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Ridley Coote

Shaun Of The Dead (2004) Dir: Edgar Wright

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There are a few films I watch every year, and without question, this Edgar Wright classic from 2004 is right near the top of the list. It's a staple film for people in the UK, as well as fan of the zombie genre, and it absolutely deserves all the love it gets every year.


It has such clever writing, particularly with its witty dialogue, which is full of cheeky and silly humour - it is peak British comedy without a doubt. No matter how many times I watch it, I always laugh and I always have fun - that's a sure sign that a film is well made.


I love the camerawork in the film too, the way it utilises the foreground and background of some of the shots is so creative and so enjoyable. This feeds into some of the foreshadowing that the film does so well too, which honestly is great, especially on a rewatch.


The story is so good. It follows a fairly standard archetype for zombie films, but it never feels typical in that sense. The comedic elements of the film are so well integrated that everything flows smoothly and enjoyably. It's one of the best examples of simple yet effective storytelling.


Simon Pegg is at his entertaining, goofy, best in this one, as his awkward English comedic style works perfectly for his character, and the film as a whole. I've always thought he feels like a believable guy, who has believable traits - a lot of that is the writing, sure, but Pegg nails it too.


Nick Frost played the loveable idiot role to perfection here, with some of the dumbest but funniest lines of dialogue you'll watch - it all works though. I find myself laughing at all his childish jokes, regardless of how silly they are.


Kate Ashfield matches the humour of the two above with her own amusing wit, while also feeling like a believable character in her own right too. I think she's often underrated in the film, because of how good Pegg and Frost are, but I personally really like her in this one.


Even those in the film's supporting roles give some wonderfully fun performances, and are well worth mentioning; Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Penelope Wilton and Bill Nighy in particular, as well as some of those with much smaller roles, because I really enjoy them too; Peter Serafinowicz and Jessica Hynes.


Overall, this film will never not be worth watching. It's the perfect horror comedy, and one of my favourite films ever. It just doesn't get better than this. It may even be the best zombie film ever made too, it's a true British classic. I'll continue to watch this film at least once a year, every year, for the foreseeable future.



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