Fido

While I was feeling a bit under the weather this weekend, I thought I would just lie back and watch some TV. While channel surfing, I came across this innocuous title.

"Fido"

Meh. A quick read of the tagline said that it was a story about the bond between a boy and his... as soon as I started reading this, I immediately thought: barf. As I switched channel, just before the tag changed, I caught the last word. Zombie.

WTF?

Switch back. Yup. I read it right. A story about a boy and his pet zombie. Well. This bears further investigation. The movie starts with a black and white montage to gives some background to the storyline. I did not pay complete attention to this as I was also catching up on email, but if I heard it right, a meteor or something like that strikes the atmosphere and release radiation that animates the bodies of the deceased as flesh eating zombies. Ok, so they are going with the standard storyline.

Here is where it gets a little different. A scientist comes up with a collar that will block the zombies desire to eat human flesh, therefore making them perfect for menial / manual labor tasks. Communities pop up around the world, that are surrounded with high fences to prevent the wild zombies from overrunning these quaint little hamlets (movie takes place in the 50's, so white picket fences, chiffon dresses, women waiting on their husbands etc, etc, etc.)

This particular movie revolves around an 11 year old boy and his relationship with their household zombie which he has named:

Fido.

Being a lonely boy who is constantly picked on by two bullies from school, he must contend himself with playing with Fido. He tries to teach him to play catch, but it quickly becomes apparent that the zombies limited hand eye co-ordination, and the fact that he throws like a girl (the zombie, not the little boy) that this game is not very fun. So instead, he tosses the ball through the bushes, and tells Fido to go fetch.

Being the obedient zombie that he is, he plows through the tall bushes, and moves towards the ball which has landed beneath the bench where sits Ms. Henderson, the mean old nosy bat from across the street who is deeply engrossed observing the neighborhood with her opera glasses. I say neighborhood, but really it was the uncovered windows of the surrounding houses.

You can see where this is going.

Zombie approaches on all fours Ms. Henderson, reaches out to grab the ball which is inches away from her feet. Ms. Henderson notices the zombie, jumps up and screams, and starts pounding the zombie with her walker. Around the neck. Where the control collar sits.

Crack. Beep. ROAR! CHOMP! AAAAHHH! Gurgle...

Timmy (our hero) hears the commotion, rushes over to see what is going on, and sees his zombie sitting over Ms. Henderson with her severed, chewed off arm in his mouth.

Now this is the point of course where everything starts to fall apart for our little Timmy, but I won't spoil it all for you, except for this little gem, which is the highlight of the movie. Remember that I have said that this movie is set in the 50's, the little boy's name is Timmy and the Zombie's name is Fido.

Timmy gets caught by the two bullies who take him and his zombie prisoner to a little out of the way shack. They tie up Timmy and plan to kill him and the zombie and make themselves the heroes of the town. But unfortunately, their aim is not very good, and they disable the collar. Zombie kills the two boys, but before he kills our little Timmy, he comes back under control. He tries to free Timmy, but the knots are too complicated for his little brain, and must therefore go for help.

Zombie arrives at the family home where this conversation occurs. Bear in mind that the conversation takes place between the mother and the zombie. I'll let you guess which is which.

"RRREUGH! RRREUGH!"

"What's the matter boy?"

"RRREUGH! RRREUGH!"

"Where's Timmy?"

"RRREUGH! RRREUGH!"

"Is Timmy in trouble boy?"

"RRREUGH! RRREUGH!"

"Quick take me to him!"

Yes. They have managed to take a zombie movie, and make it into a parody of Lassie. Or RinTinTin. Or the Littlest Hobo. Or Old Yeller.

Overall, the movie was entertaining, certainly on a par with our usual fair, and I would give it 3 paws out of 5 (editor please add graphic as I am too lazy to like it in).

Note: I looked up the movie on IMDB, and saw that the zombie was played by Billy Connelly, which is a shame and a waste if you ask me, as it was for all intents and purposes a non speaking role, which was a waste of his talent. But he does bring some humanity to what is, a dead part. Badum-bum.

(Woohoo! First real content post of the month!)