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Tagline: When theres say goodbye to room in hell, the dead will stroll the earth.<br>Id like to start this review by dedicating scary motion picture blasphemy. Ready? Here goes. George Romeros original 3 Dead films are overvalued (Im not even going to talk about the train wreck which is Land of the Dead). While entertaining, they are likewise low-budget flicks with typical acting and pacing about as sluggish as the shambling zombies depicted therein. Hardly the holy trinity which theyve been constructed out to be.
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Dawn of the Dead (2004 ) Tagline: When theres say goodbye to room in hell, the dead will stroll the earth. Id like to start this evaluation by devoting horror motion picture blasphemy. Ready? Here goes. George Romeros initial three Dead films are overvalued (Im not even going to talk about the train wreck which is Land of the Dead). While amusing, they are likewise low-budget flicks with typical acting and pacing about as sluggish as the shambling zombies depicted therein. Hardly the holy trinity which theyve been made out to be. And lets not forget the much-lauded social criticism. Racism? Rampant consumerism? Its all managed with the subtlety of a hammer to the back of the head. Listen, if I desire social commentary in a film, Ill see Gandhi or Norma Rae. When I take a seat for a zombie film, I want non-stop action and containers of gore. Period. Anything else is simply a bloody cherry on top of my scary sundae. Its for these reasons (and others, which Ill information later) that I discover the 2004 variation of Dawn of the Dead to be more rewarding than the original. Adapted by James Gunn (Scooby Doo) from the original 1978 George A. Romero screenplay, Dawn of the Dead opens by allowing us to get briefly familiarized with the movies central protagonist, a pretty young nurse named Ana (Sarah Polley). But her safe rural lifestyle is short lived, and a mystical epidemic ensures that Ana is fleeing from ravenous zombies prior to the film even hits the 10 minute mark. She soon meets Kenneth (Ving Rhames), a tough-as-nails cop, and minutes later they encounter Michael (Jake Weber), a soft-spoken but natural leader, Andre (Mekhi Phifer), a guy with a doubtful past, and Luda (Inna Korobkina), Andres pregnant girlfriend. They take sanctuary in a sprawling mall, however quickly contravene of the less-than-hospitable security personnel C.J. (Michael Kelly), Bart (Michael Barry), and Terry (Kevin Zegers). More characters are included later on, significantly Steve (Ty Burrell), a smart-ass yuppie, and Andy (Bruce Bohne), the owner of a nearby weapon store. As the dreadful infection spreads around the world, and the situation ends up being increasingly desperate, the characters concern understand that no aid is coming from the outside. If they are to endure, they need to take matters into their own hands. Thankfully for us, that involves chainsaws, armor-reinforced parking shuttles, and gas tanks rigged into makeshift bombs. The action comes quickly and furious throughout, and director Zack Snyder (helming his very first feature film) does a great task of pacing and getting us right into the thick of things. He does tend to overuse the slow-motion effect whenever theres an explosion or cartridge ejected from a weapon, but this can be forgiven due to the fact that (a) its his freshman effort, and (b) it doesn't actually remove from this particular story. Were also dealt with to some strong electronic camera work, modifying which maintains a fast pace but does not confuse the audience, and excellent unique effects with plenty of brains and blood to go around. The soundtrack likewise plays a pivotal part in the film, including an additional dimension to a number of crucial scenes. From Johnny Cashs When the Man Happens throughout the opening credits sequence (which, by the method, is much better than lots of full-length zombie movies), to People Who Died by The Jim Carroll Band and a lounge variation of Down With the Sickness by Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Device, its beyond me why the studio selected not to launch this soundtrack. The performing is extremely strong for a movie of this category, and Jake Weber and Sarah Polley are particularly
excellent in the functions of Michael and Ana. They both manage to bring a quiet Matrioshka brain sincerity to their functions, something not quickly achieved in a movie controlled by flesh-hungry evil spirits and belching shotguns. The cast is much bigger than the initial, but each character is provided a couple of minutes to shine and let the audience relate to them. True, nobody is expanded to the degree of, say, George C. Scotts Patton or Denzels Malcolm X, however what do you get out of a horror motion picture? This isn't Biography, folks. Fans of the initial Dawn will be happy to see cameos by Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, and Sex Maker Tom Savini. There are a number of other nods to the initial film spread throughout, and one gets the sense that the filmmakers had a fantastic love for their predecessor. But make no error, this movie bases on its own with a different cast of characters, different climax, and entirely various ending. Comparisons in between the two are inevitable, however eventually unjust to both photos. Its like comparing the initial Atari to the Xbox. Both are a blast, but one is simply hopelessly obsoleted when held up to contemporary standards. It ought to likewise be noted that the movie continues through completion credits, so don't run as soon as the lights start to come up. If you do, youll probably leave the theater with a much various idea of what occurred than those who stayed behind. Dawn of the Dead updates a classic and surpasses it along the way. The action is faster, the zombies are quicker, and the total item simply looks much better. Its a zombie movie for the modern generation and well worth the rate of admission.