MOVIE - SHAUN OF THE DEAD - Review Rating $$$$$ $$1/2 (OUT OF 10)
STARRING - Simon Pegg (Shaun), Kate Ashfield (Liz), Nick Frost (Ed), Lucy Davis (Dianne), Dylan Moran (David) & Nicola Cunningham (Mary)
DIRECTOR/WRITER - Edgar Wright
Never before, in the history of cinema, has so much effort been put into disguising a romantic comedy/ buddy film. The effort put into the back story, the attack of the zombies, both helps and hurts Shaun of the Dead.
The "help" arrives in the form of the understated similarity of Shaun's current lifestyle and the mindlessness of the zombie's themselves. The zombies provide numerous opportunities for humorous escapades.
The "hurt" results from the fact that the Shaun of the Dead is one of the few movies where the back story is so well done that it begins to intrude upon, and at times overwhelm, the frat boy humour that propels the rest of the movie. This is an inconsistency that leaves the viewer, especially those who enjoy films like28 Days Later, wanting a greater exploration of the moral dilemmas posed by the subplot from a movie that is not willing to provide them.
Shaun of the Dead is a deadly serious comedy. Oxymoron's are only so funny.
Running time - 99 minutes
Alternative Reviews:
Roger Ebert's Review
Peter Travers / Rolling Stone Review
Rotten Tomatoes Reviews
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