Zombieland vs Shaun of the Dead

You got red on you.

Today I'm comparing two great zomedies, Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland. I want to start off by saying that I love both of these movies, and they're both chock full of laughs, but there are some very important differences that make both of these movies unique. First, let's look at how these movies start off. Zombieland is set in post-zombie world. The zombies have already eliminated most of the human race, and there are very few people left on the planet, it seems. Shaun of the Dead begins with your normal, everyday activity, and the zombies begin to appear as the film progresses. Then, there's the amount of zombies in each film. Zombieland fails to deliver the vast amounts of zombies you'd expect to see in Cali, especially around the Hollywood area. Shaun of the Dead, however, boasts large amounts of zombies no matter where they are, although the amount of zombie slaughter is less prevalent than in Zombieland. Zombieland, in fact, delivers a lot more of the zombie carnage that most zombie filmgoers crave from their zombie movies.
Shaun of the Dead centers in London and most of its comedic effect comes from its brilliant use of foreshadowing, along with its character personalities. It's one of those movies that you can watch over and over again, and realize something new each and every time. In this movie, the characters seem less aware of the situation surrounding them, as the zombie outbreak seems to happen in the course of one day. As the movie describes itself as a “romantic comedy with zombies”, I find it to be more of a zombie movie with a romantic comedy tossed in. It really seems to take my mind off of the story at hand by tossing in so much action, even though there's really not much zombie killing happening. I notice it also holds true to the classic, slow moving zombie that's so rarely seen in the newer films of its genre and age. You also get much less of a world range view and more of just the settings they move through. You're never really aware of whether or not the entire world is being plagued with zombies, or if it's just London. You also don't get a blatant, in your face explanation of what caused the outbreak itself, until the end. The characters already know one another, and have connections made before the outbreak, so there's a lot less time building relationships and a lot more time establishing where they stand in accordance to one another in the beginning of the film. This film is unique in that the zombie situation is contained in the end of things, and humans regain control.

I hope that's your blowjob giving face.

Zombieland has more of a worldwide view of things, letting the viewer know that the whole earth is fucked, not just the area the characters are in. The characters don't know each other, initially, and the movie centers more around them making bonds with one another and letting the viewer know what each individual character is about. They're all very different, and it's likely you'll find at least one of them relatable in some way. The movie immediately lets the viewer know how the outbreak began and exactly what caused it. Although this film features less zombies than Shaun of the Dead, it has a ton more zombie killing and features the newer, faster zombies. Almost every zombie encountered is completely destroyed in the most satisfying way. It also features zombies in the first few frames, as opposed to Shaun of the Dead which had actions leading up to the very first zombie encounter. This movie is constantly funny because of the characters, and the characters alone. The casting seems almost perfect, even throwing in a hilarious celebrity cameo. Although this movie is full of laughs, it has its heartfelt moments. A couple even brought tears to my eyes but, in the next breath, had me laughing once again.

All in all, both of these movies are amazing watches and are enjoyable time and time, again. I would recommend both to anyone who loves their zombies or anyone who loves a good comedy. These films practice a balance of the two unseen and unheard of in any other films to date. They were both very well done and wonderfully casted. Though both films are of the same genre, they are very different from one another, but this doesn't stop either of them from being any less amazing than the other.