When most zombie movies are released, the movie theater is often nothing more than a pit stop on the journey to the $3.99 DVD bin at Wal-Mart. 

"Shaun of the Dead" puts a new spin on the cliched zombie movie, mixing in a romantic comedy subplot while making light of its horror movie predecessors.  

"Shaun" doesn't take itself too seriously. Instead, it relies on subtle British humor and easy one-liners to score with audiences. 

The film follows the life of Shaun (Simon Pegg), a slacker who is too busy hanging out at the pub and playing videogames to give his life any direction.

London is overtaken by hordes of flesh-eating zombies who — in typical zombie fashion — roam the streets looking for mortal souls.

Shaun sees the opportunity to win back his reliability-seeking girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield). Armed with a shovel and cricket bat, he and his slovenly friend Ed (Nick Frost) hatch a plan to board themselves up in a neighborhood pub with his ex-girlfriend and mother and hide from the zombies. 

The group eventually gets to the bar but finds themselves surrounded and left with meager provisions of beer and bar snacks. 

Along the way, Shaun finds plenty of ways to botch his plan and in the meantime take slight shots at the hundreds of awful zombie movies that find a VCR only around Halloween.   

Shaun and Ed are confronted by a zombie in their back yard and are left with only a box of records to stop the slow-approaching monster. They begin chucking the records at the zombies but halt to debate which records to throw — don't worry, Prince's "Purple Rain" is spared. 

The movie is a rare marriage of romantic comedy and horror genres that moves along at a brisk pace, filling dead spots with pithy British humor.   

Whether it's the main characters killing zombies in a pub while Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" plays on a jukebox or throwing Sade records at approaching zombies, "Shaun" will hit its mark with moviegoers. 

This zombie movie is headed for cult classic status — a far cry from the Wal-Mart bargain bin.   

Reach Michael Bruntz at 473-7254 or mbruntz@journalstar.com.

Shaun of the Dead 

** ½

Director: Edgar Wright

Stars: Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Nick Frost

Rated: R for zombie violence, gore and language

Now Showing: Douglas

The Reel Story: A relief from the cliched zombie movies of the past, this film uses smart British humor and a carefree attitude to spike the horror genre.