S. Worthen | Weblog

As a general rule, I avoid horror movies. But when something's advertised as a romantic comedy with zombies, it has enough appeal to try watching.

It was good. It was good in that way where the plot is tight, elegantly structured, and all the little details matter, but not in a burdensome you-must-remember-it type of way. It was funny, and, as a general rule, even tastefully funny, which matters a great deal, since I have no stomach for gross-out humor. There were a few alarming moments where I had to hide from what was happening or about to happen on the screen, but since the zombies were all slow zombies, there was generally some warning when they were approaching. Since the core cast members had worked together on Spaced, albeit as largely different characters, they were all quite comfortable with each other. It was a comfortable movie to watch, give or take zombie disturbingness.

And even the zombies weren't too bad, vacant-eyed, stumbling, as slow they were. The scenes of them eating humans were disturbing, but at least they were brief, and the last one I could hide from and largely miss. I liked how offhand threats and throwaway comments came true. And how the funny lines weren't corny or forced. It was a very nicely put-together movie.