“Grandpa’s fallen – and he’s getting up!”

Story: in an alternate mid-20th Century, zombies are real, and the world defeated them. Hooray! Thanks to the ZomCon corporation, zombies – ones with ZomCon collars – are docile and can be used as slaves…er, servants. Just be sure to check that collar on the reg. You never know what kind of domino effect could happen. Oops.

Scares: More comedic and satirical than spooky.

Splat factor: Some. It is a zombie movie after all. But any kills (human or zombie) are almost always played for laughs, until the climax of the film.

Closing scene “shocker”?: Nope! A happily ever after for all involved! Well y’know, for the people who deserve one.

Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: original, but the bare bones basics are based on zombie films of the Romero persuasion.

Trick or Treat?: Fido is a cheeky blend of pitch-dark humor, retro 50s vibes, and zombie myths that sounds strange, but works perfectly. From the killer (what?) 50s pop soundtrack to the bright retro art direction, this movie harks back to films like Pleasantville and The Truman Show, but adds a big scoop of horror-trope humor to the mix. Heck, just the Lassie-esque jokes based on zombie servant Fido as a pet are enough to make me giggle.

Fido spins a crazy alternative universe that has enough 50s clichés to make it look like an episode of Leave It To Beaver on acid. Elementary schools have weapons training instead of bomb drills, suburban families show status by the number of zombie servants they have, and people that don’t toe the perfect mid-20th Century suburban line get tossed into the post-apocalyptic “Wild Zone”. Add a plot with a touch of genuine sweetness and kickass performances? Boy howdy I wish this movie was longer than its hour and a half…

An excellent cast that includes Carrie-Anne Moss as an unfulfilled housewife , Trick ‘r Treat‘s Dylan Baker as her zombie-phobic hubby, and Billy Connolly as the titular zombie? You really can’t go wrong giving this film a watch. Bonus? With satire being the heaviest genre this film leans into, your friends that “aren’t into zombie movies” will surely find lots of fun here.


Score: 5 out of 5 pumpkins.