FIDO (2007)

FIDO
***½
Rating: R
Length: 91 minutes
Director: Andrew Currie (Night of the Living; Persistence of Memory)
Writers: Robert Chomiak (Jon Roh: The Wolf Brigade; Persistence of Memory), Andrew Currie (Night of the Living; Persistence of Memory), and Dennis Heaton (Head Shot; “Blood Ties”)
Starring: Carrie Anne-Moss, Dylan Baker, Tim Blake Nelson, Billy Connolly, Henry Czerny, K’Sun Ray, Alexia Fast, Sonja Bennett, Mary Black, David Kaye

How did this manage to slip so far under the radar? A zombie comedy that’s every bit as hilarious and intelligent as “Shaun of the Dead” and dare I say- maybe even more so? I hate to go to the “so and so” meets “so and so” well, but it’s like “Shaun” meets “Leave It to Beaver” and “Lassie”. There’s also some edge to this that the former lacked. It’s a movie where a father (the child molesting father from “Happiness” no less) gives his son a handgun as a “present” and tells him to put it in his backpack as he drops him off for school- “I know you aren’t supposed to have one until you’re twelve, but…” The movie is set, so it seems, in the 1950’s. World War II has apparently been replaced by another great war- the zombie war. The living dead took over and everyone from the kids to the elderly (though they are now public enemy number one- as designated by a brilliant “I’ve Fallen and I Can Get Up!” commercial) helped win the war. Now zombies are controlled by neck bracelets that make them behave and it’s in popular fashion to have them as slaves. They even deliver the milk and the mail. It also gives everyone an excuse to carry around loaded weapons. The Robinsons are the only family on their block not to own a zombie. Mother/Wife Helen (a terrific Carrie Anne-Moss) is quite concerned and since their new neighbors- the president of Zombie Con (Henry Czerny) - have six zombies, it’s about time they got one. Father/Husband Bill (Dylan Baker) is terrified at first. He may or may not have only one zombie kill under his belt and there are some past issues with his zombie father. The zombie, Fido (Billy Connolly), ends up being more of a threat then he could have imagined. He starts being more of a father to little Timmy (K’Sun Ray) and giving more much needed attention to Helen. Bill is more concerned with his golf game. What worked as a quick wink at the end of “Shaun” manages to more than fill a feature length film. It could have been a one joke presence, but the filmmakers are too smart for that. They’ve done their homework. There shouldn’t be a zombie fan in the world that walks away from this one unhappy. Like, “Shaun”, it’s one of those cross-over zombie pics. It’s one you can watch with your girlfriend. Granted, it may be a tad more out there, but that’s what may make it a tad better.

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Squirrel Nut Zippers- Put a Lid On It

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