This is a buddy comedy which turns into a Sci-fi zombie invasion.
I preferred the buddy bits more than the zombies. When the gang are together there's a great chemistry. Simon Pegg is frenetic and hyperactive, and the rest are happy to play second fiddle to him. He's got a big responsibility, in being the extrovert and in driving the plot forward. It's quite believable that without him the rest of them would happily have a cup of tea or just go home. I enjoyed Nick Frost's very reluctant accomplice the most.
When they go back to Newton Haven the pubs are all chain bars. I couldn't tell if the joke is that the town is actually the same, or if the joke is that it's become completely homogenized. It's a good reflection on forty year old men reliving their youth, and it's actually a bit of an interruption once the zombies arrive. When they do, there's some good set pieces mixing mundane and bizarre and Pierce Brosnan. For my money there's too much actual fighting though, which becomes a bit tiresome once you get over the zombies' funny robot bodies.
The biggest strength is the freedom - you feel like the film-makers can do whatever they want and that makes it unpredictable. There's some nice touches, such as the small number of residents who actually quite like the aliens and want to live among them. There's a casual attitude to peril - when Rosamund Pike asks what's become of her zombified brother she's just told "Er, I'll tell you later, just drive!". The epilogue is good too, when all of the aliens, including Martin Freeman with half a head, are awkwardly integrated back into society.
Despite lots of highlights I wasn't totally convinced. Overall I would rate the film as quite fun. I enjoyed it equally as much as Sean of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, which is probably the best guide for how much you'll enjoy it.
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