SHAUN OF THE DEAD
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A slacker working in an appliance store, Shaun (Simon Pegg) infuriates his
girlfriend, Liz (Kate Ashfield, "Beyond Borders," "This Little Life") with
his lack of ambition. This bloke desires nothing more than to hang at
local pub the Winchester with his slovenly roommate Ed (Nick Frost). After
a night of heavy drinking, though, Shaun is determined to win Liz back.
There's only one problem - London has been overrun with zombies overnight
and Shaun must go to hitherto unknown heroic lengths to save Liz and his
mum - he must become "Shaun of the Dead."
This British romantic zombie comedy is slyly witty and stuffed with
in-jokes, many of which may be inaccessible to American audiences, at least
until BBC America picks up "Spaced," the hit Brit sitcom from whence
Shaun's star and director hail.
From its opening credit montage of supermarket cashiers rotely performing
their jobs and Shaun's neighbors shuffling towards the film's title, "Shaun
of the Dead" implicates its hero and his cronies as living dead themselves.
Staggering home in a drunken stupor, Shaun and Ed don't realize they're
encountering zombies (and "Shaun's" characters never break into runs to
escape such obviously slow-moving threats). The next morning, when they
find a woman in their 'garden,' their first assumption is that she's an
overindulged pub patron. Shaun and Ed spend copious amounts of time plopped
in front of the telly, but they fail to register any of the dire warnings
they channel surf over until they're just about beaten over the head - a
newscaster repeats "Night of the Living Dead's" instructions for killing
the reanimated.
Pegg and director Edgar Wright's screenplay is chockablock with background
sight gags and zombie film references, while remaining steeped in suburban
Britishness. Shaun's weapon of choice is a cricket bat found in his garden
shed and when he discovers his stepdad Philip (Bill Nighy, "Love Actually")
sickening from a nasty bite, there's nothing to be done but have a cuppa'
with mum (Penelope Wilton, "Calendar Girls"). But Shaun's character
undergoes major changes when he's faced with battling for survival. After
years of defending Ed, who entertains his roomie by silently passing lethal
gasses, Shaun demands that his old friend shape up (Shaun's pushed over the
edge when Ed stops to take a call from someone looking for weed as they're
being approached by a horde of monsters). He shows bravery making himself
human bait so that his friends and family can take cover - in the
Winchester, of course - and is seen in a new light by Liz, especially when
Shaun's childhood friend Yvonne (Pegg's "Spaced" co-star Jessica
Stevenson), leading her 'Seinfeld-like' alternate group of zombie fighters,
appears to hold him in such high esteem. The film loses its way a bit when
Shaun is forced to make some overly-momentous decisions which drain the
laughs from this comedy for too long a stretch, but it rebounds with a
sentimental bit of self-sacrifice and some smart post-disaster television
spots.
Cinematographer David M. Dunlap does some fine work, particularly following
Shaun on his daily trip to the Indian run convenience story across the
street with an uncut tracking shot. Director Wright milks the 'day later'
jaunt with some funny sound effects that hint at off camera gore. The
production's bland setting is perfect for the subject matter.
"Shaun of the Dead" isn't the sure-fire smash cult flick its advance buzz
suggested, but in its own way, it may be a first - a 'cute' zombie flick
which employs subtlety in its humor.
B
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