'A romantic comedy... with zombies'

Shaun of the Dead is a 2004 British zombie comedy directed by Edgar Wright starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Simon Pegg plays Shaun, a man attempting to get some kind of focus in his life as he deals with his girlfriend, his mother and stepfather. At the same time, he has to cope with the dead walking through the streets of London. The film is the first of what Pegg and Wright call The Three Flavours Cornettno Trilogy with Hot Fuzz and The World's End as the third.

Shaun of the Dead. One of the best zombie films of all time. Writers Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright have breathed hilarious new life into the often formulaic zombie genre. The elements in this movie really work together. It's a masterpiece created by Edgar Wright. Most undead flicks only concentrate on the endless waves of hungry corspes sinking their teeth into their co-eds and in most cases eating them. A lovely sight to see whilst eating your dinner. Don't you agree? On the other hand, this famous film opts to view a zombie invasion with a more than the endless waves of zombies and limbs being ripped off. The result is one of the most creative and comedic film to be released to us.

Ed and Shaun

It all starts off with of course a mysterious virus making it's way through the London streets. Thus turning the unsuspecting residents into the walking dead. But before the virus strikes, it seems that the residents are already zombified with their empty expressions. Which brings me to the stars of this famous film. Best buddies Shaun (Simon Pegg) and Ed (Nick Frost) must rise from the comfort of the couch to save family and friends. But the question is, will he succeed or will he fail?

Shaun is an 29 year old salesman whose life has no direction. His colleagues show no respect, has a rocky relationship with his stepfather, Phillip (Bill Nighy). He also has a tense relationship with his housemate Pete (Peter Serafinowicz) because of Ed. His girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield) is unsatisfied with her social life and her relationship with Shaun. Spending every evening at the Winchester, Ed and Shaun's favorite pub. After another miserable day at his work, Shaun gets stopped on the street by an old friend Yvonne (Jessica Stevenson) she asks him what he and Liz are doing for their anniversary; a question which makes him realise he forgot to book a table at the restaurant he had promised Liz the previous night. Faced with this failure on Shaun's part, Liz decides she has had enough and breaks up with him; Shaun then drowns his sorrows with Ed at the Winchester, attempting to drink his misery away; whilst Ed consoling him. Well trying to.
The two return home after midnight and spin some electro records on full blast as a kind of breakup party, only to have Pete (Peter Serafinowicz) confront them, who is suffering a headache after being mugged and bitten by "some crackheads". We all know what's next. Pete confronts Shaun to sort his life out, and Shaun finally absorbs the message and acts on it. Ed ironically quotes that the next time he sees Pete, he's dead.

All these sudden problems comes at the same time as an apocalyptic uprising of zombies, although Shaun is too hungover to notice at first. Walking around casually as if nothing is wrong. He and Ed just barely begin to become aware what is happening after watching reports on TV and after several zombies appearing at their house, and in their garden, and they decide they need to ensure they are somewhere safe. Shaun and Ed arm themselves with weapons from the shed. They conduct a plan and need a safe place. Somewhere familiar, where they know all the exits and where Ed can smoke. They realize that the safest place they know is of course, the Winchester. The plan is to go to Mum's. Kill Phil, grab Liz, go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all of this to blow over.Simple.

Bill Nighy as Phillip

However they discover that Pete is still in the house and is now a zombie, but manage to escape in Pete's car. After collecting Barbara and Phillip, who is bitten in the process by a gang of zombified hooligans, they switch cars and drive in Phillip's Jaguar and head to Liz, Dianne (Lucy Davis) and David's (Dylan Moran) flat, and collect them. Before they make it to the Winchester, Phillip dies of his bite, after he manages to make peace with Shaun. Forced to abandon the car, they set off on foot. As they get nearer to the Winchester, the number of zombies increase rapidly and are aimlessly surrounding the Winchester. With another dilemma to top Shaun's list. Discovering that the path is infested with zombies, they devise a plan to sneak by, pretending to be zombies, with the help of Dianne, who is an aspiring actress. Ed and Shaun get into an argument and the zombies, after watching the commotion, realise they are not dead and approach. David smashes the window with a dustbin and, while Shaun distracts the zombies, everyone takes shelter in the pub. Shaun joins them after thinking he gave the zombies the slip.

 After several hours, yep you've guessed it. The zombies return. The group think that they are safe, but Ed gives their position away when he wins on the fruit machine. The zombies close in on the pub. Ed grabs the rifle off the wall to fend them off. However, more bad news. Barbra reveals a bite wound that she had picked up along the way, causing her sudden death. David points the rifle at her, knowing that she would become a zombie, only to meet resistance from Shaun and Ed, and in the ensuing confrontation. After Barbara returns as a zombie, Shaun shoots her, and punches David. David grabs the rifle and attempts to shoot Shaun, but soon discovers that the rifle is out of ammunition. Before anyone can react to his attempt to kill Shaun, David angrily storms to the door. As Dianne talks him out of it, he steps away from the door and by the window. But oh dear, zombies smash the window, whilst dragging David out and disemboweling and dismembering him. Dianne, frantic, screams and runs out, beating the zombies with David's leg, hoping to save him.

Dianne unbolts the door, exposing Shaun, Liz and Ed to the zombies. Ed prepares a Molotov cocktail to fend them off, but zombified Pete arrives and bites him. He manages to get over the bar and Shaun uses the cocktail to ignite the bar. They escape into the cellar. Finding themselves cornered, they contemplate suicide, but discover a service hatch. Shaun and Liz escape through the hatch, and Ed, now mortally wounded from the ensuing zombie attack, stays behind with a cigarette and the rifle provided by Shaun. Now on the street outside the Winchester, Shaun and Liz prepare to fight once more, but are accompanied by the British Army that take down the flesh eating zombies, thus saving them.

Six months after the outbreak, all of the uninfected have returned to daily life, and the remaining zombies, retaining their instincts, are either used as cheap labour or entertainment. Liz and Shaun have happily moved in together in Shaun's house. Plus Shaun is keeping Ed, who is now a zombie, tethered in the shed and playing video games. Just like old times.

All in all, it's the best zombie film I've seen. It's not like the other undead flicks with never ending waves of zombies as I've said before. This film has everything from comedy to zombies. I recommend this film to anyone who is a fan of horror, thrillers and comedy. There is no other film like this one. It's one of a kind. Watch it.