Horror Movie Review: Fido

Fido

Starring: Kesun Loder, Henry Czerny, Carrie-Anne Moss, Billy Connolly, Dylan Baker, and Tim Blake Nelson

Directed by: Andrew Currie

Written by: Robert Chomiak, Andrew Currie, and Dennis Heaton

Production Companies: Lions Gate Films, Anagram Pictures Inc, Astral Media, British Columbia Film, CanWest Western Independent Producers Fund, Canadian Television Fund, Chum Television, Movie Central Network, The Movie Network, and Telefilm Canada

Release Date September 7, 2006

Awards: Craft Award for Production Design at the 2007 Directors Guild of Canada Awards, Best Achievement in Art Direction/Production Design at the 2008 Genie Awards, Best Film Score and Special Jury Prize at the 2007 Gerardmer Film Festival, Best Cinematography, Best Make-Up, Best Musical Score, Best Overall Sound, Best Visual Effects, and Best Feature Length Drama Make-Up at the 2007 Leo Awards, People's Choice Award at the 2007 London Canadian Film Festival, Best British Columbia Film and Best Actress in a Canadian Film (Carrie-Anne Moss) at the 2007 Vancouver Film Critics Circle

Most zombie films are about killing zombies or surviving their attacks. Every so often we see a little side idea of controlling zombies in society, but it's rare. That's the genre area that Fido sets out to make its mark.

As with every other zombie film, something makes the dead start walking again and their bites meant death and return as a zombie. As usual, severe head trauma is the only way to kill them. But in Fido, a collar was devised that made the zombies passive and submissive. Thus they became a slave class serving humans. In fact zombies have become a status symbol.

When the Bottoms move in next to the Robinsons, Helen Robinson can't take being the only family in the neighborhood without a zombie. Mr. Bottoms is the head of security for Zomcon, the manufacturer of the collars used to keep the zombies subservient. Helen buys a zombie despite husband Bill's fear of them. Soon, however, despite Bill's reservations, the zombie, named Fido by son Timmy, is a beloved part of the family.

Set in the 1950s-sitcom-like city of Willard, the movie is mainly about Timmy and Fido as their friendship blossoms and the mishaps that occur. An elderly neighbor damages Fido's collar and gets herself eaten and Timmy must kill the zombified neighbor and hide her remains. Unfortunately, before Timmy can do that, the neighbor has killed someone else and soon an outbreak of the zombie plague is interrupting the idyllic community. Will Mr. Bottoms and Zomcon learn that Fido is the cause of the outbreak?

Fido contains many parallels to old boy and his dog shows like Lassie, even with Fido looking for help when Timmy's in trouble with local bullies.

Interestingly enough, Fido not only deals with zombie prejudice, but ageism as Mr. Bottoms and Bill Robinson both express distrust of the elderly.

It's also a look at neglectful parenting as Bill shows himself to be a poor father and husband not even knowing that his wife is pregnant, and the zombie Fido becomes a better father figure.

Fido may not have you laughing out loud, but there is a lot to be amused with in the film, and in the end, despite your attempts, you'll find it to be quite a touching tale.

Related Trailers

The Exorcism of Emily Rose - Henry Czerny, who played Mr. Bottoms, also stars in The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Attorney Erin Bruner (Laura Linney) always manages to keep her emotions in check when she's in the middle of a case, but she finds herself unraveling when she decides to represent a priest (Tom Wilkinson) who's conducted an exorcism gone horribly awry. The highly charged case, in which Erin battles an overconfident state lawyer (Aaron Douglas) who thinks he has a slam dunk, leaves her questioning her life choices, career prospects and beliefs.



Trick 'r Treat - Dylan Baker, who plays Bill Robinson, also stars in Trick 'r Treat. In writer-director Michael Dougherty's fright fest, Halloween's usually boisterous traditions turn deadly, and everyone in a small town tries to survive one night in pure hell … but who will still be alive in the morning? Several stories weave together, including a loner fending off a demented trick-or-treater's attacks; kids uncovering a freaky secret; a school principal -- who moonlights as a serial killer -- poisoning his candy; and more.