The year 1968 marked the beginning of the zombie horror flicks, starting with the classic “Night of the Living Dead.” George A. Romero made what would be the first of several zombie films. The premise was: when there is no more room in hell the dead will walk the earth. The dead fed on the living and for the living it was a fight for survival of the human race. Years later, Romero put out a colored and more modern remake of “Night of the Living Dead.” Soon after this followed the original “Dawn of the Dead.” This film didn’t get as much recognition as the previous version of “Night of the Living Dead.” The movie seemed to run too long at 126 minutes, and with not so great acting it was more humorous than really scary. In 1997 Romero put out the third zombie film “Day of the Dead” which completed the trilogy of “Night,” “Dawn,” and “Day.”
Zack Snyder directed the newly featured remake of “Dawn of the Dead,” for which James Gunn wrote the screenplay (the only other movie Gunn wrote was “Scooby Doo”). Snyder’s remake followed the premise of Romero’s but changed the details and the ending. The movie takes place in the city of Everett, Wis. where an unknown disease is attacking and taking over the region. How the virus began no one knows, but it is known that it passes through bites. Anyone who is bitten by the infected zombies dies and then comes back to life as a mindless flesh-eating corpse.
With nowhere to go, an elite group of random survivors head to the Crossroads Mall to seek safety and shelter. The group consists of a nurse named Ana (Sarah Polley), cop Kenneth (Ving Rhames), average guy Michael (Jake Weber), and a couple expecting a baby, Andre (Mekhi Phifer) and Luda (Innna Korobkina). At the mall, the group runs into three security guards who at first pose a problem to the survivors but end up making major sacrifices for the majority of the group. Along the way, more survivors join the group. Internal complications occur, with disagreements causing the suspense to head in directions leading away from Romero’s original version.
A more imaginative, modern and faster-moving zombie adds more suspense leaving the viewer tense with anticipation at all moments. Although the movie does seem to exhibit many similarities from that of the recently released “28 Days Later,” including fast-moving and abnormally strong ghouls, it is still a stomach clamping unique screamer. Opening with an immediate scare leaves viewers sitting on the edges of their seats, waiting for more startling unexpected scares. One should be prepared for seat-jumping and arm-flailing moments. Eating popcorn or holding a drink may not be the best idea, for the welfare of fellow viewers around you. For all you movie-goers who are quick to leave the theater the moment the credits start to roll, you need to stay seated. Snyder’s style of concluding the movie between credits makes the ending unpredictable. The big screen providers the audience with the perfect atmosphere that grabs your insides and makes your heart skip a beat. So for all you horror fans, this graphic and gruesome horror is definitely worth going to see.