Review of Shaun of the Dead (2004) by Will G — 24 Mar 2018

This film is impeccably shot, as is the case with all Edgar Wright films. The montages are always used to great effect and are very distinctive. I always find that Wright's work is always very visually stylistic which I tend to find makes even those who aren't massively into film, still find it a very interesting watch.

The comedy is prevalent throughout and is always perfectly timed and delivered by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. In many films that try to appeal to the mature audience, while also including humour that could be appreciated by a younger viewer, tends to have tonal issues. Although, I feel that Shaun of the Dead has that balanced perfectly, providing some great laugh-out-loud moments, without taking away the mature feel of the film.

The screenplay is expertly written. I find in some films that a character will say something that to me, doesn't feel quite natural; which then takes me out of the experience and all of a sudden, the remainder of the film feels like a film. One aspect of filmmaking being an art is that you're able to captivate an audience and take them out of the current world they're in and take them into a completely different universe. For me, Shaun of the Dead never has a moment like this. The witty dialogue always flows naturally in each conversation, while still being able to still have great one-liners and moments, without sounding forced.

Another aspect that excels, present in all Wright films, is the use of editing and how it not only adds comedic value but conveys the narrative to the audience. The aforementioned montage sequences are very useful in getting a lot of information across without taking up much screen time at all. The way we transition from scene to scene is very effective, while being very obvious (by using extreme close-ups and exaggerated sound, such as the door of The Winchester) it is almost invisible for those who aren't specifically looking for it.

The only real issue that I have is that the third act is very much what I would expect to see in a generic monster film; a group of people holding down a building trying to fight of the monster. I feel, even though it is an adequate ending to the film, the expectation that the previous two acts had built up, I wanted to see a finale that was more unique and memorable. However, the only reason I have this issue is because of the sheer quality of the entire film, please don't misinterpret what i'm saying, the ending isn't bad at all, just not the direction I would have liked to have seen the film go in.

That being said, the film is amazing and was one of the first "horror-type" films I watched as a terrified nine year old, so this has always had a place in my heart.