Dead Again

Rating: 7/10 (22 July 2009)

Zack Snyder's "Dawn of the Dead" gets off to a shaky start by not improving upon the original "Night of the Living Dead" image of the innocent neighbor girl turned brain-eating zombie (1968's cellar dwelling Kyra Schon was the original). But, by the time nurse heroine Sarah Polley (as Ana) hits the road, all is forgiven. This film lives up to its DVD sleeve description: "When a mysterious virus turns people into mindless, flesh-eating zombies, a handful of survivors wage a desperate, last-stand battle to stay alive and human! Exploding with terrifying surprises and nerve-shredding fun, 'Dawn of the Dead' is an edge-of-your-seat thrill-ride." This one doesn't make the same subtle points as the earlier "Dead" films (real or imagined), it's predictable, and it tailspins in a dumb ending. Still, its strengths are considerable; the debut direction, dynamic relationships, superior gore effects, and excellent characterizations are... to die for.
******* Dawn of the Dead (3/10/04) Zack Snyder ~ Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber