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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: Lionsgate
Salesrank: 2540
Released: October 23, 2007 |
| Our Price: $7.79 |
| Used Price: $6.49 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
It doesn't take long for the hilarity of Fido's central idea to kick in: the world is reeling from the Zombie War, and the undead are being contained in two different ways. Some of them are roaming loose in fenced-off wilderness zones. The rest are, thanks to the good people at the ZomCom corporation, docile and domesticated--indeed, available as house servants for the upwardly-mobile. Such is the case with the Robinson family, a suburban clan who seem to have stepped straight out of an old episode of Lassie. Little Timmy is happy about the new manservant, whom he promptly dubs "Fido," and Fido himself is fine as long as the mechanical collar around his neck doesn't malfunction (in which case he will revert to being a cannibalistic brain-eating zombie). Fido is played, in a stroke of inspiration, by the Scots comedian Billy Connolly, although you wouldn't be able to recognize him without already knowing he's in the movie. Dylan Baker and especially Carrie-Anne Moss are just right as Timmy's parents, who have accidentally wandered out of a John Cheever novel and into a George Romero world. Director Andrew Currie skillfully gets the 1950s satire and the zombie action right, although there's no way to disguise that this premise is too thin to spread out over feature length. For a while, though, Fido hits a stride--a staggering, vacant-eyed stride. --Robert Horton
Fido Reviews:
A Boy and His Zombie 
2008-09-11 - ***1/2
Who says zombies can't be converted into useful members of the community? Certainly not the makers of "Fido," who take us to a never-never-land version of the 1950's where the undead have been turned into butlers and servants for the burgeoning middle class. Timmy Robinson is the all-American boy who becomes emotionally attached to the family`s new full-time domestic - a recently resurrected zombie whom Timmy has affectionately dubbed Fido. All of this has been made possible by Zomcom, a big-brother-type organization that has found a way to render the zombies (who were originally brought to "life" by radiation from outer space) manageable and docile - at least most of the time.
This twisted, modern-day spin on the TV series "Lassie" - it might easily have been entitled "A Boy and His Zombie" - takes slyly satirical swipes at such pre-`60s concerns as obsessive social conformity (here keeping-up-with-the-Joneses means having more zombie servants than the folks next door), the sterility of suburban life, the corporate control of civic affairs, small town corruption and nuclear family values - all played out in a beautifully designed setting of parti-colored houses and immaculately manicured lawns. The movie doesn't hit the audience over the head with its message nor does it engage in endless hyperbole to generate laughs. Instead, this is a low-keyed, subtle little satire that elicits appreciative chuckles rather than full-bellied guffaws. Much of the humor derives from the incongruity between the placidness of the setting and the cavalier attitude towards death demonstrated by the fine citizens of the community (Life Magazine has been replaced with a periodical entitled Death Magazine). Despite some playfully graphic violence, the movie stays true to the spirit of innocence we generally associate with both the 1950's itself and the cheesy, low-budget horror movies that were so much a part of the pop culture scene of that decade.
K`Sun Ray, Carrie-Ann Moss and Dylan Baker are amiable and appealing as the wide-eyed Timmy and his Cleaver-esque parents (with slightly sinister undertones), while Billy Connolly accomplishes the well nigh impossible task of bringing a great deal of humanity and depth to the role of a resurrected corpse.
This is what "Lassie" might have been had Timmy's best friend been afflicted with the occasional bout of rabies.
Best of the Dead (Truly Unique) 
2008-08-04 - Every so often a movie comes along in a particular genre and does things "outside the norm."
Fido is such a movie.
Yes, it's about zombies. Yes, it's about gut-munching. Yes, it's about survival in a post-apocalyptic world.
But that's where the similarities end compared to other end-of-the-world zombie flicks.
This movie is more like a cross between Pleasantville and Night of the Living Dead, with a little bit of humor thrown in there as well.
After a zombie epidemic took over most of the world, a lone scientist invented a collar to control the undead and, through the ventures of the company Zomcom, was able to transform these mindless and hungry monsters into humanity's slaves, turning them into butlers, house aids and gardeners.
Enter the Robinson family, the only family in the '50s without a zombie. However, things change when the people-pleasing mom, Helen Robinson (Carrie-Anne Moss), gets Fido, a lovable zombie with life and warmth.
Fido quickly becomes best friends with Timmy, Helen's son, but one day when the collar goes on the fritz and Fido eats the neighbor, everything changes, a cover-up ensues and it's up to the Robinson family to hide Fido from those who would want to take him away and kill him (which is something that Daddy Robinson would love to see).
This isn't your standard zombie movie. Far from it. It has heart, and though a comedy, it's not slapstick or silly. Just regular funny moments. Billy Connolly as Fido is charming, lovable, fun. You genuinely care for the poor dead guy. You smile with joy when he's happy. Your heart goes out to him when he's sad. You even side with him when he gets mad and takes out his uncontrollable hunger on unsuspecting victims.
The story is original. The dialogue is great. The cast couldn't be better.
New spins on genres are something I've always been into. Though classic takes on things have their place, every time something new comes along it's like a breath of fresh air and Fido is definitely that.
Even hardcore zombie lovers who need a dose of shambling, rotting corpses and loads of blood will enjoy this film as there are "classic zombie moments" in it as well.
This DVD also contains director Andrew Currie's extremely poignant short film, Night of the Living, about the cause-and-effect of alcohol in the family but with a zombie twist.
Very recommended.
Exceeded Expectation 
2008-07-31 - I have to say, before picking this movie up, I saw all of the praise reveiwers were throwing it's way, but still wasn't sold. I finally caved in when I saw some pretty reliable reviews posted by folks I've met through the horror forum here on Amazon, and broke down and bought it. I finally got around to watching it this past weekend, and was surprised. "Fido" is not only original, it's truly funny. The basic premise is that in the 1950's after a zombie outbreak, a scientist has figured out how to tame them, or at least mute their hunger for human flesh. Zombies are then put to work as bag-boys, paperboys, milkmen, as well as personal servants. The zombie business becomes big business, and one family gets caught in the middle. The line that sold me was when the little boy was watching television and a commercial comes on with a young girl running in terror from her grandpa. The announcer walks onscreen and says "The Elderly, sure they seem nice. But can you really trust them." That was just too funny. "Fido" is chock full of offbeat humor, and being the odd parent that I am, I showed this film to my 10 year old son, who loved it as well. And while there is some gore, "Fido" really does follow a kid's movie pattern, similar to "The Iron Giant" or "E.T." (kind of like "E.T., you know if E.T. included scenes where the titular alien chewed off the annoying neighbor's arm??!), but the fairly tame gore presented is outdone weekly on TV's "CSI". As for a B-movie, this film sported a pretty impressive cast, as well as setting. If you are a classic car buff, make sure you watch this flick with a tissue in hand to wipe up the drool. The vintage vehicles are eye-poppingly beautiful, and further enhance the surreal tone of the film. Highly recommended for zombie fans that think they've seen it all.
Could have been so much better 
2008-07-02 - The idea to make a zombie movie where there under control and a boy owns a zombie as a pet seemed like it has possibilities. Quite frankly, over the last few years, I have become absolutely sick and tired of Zombie and Vampire movies being unleashed on DVD by the truck load. but when a comedy that sounds like something along the lines of "Sean Of The Dead" comes along, I figured this would be good for a laugh.
Unfortunately, by the time this movie finished, I thought it could have been so much funnier then it was. I mean, thinking of it now after seeing it, I cant recall anything that sticks out on my mind. No funny scene, no classic quotes. And it just makes me wonder what people are seeing in this that I missed?
On the cover it has written, "Instant Classic" & "Madly Funny" by whoever gave it those reviews. I disagree with that... so a zombie who is brought by a family becomes the sons pet, and eats a few people, while caring for the family and hinting at a romantic relationship between zombie and the boys mother is classic and funny? ... ok, on a PG scale maybe.
I dunno, I just fail to get a laugh out of a zombie the family treats like a dog. As a Mad TV/SNL Skit it would be ok at most, but as a whole movie?
Those who said this movie is better then Sean Of The Dead need there heads examined. And the other thing that was weird to me, why is it set in the 1950's or so? It's not that it bothered me, it just left me wondering why did they do that?
Being someone who hated "Napoleon Dynamite", this may be that type of humor that I can not grasp. Maybe my sense of humor is too morbid for this kind of comedy approach, I dunno.. I just did not get what was classic or so funny about it. Seemed pretty average to me.
I give it two and a half stars, it was watchable from start to finish without being boring, the lighting and editing is nice blah blah blah... theres no problem with the movie production itself.. I just did not find it to be funny. Or maybe I expected it to be more funnier then it was judging by the praise in reviews it gets, i dunno... i cant recommend you avoid it or anything, it seems the reviews for this movie or completely random.. so you will have to see it to decide for yourself I guess.
A instant genre classic!
2008-06-30 -
In an alternate 1950's style world, a large cloud of space dust passes through the Earth and causes the dead to rise up from their graves to attack the living. Humans have been killing off these flesh-eating creatures until a brilliant group of scientists whom form a company called "ZomCom" create special devices that can control the living dead and make them nice especially as slaves to human beings as they provide services like delivering mail, cooking, and even as butlers. Average neighborhood boy Timmy (K'Sun Ray) seemed kind of lonely even without a pet, his mother (Carrie-Ann Moss) purchases a friendly and lovable ghoul named Fido (Billy Connelly) until one day in the park, as they play together the Collar malfunctions as he starts to attack and eat some innocent people. ZomCom's top specialist Mr. Bottoms moves across the street as he must try to find a way to control these raging creatures especially their relationships with humans.
Hilarious and exciting Sci-fi horror comedy from Canada is an instant cult classic! This gem is a brilliant satire on 50's culture and zombie movies alike, not since "Shaun of the Dead" or "Dead Alive" has there been a zombie comedy like this before. The acting is great including Connelly's performance as the title creature whom is a very "Frankenstein"-like beast that anyone can relate to, there is some gory zombie violence shown in the movie but not too graphic as most and there's over the top humor that will make you laugh.
This DVD contains good extras like audio commentary, deleted scenes with optional commentary, trailer, The Making of "Fido" featurette, storyboard with make-up and concept art galleries, and Zombie-Me creator DVD-Rom extra.
Also recommended: "Cemetery Man (a.k.a. Dellamorte Dellamore)", "Dawn of The Dead (1978 and 2004)", "Night of the Comet", "Shaun of the Dead", "Night of the Living Dead (1968 and 1990)", "Grindhouse", "Day of the Dead", "Dead Alive (a.k.a. Braindead)", "Re-Animator", "Night of the Creeps", "Land of the Dead", "Diary of the Dead", "Demons", "From Dusk Till Dawn", "Bride of Re-Animator", "Frankenstein (1931)", "Bride of Frankenstein", "Son of Frankenstein", "Dead and Breakfast", "Return of the Living Dead Trilogy", "Evil Dead II", "Pleasantville", "From Dusk Till Dawn", "Hell of the Living Dead", "Dead Heat (1988)", "Let Sleeping Corpses Lie (a.k.a. Living Dead at The Manchester Morgue)", "Bio-Zombie", "Beetlejuice", "The Monster Squad", "Slither" and "The Stuff".
