Review of Fido (2006) by Sarfaraz A — 18 Sep 2013

Fido - a Canadian zombie-comedy film co-written and directed by Andrew Currie from the story by Dennis Heaton who also co-wrote the screenplay. Starring Billy Connolly, Tim Blake Nelson, Carrie-Anne Moss, Dylan Baker, Henry Czerny and K'Sun Ray. Film premiered at Toronto International Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, Florida Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival and Gérardmer Fantasy Filmfest.

Set in the 60s in the Willard town (inspiration from the Night of the Living Dead town). Zomcon corporation has been re-utilizing the zombies to be used as slaves through a remote control that has been enabled to turn-off zombie's fierce attack to bite flesh off - the humanity had been plagued by radiation from space which turns the dead humans into zombies until or unless they hold contract with Zomcon to be beheaded during burial so not to turn into zombie or they do want to...it is the choice. In the town live the family of Helen (Carrie-Anne Moss) with husband Bill (Dylan Baker) and caring son, Timmy (K'Sun Ray) -Helen is compelled to buy zombie slave, as do the rest of neighborhood - Timmy names him Fido (Billy Connolly) Timmy befriends Fido quickly however Billy is suffering from zombie-phobia - due to malfunctioning in Fido's collar it stops working and in the events leading he attacks an elderly big-mouthed woman in the park, Timmy hides the traces of Fido's attack by later burying her but not before she had attacked another person - which kind of releases an outbreak. Fido has realized to not to attack those who like him - Zomcon is investigating the recent crime scenes and that who is responsible for the crime in the neighborhood where the head of Zomcon (Henry Czerny) also lives in the neighborhood.

What a great idea! To sum it up in definite proportion I must say that I have watched almost handful of movies on zombie genre and having watched the most of them - to me Fido looked way over the top for containing fabulous set-designing. Cast was perfectly selected, they all looked as if belonging to the period of 60s - Henry Czerny suited lot to his role as head of Zomcon. There is humor and fun in it (signatory for zombie movies) and it does not deviate from offering blood and vicious attacks. What more struck me in the film is the careful direction from director Andrew Currie who maintains to teach children through elder characters about unnatural effects on circumstances which compel elders to carry out certain things in order to calm down situation.

Well-kept romance between Fido and Mrs. Helen - Tim Blake Nelson, although not prominently in the central role yet adds too much of hilarious entries while carrying around in his own house a female zombie who has become his love-interest.