Shaun of the Dead (R1) DVD Review:

Shaun of the Dead region 1 review

One of the most brilliant horror comedies in years is now one of the most packed DVD’s without having to call itself a special edition. Shaun of the Dead has everything you could ever want out of a violent comedy. It is silly, without ever being stupid, touching without getting the point of being cheesy, and smart without throwing it in your face obviously.

It is sincerely one of the most entertaining films in years. Shaun’s life is going nowhere. He hates his job, but goes anyways. His girlfriend is upset at the fact that they aren’t moving, and has decided to
dump him. All of this just happens to occur the day before a huge zombie invasion. Suddenly Shaun must reach inside himself and find the fire that
has been missing in order to save his girlfriend and kill zombies.

The rather simple plot is so well thought out that the audience hardly realizes how intelligent it really is. Although not quite as subtle when shooting zombies and showing brains splatter, even the violence seems to have a direct purpose in the grand scheme of the film. Audiences don’t even
seem to mind the slow beginning because of how well drawn together everything is, and because the comedy talents of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost
are enough to hold anyone’s attention.

The film also features one of the most fantastic sequences filmed in years, as Shaun takes his daily walk to the local store. He encounters the same people he does every day, only now they are all zombies. The catch is that he never even notices. It is a remarkable statement on the way we all can fall into a groove in our lives, so that we may as well be the living dead.

The region one DVD has a great number of special features. Some are worth checking out, including the audio commentary which is usually humorous and occasionally informative. There are also featurettes on the special effects and outtakes as well. The best special feature however, is the extended tape of the Coldplay interview which is very brief in the film. It really is only an example of how much the filmmakers love to have fun, but it is sure to get a laugh.

It seems at times that there are more special features than most people would want to watch and it begins to seem a bit overwhelming, but the
die-hard fans should be pleased. Regardless of the special features though, I would have to recommend the film for rental at the very least. It is sure to be one of the most successful horror comedies in the history of the sub-genre.

Ryan Izay

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