Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Shaun of the Dead

• Despite the rave reviews for this movie, it was extremely disappointing to me. There were a lot of great action/chase scenes, but even though they were fun, this movie just didn’t grab me. I had a hard time getting into it, and even once I did, it still wasn’t my favorite. I definitely liked the idea for the story, however. Although it felt like every other zombie movie I’ve seen, it was still good. I liked the comedic spin that the movie had, which was a nice touch. Although it was a good addition to the movie, I didn’t like it. The mood of the movie kept flipping back and forth, which was confusing. Now this is obviously very opinionated, but when I watch a zombie movie, I want it to be scary and not comedic. The title of the movie is a play on words for Dawn of the Dead, so in a way, this movie is kind of a spoof. But, it isn’t a parody, but it has its own unique storyline and characters. I liked most of the characters, although a few of them were pretty obnoxious. There were one or two that I couldn’t stand at all, but everyone else was pretty good. Simon Pegg was great, and I loved the rest of the cast. There were a few (future) Doctor Who alumni, so I was pretty excited to see them come up. The music was decent, but it was either hit or miss. There were some scenes where it was lame and cheesy, but there were also some where it was exciting, intense, and thrilling. I loved the use of “Don’t Stop Me Now”, as it perfectly fit the moment when it was played. All the makeup and effects were really good overall, which definitely helps make a zombie movie great. The zombies were extremely reminiscent of the ones from Dawn of the Dead (1978), which I liked. They weren’t fast moving, but the makeup and facial designs were all cool and scary. There was one scene in particular where the effects and props were absolutely awesome, in a really gory but epic way. Though I wouldn’t watch it again anytime soon, I’d recommend this movie to those who like zombie movies, or horror movies with some comic relief.