Shaun of the Dead 20 Year Anniversary

From the wreckage of cult classic TV show Spaced, came the start of something that has  had a lasting impact for the past two decades. Shaun of the Dead, the first film in the now infamous Cornetto Trilogy, has been celebrating its 20 year anniversary this year. Though perhaps not as high budget as the other films released in the same year (Shrek 2, Mean Girls and Spider-Man 2 were all released in 2004 – honestly, if you have a look through the films that were released twenty years ago, there is so much more variety but that’s a conversation for another day), Shaun of the Dead has left an enduring impression that perhaps no one at the time expected. 

It kickstarted the careers of the three who are at the helm of the trilogy; actors Simon Pegg (now well-known for the Mission Impossible series) and Nick Frost (perhaps a little less Hollywood than his counterpart, but I still hold firm that his show Truthseekers deserved another series), as well as director Edgar Wright (though we may never see his version of Ant-Man, we did get Scott Pilgrim vs the World). The combination of Pegg and Frost’s comedic acting, alongside Wright’s distinctive director vision, was the lightning in a bottle that propelled Shaun of the Dead into the hearts of the audience, and remain there for as long as it has. 

Are we all just viewing it with rose-coloured glasses, though? With the knowledge of who they are now, and what they will separately and collectively go on to create, a cynical person may watch and assume that it’s mostly nostalgia that holds this film up. It’s been twenty years since its initial release – that’s twenty more years of zombie content being piled onto our screens. The Last of Us and The Walking Dead are perhaps the best known at this point, one slightly more critically acclaimed than the other. They’re more serious, more slick and definitely have a lot more money behind them than perhaps Shaun ever did – so what has kept this small(ish) British horror/comedy part of a conversation that was risky to include it in? 

In the interest of science, and looking for any reason to watch these films, I’ll be watching Shaun of the Dead to see if it does remain as good as we think it to be.

---

The Review

Image by Universal Pictures

Shaun of the Dead follows our titular character as he tries to navigate the perils and pitfalls of a broken heart and the zombie apocalypse. In an attempt to find safety and refuge, Shaun leads his best friend Ed, his ex-girlfriend Liz, her two roommates David and Diane, and his mum Barbara, to his home away from home – The Winchester pub. 

There are multiple aspects about this film that I ultimately enjoy, all of which come together seamlessly to elevate what could have ended up being just an okay film. In particular, the performances from the cast – each character has a moment to shine, that despite the title, it doesn’t feel like the film belongs to one person. One of my favourite moments is towards the end, when Simon, Liz and Ed are in the basement of the pub, contemplating their own end. It’s the final emotional push to get us to the finale (is it weird I find the six months later sequence cosy as heck?), and there’s something oddly heartwarming as the trio face what could be their final moments. I’m unsure if Kate Ashfield got her dues at the time, but I really love her performance as Liz – the character goes through such a rollercoaster throughout the film, and Ashfield plays those emotions perfectly. 

Bill Nighy’s performance at the time got the biggest shout out, specifically with famed film critic Roger Ebert calling his reaction to being bitten ‘endearing’ and labelling him a ‘scene stealer’. While his reaction to being bitten by a zombie is very British boomer in my opinion (‘I’m perfectly fine, I ran it under a cold tap’), it is the moment before he passes that brings an emotional shift that sets the tone for the rest of the film. Up until this point, there’s an obvious panic and stress to the scenes, adding humour to a terrifying situation, all of them trying to find safety together. Phillip talking to Shaun brings an almost quiet to the scene – despite Ed driving manically, despite the car holding more people than it ever should have, despite the undead shuffling around them. You know Phillip is on his deathbed (death seat?), and Nighy’s acting in that moment is nothing but moving. Shaun grieves the man, and the relationship he could have had with him, the events of the day already getting to him. 

And then, you know, Phillip immediately turns into a zombie, bringing us back to reality. Bill Nighy, scene stealer by name, scene stealer by nature.

Image by Universal Pictures

There are definitely some moments that wouldn’t work twenty years on. One of these things is certain language that’s used in the film, language that was – jarring, to put it mildly. One moment specifically is when Ed picks up Shaun after grabbing Liz and co., from her flat. Watching it gave me ‘what did he say’ whiplash – I’m not even sure this was let go when it was initially released, but I was 9 when this first came out, so any backlash I was blind to. 

I also think the scenes of normality, so to speak, go on for slightly longer than needed. While I can appreciate the ironic shots of the already zombified society, and understand the need to point out Shaun’s flaws and tear him down before he’s built up to be the hero of the hour, there is a part of me that feels like it could have been reduced slightly. The context is ultimately worthwhile, but it can feel like it’s dragging its feet a little to get to the main plot. 

I don’t believe I can review the film without also talking about Wright’s prowess as a director. It was the beginning of something that has shined through in each of his films since – you know you’re watching an Edgar Wright film, even if you don’t know for sure until the credits roll. The fast-paced shots, the use of music to enhance a scene (the Don’t Stop Me Now scene is, I’m sorry to say, iconic, and it’s something that he’s used prominently in the rest of his career), and the subtle hints of dramatic irony drip-fed to the audience. The mirroring shots of Shaun walking to the shop, before and after the undead have risen, is so satisfying to watch. It’s the small things creating a bigger picture that shape the film into what it is. 

Honestly, maybe I’m biased, but there’s so much to enjoy about the film that it’s hard to deny its place as a great film. It has its flaws, of course, but there’s a lot to praise about it still.

Image by Universal Pictures

So what is the reason that Shaun has remained in the periphery of zombie-culture – are we looking nostalgically because we miss a time where passion seemed to drive the project more than the IP? Where studios took more risks, and believed more in small creators? Or does it provide an emotional grounding that perhaps zombie content has been missing since? 

While The Last of Us brings a torrent of emotions, the relatability is pretty mild, if there is any to be had – a man traversing across America in order to bring a young girl to a hospital so an immunity can be created, though a great plot, isn’t something that many of us face. A break-up that pushes us to reflect about ourselves, or experiencing a quarter-life crisis, or struggling with a dead-end job with no motivation to find something better? One or all these things are slightly more likely to happen. All of these things happen to Shaun, who resolves to change himself in order to win his ex-girlfriend Liz back – it just so happens that the chance to step up occurs when the zombie apocalypse has kicked off the next day. 

Ultimately though, it’s because Shaun is more than a zombie film. I think it’s easy to make a zombie film, but it’s harder to make a good zombie film. Shaun has homages to its predecessors scattered all over the place, though George A. Romero’s Dead series probably gets the most roses. The film’s extras are Spaced fans wanting to be part of something special. The actors, while perhaps insular in its casting, all seem to have a genuine friendship beyond the film itself. 

Flaws aside, Shaun of the Dead is nothing if not a love letter. I think the reason it has kept its standing for these past 20 years is because that love and passion for the project still shines through with every rewatch. If nothing else, if the critics and fans alike hated it, a group of people came together to shape and develop something that they (hopefully) enjoyed and look back at fondly. 

Hot Fuzz is the best out of the trilogy though, sorry.

• ShareCopied to clipboard
• X
• Facebook