Shaun of the Dead
- Review Date: December 21, 2004
- Rated: R
- Genre: Horror
- Release Year: 2004
- Running Time: 99 minutes
What parents need to know
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this movie is not for kids. Although it's more of a comedy than a true horror movie, there is still enough blood, guts, and gore to turn your stomach and make you avert your eyes. It's also extremely violent -- zombies and humans try to kill each other in every way possible -- biting, shooting, stabbing, impaling, etc. There is almost nonstop profanity and some crude humor. There's also a lot of smoking and drinking, and there are a few drug references. There are also some intense scenes, such as when a son is forced to kill his zombie mother and some characters consider killing themselves.
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What's the story?
Shaun (Simon Pegg) is a 29-year-old slacker who holds down a dead-end job he hates. His girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield) has asked him to make something of himself, but he cannot bring himself to change. Sick of playing second fiddle to his immature roommate Ed, beer, and video games, Liz breaks up with Shaun. Shaun wants to save the relationship, but before he can, he must deal with a strange situation that has emerged -- a horde of zombies are taking over London, and they are looking for new recruits. Now Shaun must save his family and friends as chaos erupts through the city.
Is it any good?
A cult favorite, SHAUN OF THE DEAD pokes fun at zombie movie cliches, but it also honors these movies by following their rules. It balances laugh-out-loud funny scenes (such as when Shaun is so self-absorbed he doesn't see the zombies wandering around his neighborhood and then misses the news warnings because he is channel-surfing) with some intense, suspenseful, and yes, very gory and bloody scenes (for example, the zombies attack a man and pull various bloody organs out of his stomach).
Due to the gore, we don't recommend this movie for kids under 17. Older teens and adults who are horror fans, however, are likely to enjoy the droll British humor and homage to George Romero's zombie trilogy.
Families can talk about...
Families can talk about the appeal of zombie movies. They can also talk about satire, and point out the many instances that occur in this film.
Movie details
| Theatrical release date: | September 23, 2004 |
| DVD release date: | December 21, 2004 |
| Cast: | Lucy Davis, Nick Frost, Simon Pegg |
| Director: | Edgar Wright |
| Studio: | Rogue Pictures |
| Genre: | Horror |
| Run time: | 99 minutes |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | zombie violence/gore and language |
About Our Rating System
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