IF THE DEAD RISE- LOCK YOURSELF IN THE PUB. (Shaun Of The Dead (DVD))

Member Name: djwill

Product:	Shaun Of The Dead (DVD)
Date:	07/03/06 (65 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Funny, sad and scary at the same time - Not to mention the great actors .

Disadvantages: Nothing!

Have you ever laid awake at night scared of the living dead? In Shaun of the Dead, nightmare becomes reality for Shaun (Simon Pegg) who struggles to save his family and friends from hoards of zombies which have invaded his seemingly ordinary life.

However, if you think this is your usual horror movie, think again. Described as " A romantic comedy - with zombies" Shaun Of The Dead definitely lives up to the comedy genre, parodying the classic "Dawn of the Dead". On the other hand if you are looking for a feel-good "rom-com" to watch with the family, the tagline may be slightly misleading. Be warned: this is not for the faint-hearted.

Written with all the elements of a classic zombie horror movie, scriptwriters Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg create a gripping plot, full of twists, turns, cliff-hangers and of course, plenty of blood and guts.

The main character, Shaun, is having a bad day. His job is going nowhere, his girlfriend has just dumped him. And zombies have just invaded North London. His friend, Ed (Nick Frost), is no consolation either, being a lazy, drug-dealing, Cornetto-eating idiot. However, when they finally realise that there's a chance they could be eaten alive, they go and lock themselves in the local pub, the Winchester. On the way, they rescue Shaun's mum, step-dad (Bill Nighy- Love Actually), reluctant ex-girlfriend Liz and her friends: Dianne (Lucy Davis- The Office) and abominable David (Dylan Moran- Black Books).

As they "wait for it all to blow over", living off peanuts, beer and pork scratchings; their patience starts to fray. With David being as anti-social as ever, Shaun and Liz's relationship breaking up all over again and, zombies scratching at the door, it makes a film that is well worth watching.

Cameos by actors such as Matt Lucas (Little Britain) and Martin Freeman (The Office, The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy) add to an overall fantastic storyline, which, with a run-time of only 95 minutes could easily be much longer.

However, you may be disappointed if you are looking for a gory horror movie. The 15-rating (UK) does come with a large portion of slapstick comedy and a bit less of the horror you would expect from an 18-rated film like "28 Days Later".

The film is also a bit slow to start. Emphasising the fact that Shaun and Ed are so oblivious to the fact that zombies are taking over, Wright leaves the main storyline until 30 minutes after the film has started.

But (and it is a BIG but), the film does redeem itself when it eventually does come to the meaty part. The Director, Edgar Wright, adds particular weight to the 'mock of typical horror movie' style using the trademark close-up camera movements, sombre lighting and rapid cuts. Not to mention the excellent soundtrack, which makes the film flow and adds a comic, light-hearted touch to the general atmosphere. Especially, in a fantastic scene where a zombie is hit with snooker cues in time to "Killer Queen".

With a script and actors this good, Shaun Of The Dead is probably the best British film ever made. It will have you hiding behind the sofa, doubled-over with laughter and mopping up tears. Not everyone will enjoy it as much as I did, but I can safely say that it will be the best 95 minutes you have ever spent.

Summary: Funny, sad and scary at the same time - Not to mention the great actors .