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Zombies Return for Upgraded Remake of Cheesy Fright Flick

Review by Kam Williams

In 1968, George Romero made Night of the Living Dead on a budget of just $114,000. That gloomy, apocalyptic screamfest in b&w revolved around a plague, which was slowly turning humanity into a race of flesh-eating zombies. Despite the overindulgence in blood and guts, the picture managed to become an instant cult classic among the stronger of stomach, because the thought-provoking production delivered several, subtle social statements while it scared you.

Ten years later (1978), with $1,500,000 at his disposal, writer/director Romero shot a long overdue, color sequel. This was the disappointing Dawn of the Dead, a partially-dubbed, awfully-acted, unintentionally-comical, cheesy and corny B-movie. Still, because that film grossed $40 million, its creator was able to complete the scary trilogy seven years later with the Day of the Dead, the least impressive in his cannibalistic horror series.

Although a 1990 remake of Night of the Living Dead flopped miserably at the box office, that didn't discourage newcomer Zack Snyder from attempting another version of Dawn of the Dead. This British wunderkind's prior claim to fame came courtesy of his memorable television commercials for companies like Audi, Jeep, Nike, Budweiser, Subaru and Reebok, all noted for a clever combination of compact storytelling with panoramic cinematography, allowing for an engaging sense of place.

Snyder stands poised to make a successful transition from TV ads to full-length features. For his inspired directorial debut not only eclipses the Romero original but also measures up well against the very best of the genre. This faithful remake follows the first's plotline, except for employing A-list actors, state-of-the-arts special effects, and a revised script updated to consider present-day sensibilities.

Though the core cast of characters has been expanded from a quartet to a baker's dozen, the story is still essentially the desperate struggle for survival among a motley crew of frightened strangers, forced by dire circumstances to cooperate or else perish. Again, they take refuge inside of a mall, though this one is located in Wisconsin instead of Pennsylvania.

 To make it easy to keep the ensemble straight, the principal players are recognizable archetypes. There's Ana (Sarah Polley), the cool, calm, collected nurse; Kenneth (Ving Rhames), the beefy, brave and burly cop; Andre (Mekhi Phifer), the street-wise ghetto gangsta'; Luda (Inna Korobkina) the expectant young wife; Michael (Jake Weber), the loser with a last chance to prove himself a hero; CJ (Michael Kelly); the itchy-fingered, mistrusting, mall security guard; Steve (Ty Burrell), the sarcastic wisecracker; Nicole (Lindy Booth), the altruistic animal lover; Andy (Bruce Bohne), the isolated loner; and so forth.

Their insatiable adversaries, meanwhile, are man-eating, human cadavers who crave flesh. The kicker is that anyone these zombies attack also comes back to life as a member of their ever-increasing army of the undead. Hope for the planet rests with a pseudo-scientific discovery, for it seems that the only methods of permanently eliminating the creatures are either cremation or a shot to the brain.

Besides a few funny and welcome humorous asides, which break up the tension, Dawn of the Dead keeps the pedal to the gruesome metal, making the movie a most relentlessly harrowing experience. And don't arrive even a minute late, since before the opening credits have a chance to roll, the camera follows nurse Annie for an unforgettable, terror-filled, roller coaster ride around her hometown, suddenly transformed by a swarm of malevolent invaders into a hellhole of suburban slaughter.

Credit director Snyder's aforementioned forte' for the breathtaking shots which come into play, here, which frame the unfolding chaos oh so chillingly and convincingly. Kudos to a superb cast, too, for taking their roles seriously. Guaranteed to induce nightmares.

Excellent (4 stars)

Rated R for pervasive, graphic and gory violence, very disturbing images, profanity, brief nudity and some sexuality.

Ving Rhames and Mekhi Phifer discuss the making of Dawn of the Dead.

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