A Fantastic Fear of Everything

It's really great seeing Simon Pegg playing it as straight as possible, because it enhances the horror part of the movie. There still is comedy bits in there (the whole idea is kind of crazy to begin with), but it gets mixed well with those really great shocking moments throughout the movie.

An important character gets introduced very late in the movie, which can be viewed as a mistake or something bad, but even that sort of works for the movie. And it works because it is mainly a one man show. Heavy lifting that Mr. Pegg is able to do. The audio commentary on the disc of course showcases his sense of humor again. Not only for his fans, but for everyone who likes quirky and weird movies.

For any fans of Simon Pegg or independent cinema who may potentially be discouraged from viewing this film due to the low ratings, don't be fooled! "A Fantastic Fear of Everything" is an incredibly well-done film from start to finish. Pegg delivers a brilliant performance as an agoraphobic writer attempting to delve into the world of Victorian killers for a new book project. His paranoia forces him into a number of hilariously unfortunate and unexpected situations. This is not your typical middle school toilet humor nor does the film set up jokes you can see coming a mile away.

Overall, the film is humorous, entertaining, and incorporates a number of dark, unorthodox story-telling features (including bits of animation). Therefore, if you primarily enjoy big-budget blockbusters or expect that every film featuring Simon Pegg to be "Shaun of the Dead" that sadly, you will probably not enjoy this film. However, if you appreciate story-telling, exemplar acting, and something a little different than the norm, I would highly recommend this film.

I bought tickets to this movie for its premier at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival based on the trailer alone and went in with some trepidation after checking its IMDb rating and reading some critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

Having seen the movie tonight, I can honestly say I feel like I'm from another planet then those reviewers. I absolutely loved this film! It was hilarious, creepy, intelligent, and unique. I was roaring through the whole thing, and it wasn't just me! The entire theater was rolling in their seats! The directer, Chrispian Mills was there and I stayed afterwords to shake his hand and tell him I am now a fan. There was a line of people wanting do the same thing.

I made an IMDb account specifically to tell you to pay no attention to the negative critic ratings. If you've seen the trailer and you think it looks like something you'd enjoy, then for God sakes go see it!

I was feeling very down one evening and wanted to watch something that would distract me from my thoughts. I went through a couple of lists of so-called "feel-good movies" but after realising that I can't take advice from anyone that finds the Hangover funny (no offence, just different tastes), I decided to see what Simon Pegg has been up to, as Shaun of the Dead is one of my biggest favourites.

This isn't Shaun of the Dead, and if you watch it expecting it to be, you will be bitterly disappointed, as others have said. However, the movie still has a certain dark humour, which I greatly enjoyed, and it carries a story, which for me was very meaningful.

The first half of the movie might seem a bit dragged-out (I enjoyed it though, perhaps because I know all too well how easy it is to think yourself crazy, so I was able to relate to some of what was going on on the screen), but the second half is truly excellent The negative reviews were a bit too harsh in my opinion and that was what prompted me to write one of my own. I'm not going to say you are guaranteed to like it, all I want to do is suggest you give this movie a chance, you might be pleasantly surprised.

The script is intelligent, the direction is smart, the "camera move" is supreme and Simon Pegg's performance is outstanding. It's a black comedy with a rather 80's touch that renders the whole atmosphere so mystical and hysterical. The humor is totally "black" orchestrated with extreme behavioral moods, spastic grimaces, and unbelievable dream sequences that you'd love to watch over and over again. The character Simon Pegg is playing, is a kind of paranoid intelligent looser that is trapped between 2 worlds. The fears and insecurity he has carried over from the past (as a kid) have reached a point where they've become phobias, projecting outwardly in schizophrenic behavior. The character believes or rather is obsessed with the idea that he is going to be murdered. I am not going to say anything more about the plot as it's worth seeing it afresh.

This film captures some amazing ingredients of good black comedy films: mystical atmosphere, sound/music synchronization with sudden camera moves, funny faces (extreme), smart script, dream sequences and spontaneous direction. It's British humor, which I personally love, with a few deeper meanings (behind the whole phobia thing projected from a traumatized subconscious which tries to come to peace with the past).

Having read a few other reviews before watching it, I must say that I find it sad that people expect American style productions and high budgets in order to like a film. How rare good comedies are these days? I loved the film and if you like black comedy and other Simon Pegg's movies I suppose you'll at least like it, since it carries a cinematic seriousness in its humor.