10 Great Horrors with TERRIBLE Premises

Shaun of the Dead follows a pair of down-on-their-luck goofballs during a zombie apocalypse. That is the entire plot.

Without watching the trailer, no one in their right mind would think Edgar Wright's zomedy would work, since the plot is incredibly mundane. Although there's a little bit of action, there's nothing in this British zomcom on the same calibre as other zombie flicks, like Dawn of the Dead or Zombieland.

And yet, Shaun of the Dead is lightyears ahead of its competition, simply because it excels in every aspect of filmmaking and screenwriting. The chemistry between the cast is perfect. Every joke lands flawlessly. Wright's long takes and sharp transitions are a work of art to behold. The line delivery is spot on. The unforced callbacks to earlier scenes are a great example of reincorporation done right. The physical humour never gets old (especially the fence sequence).

However, the biggest surprise is how emotional Shaun of the Dead is. Though it's a silly comedy for the most part, it's challenging not to tear up when Simon Pegg's character loses his mother.

Shaun of the Dead didn't just surpass expectations, but is directly responsible for reigniting interest in the flagging genre during the millennium. After watching this masterpiece, it's easy to see why.