Shaun of the Dead @ 20: Still The Best Cornetto There Is

“Take car. Go to Mum’s. Kill Phil, grab Liz, go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all of this to blow over. How’s that for a slice of fried gold?”

This isn’t just another prompt you’ll stumble across while doomfully swiping through Hinge profiles. It’s one of the most iconic lines from Shaun of the Dead (2004), spoken by Simon Pegg’s character in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, and it perfectly captures the film’s humour. Directed by Edgar Wright, this cult classic is the second feature from the British filmmaker and remains a favourite even 20 years after its release.
The World’s End (2013), the last two instalments of the Cornetto Trilogy.

As you might have noticed by the buzz online, Wright is celebrating Shaun of the Dead’s 20th anniversary with special screenings, a testament to the film’s lasting impact and worldwide love. This feature film stood the test of time and has reached such an iconic status for a reason.

While the long, continuous takes of Shaun walking to the shop might be what first comes to mind when thinking about this movie, the brilliance of the opening scene deserves just as much attention.

Back when I was in film school, one of my lecturers said that you could learn a lot about a movie from its first few minutes. We were discussing M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village at the time, but that insight definitely applies to Shaun of the Dead too.

The film kicks off with a close-up of Shaun, and although he hasn’t spoken yet, you can already pick up on so much about him. His vacant stare makes him look almost zombie-like — a subtle nod to the movie’s underlying social commentary and a wink to George A. Romero’s films.

The camera then slowly pulls back, gradually revealing more of Shaun’s surroundings until we meet Liz, his girlfriend. What starts to unfold feels like the middle of an argument. Liz is yearning for more excitement, romance, and adventure, while Shaun is content with his simple, everyday pleasures. The framing of this shot adds another layer: Liz’s fear of a monotonous, unfulfilling life comes through her words, but also in the grey, dreary colours around her. And there’s one subtle, brilliant detail Wright slips in — a lone woman sitting behind Liz, drowning her sorrows in a drink. Is this Liz’s future? Stuck at the Winchester, living a life of quiet desperation?

Before we as audience can ponder that too long, the film dives into a rapid back-and-forth between Liz and Shaun. The pace of these shots pulls the audience straight into the tension of the conversation. And just when things are heating up, Ed, Shaun’s best friend, enters the picture.

Ed’s introduction is almost overwhelming. Wright frames him in a way that makes his presence feel larger than life. A clever side shot shows Ed physically sitting between Liz and Shaun, a visual cue that speaks volumes about how he impacts their relationship. Ed’s constant interruptions of Liz throughout the scene only reinforce his role as the disruptive third wheel.

As the argument unfolds, we witness the film’s first instance of repetition. Shaun, in a reverse shot, mentions Liz’s friends David and Dianne, her flatmates. This is followed by an unexpected shift of the focus, and they appear in the frame, seemingly out of nowhere, now physically placed between our main characters. And they’re positioned in such a way that they too, just like Ed, result as fourth and fifth wheels in this relationship, reflecting on how many external forces are influencing the couple’s dynamic.

All of this is a reminder that Edgar Wright is far more than just a comedy director. He pulls from a rich tapestry of influences—horror, drama, suspense—and ties them together with sharp comedic timing and a keen sense of rhythm. It’s no wonder Shaun of the Dead continues to draw audiences back to the cinema two decades later.

Wright’s style marries classic American influences from the ’80s, modern filmmaking techniques, and his signature British wit. It’s a formula that’s as original as it is iconic, one that many have tried to replicate but rarely with the same success.

So, as we celebrate 20 years of Shaun of the Dead, it’s clear that Wright’s legacy, much like a cold pint at the Winchester, is something worth savouring.