Horror and comedy fans alike are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of Shaun of the Dead. Directed by Edgar Wright, this modern classic follows Simon Pegg’s (Star Trek) thirtysomething slacker, who must take charge of his life in order to stay alive in the wake of a zombie apocalypse. The film also stars notable British actors like Nick Frost (The World’s End), Kate Ashfield (Born to Kill), Lucy Davis (The Office), Dylan Moran (Black Books), Bill Nighy (The First Omen), Penelope Wilton (The BFG), and Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy).
A lot of talent is on display in this film, which continues to entertain and inspire fans two decades after its premiere. There are many reasons why Shaun of the Dead remains ahead of its time, and what better way to celebrate this horror-comedy classic than to examine why its appeal lives on to this day?
Though it may come across as a mindless comedy, Wright’s film actually presents a satirical warning about the dangers of modern conformity. At the story’s beginning, Shaun and the people around him shamble through their dull, soul-sucking lives like walking corpses. They do the same things over and over again with synchronized movements, showing how they are trapped in their daily routine.
When the zombie outbreak ravages London, it takes a groggy Shaun a while to finally notice the chaos unleashed overnight, even after walking around the block and skimming through the news on TV. Even when a zombie is staring him in the face and trying to eat him, Shaun just laughs at her, thinking that she’s drunk and coming on to him.
But when the characters realize something is amiss, the conformist zombies come after them, putting the heroes at risk of becoming actual zombies. So it is while they act like zombies that they navigate through the horde of walkers undetected, symbolically surviving within the oppressive norm.
The film’s hilarious twist shows humanity has learned to control the zombies and use them as free laborers or reality game show contestants. Overall, there’s very little difference between the worlds before and after the zombie outbreak, making the film’s satire both funny and terrifying.
Pegg and Wright’s screenplay for this film is nothing short of meticulous. Every little detail carries significant meaning, sprinkling bits of foreshadowing throughout the film. One example in the first act is when Shaun and Ed’s roommate, Peter, shouts at Ed, saying he should go live out in the shed, and that’s where Ed ends up living after becoming a zombie. Likewise, many contrasting parallels are found in Shaun’s morning walks before and after the zombies take over, painting nuanced before-and-after pictures of the end of the world.
Likewise, the film fires one hilarious joke after another with incredible timing, adding to its lasting quotability. It also features surreal and memorable gags, such as when Shaun and his group meet their doppelgangers and later beat up a zombie to the sound of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.”
Despite being a comedic splatterfest, Shaun of the Dead mixes its brand of humor with more serious character drama, a feat not easily accomplished. The most notable examples are during Philip’s death scene and when Shaun’s mom, Barbara, gets infected and he is forced to kill her, causing a bunch of repressed emotions to burst forth.
The ludicrous ways the characters react to the zombie apocalypse very much reflect real-life psychology in the present day. Like the characters in the film, many people have become so accustomed to their cushy lives in present-day society that it would be hard for them to change when it all suddenly comes crumbling down.
Shaun and Ed cling so hard to their previous lives that their survivalist instincts take too long to go into overdrive. They barely know how to defend themselves, as they start just throwing random objects at zombies, most notably their record collection. They spend way too much time deciding which records to keep and which ones to hurl at the zombies before getting real weapons from their shed. Only after they first kill a zombie do they start to change as their primal selves awaken to survive the apocalypse.
In addition, the zombies very much serve as reflections of Shaun, who first appears walking and yawning like a zombie. Like the undead, Shaun “sleepwalks” through life, depressed and devoid of feeling, with the former having faces described as “vacant with a hint of sadness” and “like a drunk who’s lost a bet.” These traits fit Shaun’s character in the film’s first act, as he’s had troubles with his stepfather and his recent breakup with his ex-girlfriend, Liz.
As the film’s title implies, Shaun is one of the living dead. It is only until the apocalypse occurs that Shaun finally wakes up and takes charge as he fights to survive and protect his loved ones. Thus, he makes it through to the end, gets back together with Liz, and wins the life he yearned for as his reward.
In the end, all these qualities make Shaun of the Dead a timeless horror-comedy classic and a must-see for genre fans this Halloween. Though Edgar Wright has made plenty of other high-quality films, such as Baby Driver and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, there’s nothing quite like Shaun and his gang’s date with the zombie apocalypse. How’s that for a slice of fried gold?
Shaun of the Dead is streaming on Peacock.
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