Dawn of the Dead (2022)

Load of rubbish!!

Highly Overrated But Still Good

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

This sequel in the Living Dead trio improved upon the original in almost every way. Romero directed this film a full decade after the first and the advancements in technology, technical effects, and a bigger budget take the zombie uprising premise and put a new and fascinating story to it, and explore new territory literally and figuratively. Dawn presents the idea better that this phenomenon was world-wide. While it is still mostly filmed in the shopping mall, similar to how the first's setting was solely filmed in an abandoned house, we get a picture of how serious the massacre is through aerial helicopter shots. We get continued racial undertones taken from Night, but these are extrapolated, and a new consumeristic theme is added into the mix. Romero makes the statement blunt, but he says it well: people buy, buy, buy mindlessly like zombies. He almost mocks the American public with how humorful he has all the zombies walking around and slipping on ice rinks and falling in ponds. This comedy was not present in the original, but it certainly was a welcome touch, and there was not a single time a joke or gag did not flop. This movie had me laughing out loud several times. Another improvement was in the special effects department. There is no shortage of gore and cheesy gross-out scenes (my favorite being a crowd of zombies pulling intestines out of a man). I can tell that they are fake, and perhaps if this movie took itself more seriously it would be a detriment, but I feel the over-the-top fake blood actually adds to the movie. The group of four - Stephen/Fly Boy (David Emge), Peter (Ken Foree), Roger (Scott H. Reiniger), and Francine (Gaylen Ross) - play their well-crafted characters fantastically, especially Ken Foree. There was a strong influence from Duane Jone's performance in the original coming through in his part. I thought the symbolism, which was lacking in the original, was a nice touch. And lastly, the steps the four took were smart and logical and had me guessing what would happen next. I really appreciate how Romero added a sort of meditative part halfway through. The characters have built a room and are experiencing restlessness and ennui as to what they could do next, wondering if they could be doing more to help others. Even though they were thrown into this situation, they are still products of their environment and resort to normal life no matter how drab it is, waiting for the excitement of a new purchase, a new hit. The only part that bugged me a little was that there were a few too many shots of zombies just walking around. They were funny, but they began feeling like a litany. But aside from that, it's a brilliant film, and I can't wait to get my hands on Day of the Dead.

Expecting a thrilling ride, I was suckered into renting this based on it's incredible reputation among horror fans, and critics alike. Quotes from notable film critics like Roger Ebert saying things like "The Best Horror Film Of All Time" and "Scariest Film Ever Made" are what made me have to see for myself. I now wish I hadn't wasted my time on this God-awful movie. How can a film as boring, cheesy, and lame as this one be so highly regarded? It looks as though the actors playing the zombies jumped into a pool of blue paint. They aren't scary or menacing in the slightest, and what probably contributes to that is the fact that they walk after their victims, at about a snail's pace.The film's first twenty minutes did have me briefly interested, but after the band of four survivors get into the mall, it all goes down hill from there and the pace really slows down. If you want to see a movie that's second half consists solely of bad actors crying and whining about stuff (not convincingly), then I suggest that you checkout "Dawn Of The Dead". Otherwise, if you don't want to fall asleep during a movie, there are plenty of other zombie films out there miles better than this one.Grade: D

As an avid fan of classic horror movies, Dawn of the Dead has been one of my favourites for many years now. I first saw the film when I was 13 years old when a newspaper was giving away copies of classic films each Sunday and this was the first one released. I played that disc to death until it simply refused to work anymore, which led me to purchase the film on DVD so that I could continue to admire George A. Romero's storytelling and the fact that, though a zombie movie on the surface, Dawn of the Dead is a lighthearted comedy which asks viewers; 'what would you do if you had a mall to yourself?'It's this aspect of the film that I take the most enjoyment from. While other zombie films, such as 28 Days Later and Zack Snyder's 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead, present a bleak view of a world ravaged by flesh eating creatures, which is an undeniably apt yet overused technique, Romero instead focuses upon the relationships that can be built when a small group of people are brought together and given free reign to do whatever they want. Mega malls were relatively new in America at the time of the film's release so there was much intrigue surrounding them, something that Romero uses to add a sense of fun to the film as the characters utilise the vast amount of items available to them. Though it is first and foremost a post-apocalyptic tale, the tone it establishes never feels out of place and though it never goes quite as far as Zombieland in terms of it's comedic moments, it proves to be hugely entertaining and allows the film to be watched countless times.Another aspect of the film I find extremely satisfying is the zombies themselves. Modern horror films always try and up the ante when it comes to providing scares which, when it comes to the zombie genre, means faster creatures in order to increase the tension felt by the audience. Dawn of the Dead, however, manages to provide a great amount of tension without relying on physically superior zombies, instead having it's creatures appear much slower than their modern day counterparts. The scene in which Peter (Ken Foree) and Roger (Scott Reiniger) block the entrances to the mall is a great example of how slower zombies can still provide tension and offer the characters a very real threat, one that though not always present within the film should always be kept in mind. Modern takes on the genre also provide audiences with a much more visceral experience through the use of violence and, though considered extreme at the time of its release, the zombie make up effects provided by Tom Savini, who also portrays a biker in the film, are rather simplistic and manage to keep the gore to a minimum, compared to contemporary horrors, while ensuring the creatures are taken seriously. Remember, a zombie isn't scary because it's covered in blood and has missing limbs, it's scary because it wants to eat you and won't stop until you've managed to destroy its brain, something which is realised within the film.While Zack Snyder's remake was a success both commercially and critically, it doesn't even come close to the magic that was captured within the 1978 original. Sure, the acting may be of a higher standard and the practical effects may be more impressive, if not slightly unnecessary depending who you ask, but as a complete product it failed to provide any social commentary or hidden message, instead opting to be an all out gore fest. Romero's Dawn of the Dead, however, has something very interesting to say about consumerism, a relatively new concept at the time. Peter states, upon their arrival at the mall, that the reanimated corpses of the deceased have begun to congregate there due to its significance to them whilst they were alive. Consumerism was such a large part of their day-to-day life that even in death; they continue to associate it with feelings of joy, despite not being able to feel much at all. Perhaps it is almost ironic that these people who consumed so many products within the mall whilst alive now consume the bodies of the living as they attempt to seek refuge from the apocalyptic world outside. The zombies within the film are used effectively as an example of the effect that consumerism has on people. If we were to remove the blue and grey makeup from the faces of the extras, they would not look too different from the general public shopping in a mall during the Boxing Day sales.The zombies alone, however, are not the sole example of consumerism on offer within the film. The four central characters, Peter, Roger, Steven and Francis, exist to show that even when society may be crumbling, people still rely on material items to make themselves feel comfortable. An example of this can be seen within the movie on one of the many 'supply runs' that the characters participate in. Rather than focus solely on the items that will be needed in order to help them survive, such as food, water, etc. – they also find time to do some 'light shopping'. It's a perfect example of how films can reflect our everyday lives and our values as a society and though it may not have been necessary to tell an entertaining story, it certainly makes it a more rewarding experience overall.

