Zombies and the dynamic duo come up with a plan to survive: Get Shaun’s mum and ex-girlfriend, then retreat to the Westchester “until this whole thing blows over.”
A typical Zombie flick loophole is answered by Shaun and his friends as they make their way to their destination. How do the obviously not-so-bright, Frankenstein-like, walking Zombies detect their prey, when the limp limbs and death rattling moans seem the only real significant difference between the walking dead and those still alive?
In a hilarious effort, Shaun and his friends take a stab at imitating the ghastly ghouls. After pinning a zombie to a tree with a tetherball pole, the frantic group begins learning the head-bobbling movements and empty expressions of the Zombie so to blend in with its pack. The five then venture into the streets and trudge along unnoticed.
The climax is a fantastically violent, blood-heavy showdown between the entire Zombie clan and Shaun’s small group at the Westchester. While Queen’s “Don’t stop me now” blares in the background, Shaun’s group uses every available object in sight to hold off the incoming Zombies and stay alive as long as possible.
Shaun of the Dead is a stylistic, verbally-arousing escapade, with an unfamiliar combination of wit-strewn sarcasm and in-your-face gore, that comes across unbelievably complimentary. Its unique, trailblazing sense of balance makes it a daring feat for both a Horror and a comedy, and gives it an edge as a combination of both.
Jack’s Weekly DVD Recommendation
“Equilibrium”
A virtually unknown Matrix-style action/martial arts film starring Christian Bale and Taye Diggs.
With impressive fight choreography and an entirely new martial arts, called Gunkata, Equilibrium is one of the most amazing and visually stunning action films I’ve ever seen. Check it out.
Jack Saunders is a movie reviewer for the Utah Statesman. He is a senior majoring in print journalism. Comments may be sent to jrsaunders@cc.usu.edu