WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Zombieland: Double Tap, in theaters now.

This year has certainly seen its fair share of zombie comedies, from Bill Murray and Adam Driver in The Dead Don't Die to Lupita Nyong'o's Little Monsters, in which the undead attack a kids' camp. However, they were a mere build-up to Zombieland: Double Tap, director Ruben Fleischer's sequel that reunited the band of misfits from the 2009 original. Still, as good as that zom-com franchise is, 2004 Shaun of the Dead stands tall as the golden standard.

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Director and co-writer Edgar Wright rose to prominence with the film 15 years ago, with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost starring as Shaun and Ed, best friends forced to fight off a zombie uprising in London. It paid homage to the country's bar culture, their love of cricket and football, and positioned zombies as a metaphor for everything from refugees to hooliganism. In the process, Shaun of the Dead lovingly poked fun at the tropes of the subgenre while delivering surprising depth.

Ed and Shaun facing each other with zombies in the background

It also dived into the bonds of friendship, as well as Shaun's depression over losing the love of his life, which added substance to the gore. This kind of magic is difficult to capture. Shaun of the Dead remains a heavy-hitter because it's filled with heart and soul, delivering plenty of emotional moments over which viewers can tear up.

Although there's a long history of horror comedies, Wright & Co. staked out new territory that paid tribute to giants of the genre, most notably Night of the Living Dead, and never sought to launch a franchise. It ended with Shaun keeping a zombified Nick in the shed, where they continued to enjoy video games, a premise Hollywood would surely transform into a full-blown series. But Shaun of the Dead was focused on storytelling and authenticity, and to this day is feels like art and not product in its self-contained, one-shot adventure.

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Zombieland is sort of its antithesis. Don't get us wrong, the movies are fun, but still they're way more packaged and product, meant to rinse and repeat battles against the undead. After all, a third film is already being plotted, which leaves fans wondering if it will require another decade again for us to see this world on screen.

The first Zombieland arrived in 2009, smack-dab in the middle of cinema's zombie infestation. Double Tap doubles down, giving us a bit more typical Hollywood in terms of formula rather than grindhouse and indie art, with the comedy feeling predictable, slapstick, and a bit annoying, with characters like Madison. The sequel loses a lot of steam because it's as if they're trying too hard to replicate the original, leaving us with an empty feeling.

And this is where Shaun of the Dead holds a lot more power. Its originality keeps it timeless, even a decade later, when zombies are fully entrenched in cinema and on television, from The Walking Dead to The Dead Don't Die to Netflix's post-apocalyptic comedy drama Daybreak, with its ghoulies.

That's because whether it's humor, brutal murders, spurned love or friends trying to understand life doesn't always give them what they want, Shaun of the Dead has layers upon layers, and it's this kind of nuanced narrative that will always be tough to beat. It's relatable, lovable and packed with reminders that, even in the face of rabid zombies, we don't need guns and monster trucks, we need each other, and maybe a trip to the Winchester for a nice, cold pint.

Directed by Ruben Fleischer from a script by Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick and David Callaham, Zombieland: Double Tap stars Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg and Abigail Breslin. The film is in theaters now.

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