George A. Romero's follow-up to his cult classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD arrived some ten years later and featured a greatly expanded budget. While DAWN OF THE DEAD is a direct continuation of where the previous one left off (it's a few weeks later, the zombie virus is spreading rapidly, the rescue stations are closing down), the style of the two films couldn't be more different. While NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD was a basically a low-budget movie, filmed on just one set, DAWN OF THE DEAD in comparison feels like an epic; a huge setting, tons of zombies and plenty of special effects. We can only be grateful that Romero finally got the budget to do his zombie movies justice.This time around the film doesn't really concentrate on the conflict between the band of survivors (everybody gets along). Romero injects many of his own political views on feminism, society, etc., and also puts the film on multiple levels. In the first instance it's an action/horror movie, in the second it's a scathing satire on consumerism. Thankfully all this subtext don't detract from the main story, and once again the film succeeds in giving us characters to care about. While some might complain that the film might be a little long, cutting would have resulted in us perhaps losing some sympathy with the characters, losing their little ticks and habits, their expressions, their mentalities.To a mainstream viewer, the cast is completely obscure and unknown. However, Romero picks his actors well and everybody fits their role like a glove. Scott H. Reiniger plays probably the most one-dimensional character of the bunch, a SWAT man who gradually loses his grip with reality and suffers the consequences. David Emge is charismatic as an atypical action man with a conscience, who starts off as a novice and learns how to fend for himself throughout the course of the film. Gaylen Ross is the realist of the group, always in touch with the situation, excluded because of her gender, seeing that the mall they occupy isn't a play area but a prison. However it's Ken Foree who excels as the action man who's also intelligent, quick thinking and kind. The only other notable cast members are Tom Savini, SFX master, cameoing as a biker, and a small role for Joe Pilato, who went on to play Captain Rhodes in the next dead film, DAY OF THE DEAD.The special effects are emphasised as the real star of this film, and much is made of the high gore content. Not five minutes go by without zombies getting shot in the head and blood splattering, although all the real cannibalistic gore is saved until the finale and immediately follows some light relief, Romero cruelly playing with our feelings. Arms are torn off, sockets spraying gore, flesh is ripped from legs and necks. It's all pretty horrible and gruesome, and in some ways depressing too. So many zombies and people get killed in this film that you'll need a strong stomach to watch the prolonged bloodshed. It's most horrible when characters we care about get bitten, and Romero works up a lot of suspense from putting them in danger; the truck driving scene being a prime example, plus the lift bit at the end.The music is by Goblin, and is excellent; simplistic, yes, but catchy and downbeat. There are many comedic moments in the film to counter the horror (Romero obviously believed that comic relief should be included intentionally, so that rather than having viewers laugh at a film, they laugh with it instead), such as a zombie getting the top of his head sliced off by a helicopter rotor blade, or zombies falling off balconies and stumbling on escalators. However these silly bits never get in the way of the violence or true horror of the situation, and some bits are painful to watch, especially one scene where a sympathetic character is due to come back from the dead. The wait is unbearable. It is in these moments that we see the genius of Romero's film, as he explores all possibilities and facets of life in a world full of monsters. It's a huge film, it requires a concentrated effort to get through, but will reward on many levels depending on how you watch it.