Review of Fido (2006) by Sean S — 02 Apr 2010

I've had a dream that many of you might have shared: having a zombie around to do medial housework while I watch SportsCenter. Yes, the undead would make fine butlers; it's also a win-win for the zombies, for there are not many employers who show sympathy for those without a pulse. This idea is the premise of the Canadian horror-comedy indie "Fido", a story of a lonely lad named Timmy Robinson (K'Sun Ray) who lives in an odd vision of the 1950's, where after humans die, they become zombies (because of that old sci-fi stand-by, space radiation). While this may seem like a burden, the mega-corporation ZomCom takes advantage of such an oppurtunity, creating a tool similar to dog collars to "domesticate" the creatures. Timmy and his parents (played by Carrie-Ann Moss and a shaky Dylan Baker) live in the gated community of Willard (a direct allusion to the town in which George A. Romero's horror classic "Night of the Living Dead" takes place), where ZomCom keeps a tight grip on the lives of residents and their use of the slaved monsters. After Timmy's parents are pressured into purchasing a zombie (Billy Connely) , the boy befriends the odd creature, giving him a name (Fido), taking him through strolls through the local park, and playing one-sided games of catch. However, when Fido's collar malfunctions and his bloodlust begins to ounce again set in, Timmy must find a way to conceal the ghastly murders, so as though his best friend does not get shot in the face by hapless government agents.

If you couldn't already tell by my paraphrasing of the plot, "Fido" is strait-up satire of 1950's culture. Every 50's cliche' is present: clean, close-knit neighborhoods; dress shirt-clad men standing around their back yards, complaining about how unsatisfactory their relationships are (wait... guys still do that... except they were Abercrombie); and last, but certainly not least, the story of a boy and the bond he develops with his canine. Just replace the dog with a zombie. There are many obvious allusions to films such as "Lassie": the protagonist's name is Timmy, the zombie maid is cleverly named Fido, ect. This adds to the satire of surburban 50's life and campy 50's horror flicks.

I'll start with the pros of "Fido". First and foremost, you have to appreciate Andrew Currie's sense of satire. The atmosphere he creates elevates the film's humor, and keeps it from falling into the dark pit of typical horror-comedy, filled to the brim with tired gags and unlikable characters. The acting is passable, at least with Moss and Baker; Ray is downright terrible, but this is his first movie, so he can be forgiven. The cimematography is also a plus, making good use of contrasting colors and bright lighting. Though "Fido" isn't an all-out violence flick, the gore effects are top-notch and are executed well enough to keep even the most jaded gore-fan satisfied. Billy Connely's make up is done skillfully as well.

But"Fido" has one significant flaw that bears a fatal wound: it's basically a one-joke movie, and by the final act, that joke has long gone stale. It comes close to brilliance many times but always manages to destroy through extended elaboration. The plot is thin, and the story is fairly predictable, only leaving one or two moments where you think "well, that was sort-of unexpected". There is also an odd, out-of-place romance between Timmy and his neighbor Cindy (Alexia Fast). Though she is crucial to the plot later on, the whole sub-plot seems forced.

Final Overview:

"Fido" looks nice and has some lovable elements, but the entire film relies on it's one gag, which gets old quite fast.

Rating: 4 Monster slaves out of 10.