Spook Out! Day 10 ~ Fido (2006)

Amazon Says...
"When Timmy's mom brings home a zombie servant, he discovers a new best friend and is determined to keep him, even if his zombie ate the next-door neighbor."

I Say...
I mean, stuff happens, amiright?

Horror Type...
Zombies, Horror Comedy, Alternative History

Main Players...
K'Sun Ray as Timmy Robinson (Bully Fodder)

Billy Connolly as Fido (Boy's Best Zombie-Friend)

Carrie-Anne Moss as Helen Robinson (Quintessential 50s Mom)

I liked...

• how wonderfully stylized this revisionist version of the '50s looks, from the gorgeous ladies' fashions, to the vividly technicolored decor of the main family's house. It puts me in mind of the carefully cultivated, suburban fantasyland Tim Burton created for Edward Scissorhands, only perhaps a little sharper. The artistic backdrop and framing of certain scenes, too, were reminiscent of older creature-features (for example, when someone "turns" in front of a huge moon--just gorgeous)
• Carrie-Anne Moss' portrayal of a perfectly coiffured, gracious homemaker who's also fully prepared to put down zombies when needed. Helen Robinson: have accelerant – will travel
• Sir Billy Connolly's masterful work as the titular zombie, Fido. It's a testament to his comedic genius how much he's able to convey with only looks and groans
• an idea they played with, of zombies' abilities to control their violently ravenous impulses after significant and prolonged positive interaction with the living (a theme Warm Bodies would expand upon a few years later)
• that the jokes and gags just spank along, one after another, throughout the movie. Some highlights include:
• "Outdoor Education," in which elementary school-aged kids enjoy rifle practice while chanting, "In the brain and not the chest, headshots are the very best."
• Helen to Fido--"...why aren't you eating me???"/Fido to Helen--::makes moon eyes::
• Timmy's Dad to Timmy--"I know you're not supposed to have a handgun (beat) till you're twelve..."

The Meh...

One of Timmy's neighbors, Mr. Theopolis, "owns" a female zombie who's totally not his girlfriend--except she kind of is, and though it's not a major plotline, it's still pretty squicky when Theopolis tells her to stop her habitual chomping by saying, "Not the teeth, Tammy." 🤢

Would I recommend it...?

One hundred percent! This well-paced laugh riot has earned a place on my top fave movies list. Folks wanting hardcore horror should look elsewhere, as there's a little zombie violence and a wee bit of gore but probably not enough to satisfy them.

Miscellany...

I've just realized this is the third zombie movie I've reviewed for this year's Spook Out! (and the second zom-com!). Not sure if there're any more--I try not to dig too deeply into the stuff I review before watching, so it's possible...

Ratings...

My Grade: A-

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=73%, Audience Score=72%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Fido on Amazon (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other streaming platforms)

Check it out on IMDb

Learn more about it on Wikipedia (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes Day 10 of

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow...

IF YOU DARE