Shaun of the Dead (2004)
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91% of critics liked it
(179 reviews) -
91% of users liked it
(440,689 ratings)
It's often said that the true character of a man is only revealed in times of dire crisis, and for likable, lovelorn loser Shaun (Simon Pegg), that moment of reckoning came when the dead rose from their slumber to feast on the flesh of the living. A hapless electronics store employee who spends… More It's often said that the true character of a man is only revealed in times of dire crisis, and for likable, lovelorn loser Shaun (Simon Pegg), that moment of reckoning came when the dead rose from their slumber to feast on the flesh of the living. A hapless electronics store employee who spends most of his spare time downing pints at the local pub with his roommate, Ed (Nick Frost), Shaun's life seems to fall apart when he is dumped by his girlfriend, Liz (Kate Ashfield), and his obnoxious stepfather, Philip (Bill Nighy), shows up to berate him for not being more attentive to his caring mother Barbara (Penelope Wilton) -- especially since he forgot to send flowers for her birthday. Things take a turn for the worse when the dead return to stake their claim on the Earth, and though the chaos that follows threatens to swallow up all of England, it's up to Shaun to keep his cool and prove himself once and for all by successfully rescuing Liz and his mother. With his trusty roommate by his side, nothing -- not even the living dead -- can stand between Shaun and the two most important women in his life. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Directed By
- Edgar Wright
- Written By
- Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright
- Genres
- Action & Adventure, Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Sep 24, 2004 Wide
- On DVD
- Dec 21, 2004
- Studio
- Focus Features
Critic Reviews
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Derek Adams, Time Out
The cast make a cosy fit, the patter is still sitcom snappy, but Wright also has the visual snap to carry this saga of backyard apocalypse.
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James Berardinelli, ReelViews
For those who don't mind a little laughter with their zombies (or perhaps it should be the other way around), this is an unusual source of entertainment.
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Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
...the second half of the film is just a standard horror movie showdown with a few mildly amusing gags.
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J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
The movie has been running on shtick for so long that the attempt at drama rings hollow.
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Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Wonderfully original, fast-moving and funny.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Simon Pegg
as Shaun
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Kate Ashfield
as Liz
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Nick Frost
as Ed
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Dylan Moran
as David
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Lucy Davis
as Dianne
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Penelope Wilton
as Barbara
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Bill Nighy
as Phillip
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Peter Serafinowicz
as Pete
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Jessica Stevenson
as Yvonne
- Mark C. Donovan
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Krishnan Guru-Murthy
as Himself
- Rafe Spall
- Finola Geraghty
- Arvind Doshi
- Nicola Cunningham
- Sonnell Dadral



