Fido (2006)

Directed by: Andrew Currie
Format: DVD
DVD Features: DVD-Rom, making of, Blooper Reel, trailers, deleted scenes, slide show, commentary
Starring: Carrie-Anne Moss, Billy Connolly, Dylan Baker, K’Sun Ray, Tim Blake Nelson, Henry Czerny
Trailer

This is a review suggested by one of my readers. Thanks to Rochelle!

I’m surprised that Fido slipped beneath my radar. I don’t remember hearing a thing about it when it was released. Although horror films rarely ever acquire much acclaim, they most certainly get press. It seems that zombie movies have been appearing in droves these last few years. Ever since 28 Days Later met with such success, zombie horror seems to have risen from the grave. The Dawn of the Dead remake, Land of the Dead, Planet Terror and UnDead are all post 2002. Along with its new popularity, a sub-genre appears to have taken on life; the zombie comedy. While some older movies tend to be a bit campy and amusing, their humor generally wasn’t intentional. Shaun of the Dead, however, was purely farce. The only movie prior to that I can remember mixing humor with flesh-eating corpses was Dead Alive (a.k.a. Braindead), a terrifically gory film directed by Peter Jackson. Fido, in fact, reminded me a great deal of Dead Alive, which is one of my favorite horror movies.

The film opens with a flickering film reel, like the old “educational” reel-to-reels they used to show in class (if you’re old enough to remember). It’s a clever way to introduce the atomic age era of the movie and give Fido’s background story. Due to a sprinkling of space dust, the dead have risen and the newly dead rise again. Thank goodness for corporate entity Zomcon, which has invented a radio collar that quells the undead’s thirst for flesh and turns them into docile servants. “Now we can all be productive members of society, even after we’re dead.” The Robinson family has just gotten one of their very own. At first the man of the house, zombie fearing Bill Robinson (Baker), objects to the new addition. However, his persuasive wife Helen (Moss) reminds him that they’re the only family on the block without a zombie and what must the neighbors think? It’s hardly any wonder that little Timmy Robinson (Ray), slung between his maladjusted, distant father and his appearance obsessed mother, warms to the company of their undead servant.

Timmy decides to name their new zombie Fido and the two soon develop a boy-and-his-dog type of relationship. Fido protects Timmy from the neighborhood bullies and Timmy buries the neighbors that Fido munches on. Even his mother begins to form an attachment to the zombie, much to the chagrin of Mr. Robinson. But their new neighbor, head of Zomcon, starts to suspect that the reanimated neighbors are the result of a rogue undead. How long can Timmy keep Fido’s evil deeds buried?

Suburban 1950’s atmosphere of Fido is somewhat reminiscent of the neighborhood in Edward Scissorhands or Pleasantville; a sarcastic send-up of the era. Everything is over saturated with brilliant hues and unnaturally clean. The insidious corporate beast Zomcon and its brainwashing propaganda appears very lighthearted and campy on the surface, but has a definite edge of political commentary. The Timmy and Fido relationship would be unbearably cheesy if it weren’t for the occasional murder or accidental corpse. Some highlights from the film: elementary school children at target practice, neighbor Mr. Theopolis’ strange relationship with his girl zombie, Mr. Bottoms’ almost Bush-like speech in class and Mr. Robinson’s strange obsession with funerals. The soundtrack was wonderful as well. I was delighted to hear one of my favorite Squirrel Nut Zippers songs again.

All of the actors did a terrific job in this movie. It was strange to me, to see Carrie-Anne Moss in this role as a 50’s suburban housewife after her performance as Trinity, but as the movie progresses, she becomes a much more likeable and convincing character. Mr. Robinson, played by Dylan Baker, is very, very uncomfortable being a father and it is very uncomfortable watching him try to be one. The unease with which he relates to his son springs right off the screen and makes you squirm a bit. K’Sun Ray (who names their son K’Sun Ray??) couldn’t have been a better choice for Timmy. A little more suspicious of Zomcon than the other boys his age, but just as innocent and happy go lucky and Lassie’s companion. My favorite character is probably Mr. Theopolis (Nelson). He’s an odd mix of Hunter S. Thompson and someone I can’t quite put my finger on (probably whomever he’s a direct parody of). I wonder how many takes it took before Billy Connolly could keep a straight face.

The only thing that would have shoved Fido rudely into the realm of greatness would have been more gore. There are scant few scenes of severed limbs and bloody remains. The evil that the zombies in this movie lack though, is nearly made up for by the pseudo governmental security agency. It had a cleverly executed plot and the idea to have zombie slaves in 1950’s suburbia was a stroke of genius. The whole thing could have easily gone horribly wrong, but the filmmakers ended up with a gem. Sarcasm is by far my most beloved form of comedy and Fido was full up.

Overall Rating: 4 ½
Hottie Rating: 1 (freaky zombie love counts for somethin’)

Alternate recommendation: Dead Alive
Official site
IMDB page
Bullz-Eye.com review

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