Review of Shaun of the Dead (2004) by Will M — 16 Jul 2013

Quite simply one of the best films out there. Bridges so many genres and themes and bafflingly manages to do each and every one of them better than most films which only tackle one, all without feeling the least bit schizophrenic or disjointed.

As someone who can take or leave horror, and particularly leave the sort which relies on extreme graphic spectacle to get by, there are a couple of scenes which didn't do much for me and would certainly turn the squeamish away. At the same time I recognise them as an essential part of the film and that they're achieved as well as every other aspect.

As with most of this crew's output there's no shortage of reference based humour, so the more familiar you are with zombie films the more there is to pick up on. It has plenty of its own humour though, the references are simply extras for those in the know.

Even the most minor of characters feels real and believable. In fact the human side of the story, both the drama and the romance, are perhaps the most successful given how easy they are to do wrong.

I don't know what else to say really. Provided your enjoyment won't be ruined by a couple of fairly grisly scenes it's definitely worth giving this a try. And if it would be ruined by grisly scenes, give Spaced a go.