The world (as we know it) was taken by storm in 2004 with the release of Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, the wacky and hilarious film that’s been labeled the first “Rom-Zom-Com.” Despite this moniker, however, I’ve come to realize after 21 years that the movie isn’t a rom-com at all, and instead a coming-of-age tale in zombie’s clothing.
Indeed, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s chemistry as late-20s slackers sells Shaun of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ’s narrative, thrusting these manchildren into extreme life-or-death situations. Thus, besides being one of the greatest foreign zombie movies and one of the few films to make the unᴅᴇᴀᴅ hilarious, Edgar Wright’s directorial debut offers a thrilling story full of heart, laughs, and plenty of gore.
Shaun Of The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Is Really A Late Coming-Of-Age Movie (More Than A Rom-Zom-Com)
At the beginning of Shaun of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, our protagonist, Shaun (Simon Pegg), is an underachieving electronics store salesman living with his loafer roommate Ed (Nick Frost), whom—based on the current trajectory of his life—appears destined for a lifetime of mediocrity on the quiet, unᴀssuming streets of London.
That is, until the zombie apocalypse breaks out. Forced to examine his life choices after his girlfriend breaks up with him, Shaun gets a chance at redemption amid the chaos in the U.K., organizing a courageous rescue mission and acting truly heroic.
Furthermore, the unᴅᴇᴀᴅ swarms also drive Shaun to confront the ills around him, including his strained relationship with Liz (Kate Ashfield), his stepfather, and Ed. Thus, the crux of Shaun of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ lies not in its rom-com narrative or the film’s witty, zombified antics—it’s the ᴅᴇᴀᴅly stakes that force Shaun to grow up and take his future more seriously.
Indeed, life-threatening situations often bring out either the best or the worst in people, and Shaun falls comfortably into the former as the film’s unlikely hero.
Shaun Of The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ’s True Genre Makes It Unique In The Cornetto Trilogy
What’s unique about Shaun of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ‘s place in “The Cornetto Trilogy” is its status as a witty coming-of-age story, since H๏τ Fuzz deals more with work idenтιтy while The World’s End focuses on midlife crises. Plus, as a story about adulthood, the film is also about bridging the gap between childishness and responsibility without losing what makes youth precious.
Shaun of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, H๏τ Fuzz, and The World’s End are known as “The Cornetto Trilogy” since the Italian ice cream brand is heavily featured in all three films.
At the end of the day, Shaun of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ is a remarkable film for many reasons (including its classic opening scene, which is easily the best in the Cornetto Trilogy), but one element that’s often overlooked is its role as a story about growing up and learning to live one’s life to the fullest.
