Dawn of the Dead (2004)

HALLOWEEN REVIEWS 2022

Director: Zack Snyder

Writers: James Gunn, 1978 screenplay by George A. Romero

Stars: Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, Mekhi Phifer, Ty Burrell, Michael Kelly, Kevin Zegers, Michael Barry, Lindy Booth

A small group of survivors holes up in a shopping mall in order to survive a plague of zombies, who can only be stopped by destroying their brains.

 

Other than the absence of social commentary, the most obvious difference between this film and George Romero's original is the fact that these zombies are fast runners.

 

This ratchets up the scare factor in the early part of the film by making this version of the undead that much more dangerous and inescapable. 

However, it soon becomes clear that the characters in this film, many of whom are inexperienced with guns, will still be able to make as many head shots as necessary to ensure that the scenes play out as the script demands. 

There are a number of particularly implausible escapes that feel very Hollywood and break the verisimilitude of the story in a way that the original never did. 

Still, there is plenty of gore and several good scares, even if it does become a bit tiresome by the end.