The opening credits of British zombie comedy "Shaun of the Dead" feature typical people working tedious jobs. There's the checkout counter of the grocery store, and people waiting to ride the bus checking their cell phones. It seems as if Western culture has already been zombified.
As Shaun, our hero, begins his monotonous retail job, he informs his co-workers that "Ash is out sick today so I will be taking over." You better believe it. The Ash to which Shaun is referencing is the main character of Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead" trilogy, played by B-movie legend Bruce Campbell. Simon Pegg's extremely physical performance, transforming from super-slacker to superhero echoes Bruce Campbell's zany, over-the-top zombie warrior from the "Evil Dead" movies, and Shaun rules the movie with as much gusto.
He's a lazy slacker who needs to sort his life out. He wasn't even supposed to be here today. But then, the world needs him to save it - or at least try. He darts across lawns of a London suburb with a cricket bat, bashing zombies on the head. He formulates the plan for survival, and takes command of the film and its characters.
He's the everyman faced with the end of the world. The recently deceased have come back to life and are devouring the living. All the same rules and reasoning established from George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead" are used in "Shaun of the Dead," but this time there's a relationship comedy thrown into the mix.
But don't be fooled by the marketing. This movie is a horror movie, albeit a hilarious one. It is by no means a parody or a spoof of Romero's films. The characters get into silly situations (Shaun and his flat-mate Ed sing a Grand Master Flash duet with an approaching zombie who inserts in well-timed groans), but it never interferes or compromises the horror.
"Shaun of the Dead" blends the premise of "Night of the Living Dead" with the outrageous gore comedy of Peter Jackson's "Dead Alive." The result is a tremendously well-paced film that's funny as hell. There's a long stretch at the beginning where the audience is given hints of the zombie invasion while the main characters remain oblivious. The filmmakers know what the audience is expecting, and it's wonderful foreplay.
But "Shaun of the Dead" isn't just a horror fan's wet dream. It's a film that can appeal to a mainstream audience as well. "Shaun" doesn't limit itself to only horror-comedy like "Evil Dead" or "Dead Alive," but has jokes unrelated to the attacking zombies. It's as funny as any movie you'll see this year, regardless if you've even heard of George Romero; it's a tremendous accomplishment for the filmmakers.
"Shaun of the Dead," much like Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's "From Dusk Till Dawn," is able to establish a universe outside the horror at first, making the inevitable epidemic increasingly more interesting. The characters aren't just zombie food. You want them to stick it to the zombies.
As Shaun, the one-man army, impales an oncoming zombie with a tetherball pole, he shouts, "Feel free to help at any time!" The response of one of his companions, David, is "I didn't want to cramp your style."
Hail to the king, baby.
