Review - Fido
Writer(s):
Andrew Currie
Director(s):
Robert Chomiak, Andrew Currie, Dennis Heaton
Actor(s):
Carrie-Anne Moss, Billy Connolly, Dylan Baker, introducing K’Sun Ray with Henry Czerny, Tim Blake Nelson
Synopsis:
Welcome to Willard, a small town lost in the idyllic world of the 50’s, where the sun shines every day, everybody knows their neighbor, and rotting zombies carry the mail.
Years ago, the earth passed through a cloud of space dust, causing the dead to rise with an insatiable hunger for human flesh. Terror spread across the land, until a collar was invented that made the zombies docile, even useful. A company was born: ZomCon. Thanks to their patented domestication collar, zombies became gardeners, milkmen, servants, even pets. ZomCon would like everyone to believe that they have the world under control - but do they?
Timmy Robinson doesn’t think so. He thinks the world is “phony-baloney”. An awkward loner, Timmy spends so much time in his room even his own parents don’t notice him. So when Mom buys a zombie to help around the house, Timmy is surprised, and even curious, when the beast wants to play catch. When the zombie saves him from the local bullies, a true friendship is born, and Timmy names the zombie, “Fido”.
But Fido’s collar goes on the fritz, and the neighbors start paying the ultimate price. To complicate matters, ZomCon’s notorious zombie-control specialist, Mr. Bottoms, has moved in across the street.
What begins as a small town story about a boy and his best friend, becomes a biting satire about our world, the price of fear, and the rewards of risking love. “Fido” will rip your heart out.
Reason for wanting to see it:
Two reasons… Zombies as pets and Billy Connolly. Need I say more?
Website:
http://www.anagrampictures.ca/films_fido.html
Trailer:
http://www.tribute.ca/player/enhancePlayer.asp?isWM=1&isQT=1&filePath=Trailers&fileName=fido
Rating: - 
I don’t think I can praise Fido well enough. It is one of those movies that is the complete package. It is funny, it is satirical and it is beautiful to look at. Fido is basically Leave It To Beaver meets Lassie meets Night Of The Living Dead.
I love the humor of Billy Connolly and was a bit apprehensive that he would be under used in his role as the Zombie Fido. All of his best work that 0I’ve seen from him before has consisted of ranting. In Fido he is excellent in a subtle way. He shows great emotion without being able to really talk. There is a sadness to his character that comes across. He wants to be more than just a Zombie. Sure, he ends up attacking and killing a few people but thats not who he is. He is the friend and compatriot to Helen and Timmy.
I have to mention the art work for Fido. The moonlit scenes were nothing but stunning. The large beautiful painted moons were the perfect backdrop and fit well with the 50s town. It is easy to see that great care came into creating the look and feel of suburbia in the 50s.
There is a lot of great humor in Fido. The humor is very sharp and witty. It laughs at what society could become. In some ways this starts out a very dark story about loneliness and alienation and the humor points it out and works well to turn the story around to the point where there is a happy ending. It is a shame that so few will see this sharp witty comedy. If you get a chance check it out on DVD. I know it will be one that I pick up as soon as it is available. Overall, I give it a 4.5 out of 5.
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