Superior to Romero

Rating: 9/10 (15 October 2009)

Note: my opinions will cause a furor to die hard fans of the original.
I am old enough to remember watching Romero's original. Even as a teen, it struck me that the acting was bad, the zombies looked blue and some of the pacing was poor. The scope of this movie feels much bigger.
Synders remake is superior in every way. Starting with the cast. the acting is just fine for the horror genre. The characters are less cardboard and cartoony than in Romeros. The effects are consistent and more realistic. The zombies are far higher quality and in more advanced states of decay, not just "blue". In this version, the zombies run. This didn't sit will with fans of the original. Given that the undead are a relentless menace that can be anywhere, this story amps them up. They have primitive hunting skills, strength like a human on meth, and they don't hesitate. They can climb and perform simple tasks. They are far more believable as a menace than slow, dumb, ambling zombies. you can't just pie these zombies in the face like a black comedy, they will run you down. They will stalk you like a rabid wolf, so you can't just cross an fence or climb a ladder and be safe.
This films pace is far better, it does not lag like the original. The sub plot of Andy in his gun shop is masterful addition to play off in the story. You feel genuine sympathy for the character. You also feel a sense of hope when the cast develops a solution to escaping the mall situation. When they are escaping, there is a iconic scene of throngs of zombies you won't forget. It's an awesome spectacle that really sells the idea that they are outnumbered 400,000 to 1 by the undead.
This movie does not resort to camp like the original, and there is a lot of action, and a lot of gore. It has a much glossier feel to it than the original and holds up to repeated viewings much better. I suggest you watch it in black and white for a different experience. This is the best (serious) zombie movie since night of the living dead. it is underrated by the rabid fans of the original. Young people who see this version first will not enjoy the original. They will look at the original as a cheap movie with slow, stupid zombies. If you like zombie movies, this is top shelf.