Having been an enormous fan of Spaced for years(*), I've been anxiously awaiting Shaun of the Dead since I first heard about it, what seems like ages ago. It hasn't yet arrived in the cinemas here in Norway, but on Monday I got the DVD, and yesterday my brother - another huge Spaced fan - and I finally got to watch it.

Brilliant stuff.

It's that rare beast; a horror comedy (or RomZomCom) that succeeds at both the horror and the comedy. It's wickedly funny, it's scary - it's even sweetly romantic, in a singularly British fashion. The cast is fantastic; Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are as funny here as they ever were in Spaced, playing characters that fit them like gloves. Kate Ashfield - who's new to me - is a real find, cute and gutsy. And the rest of the cast, some of which are recognisable faces from British TV (including a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo by the future Arthur Dent, Martin Freeman, joining his Office co-star Lucy Davis) are all absolutely top notch. And the production values and prosthetic effects are excellent, especially considering the film's low budget.

Keep in mind that it's not a parody - there's gore, and plenty of it - but rather a true horror flick with lots of (very dark) comedy, so if you're expecting another Scary Movie, you'll be disappointed. If you're in the US, it opens in limited release over there in a few weeks (coinciding with my upcoming trip to New York), so get your mates together and go see it. I guarantee a good time.

(* And if you haven't yet watched Spaced, it's about bloody time you did. Didn't I tell you ages ago? In Europe, you can order seasons one and two (cheaply) through Play.com. In the US, you'll need a region-free player and an import store. If anyone's got a suggestion, feel free to mail it in. It's definitely worth the hassle and the cost.)  ¶ 09:34