In a nutshell, a successful horror-thriller.

Rating: Null/10 (9 June 2004)

In a nutshell, a successful horror-thriller.
Now that's no easy feat, as experience reminds us that so many aspiring "horror" movies do not even get close to scaring a single hair on you. Horror-thriller films should be what they are: to horrify and thrill. They have a narrower and more specific goal than other movie genres so they are judged on the single most important criterion: effectiveness. Dawn of the Dead fulfills this criterion well.
In fact, Dawn of the Dead is remarkable as a horror movie because it additionally has good character development, a believable plot (once you get pass to believing that zombies can exist and indeed are walking the earth), and UNOBTRUSIVE soundtrack which most other horror movies unfortunately lack, or many other non-horror movies lack for that matter. There is therefore not an element of forced manipulation as far as the soundtrack is concerned unlike some films of late like Troy and Van Helsing wherein you literally detect you are supposed to feel a certain emotion at a particular segment in the movie.
The actors and actresses are relatively unknown in this one, which is good for a horror film because some very popular ones you just can't believe will be doing horror and so distracts you, unless of course they offer gripping plot, but that's another matter.
Some 20 minutes into the movie, you'll begin to wonder how they might possibly sustain and prolong the story for another 60 minutes or so because the story seemed to have kicked off very prematurely. I expected the zombies to surface out on screen somewhere in the middle and they will have to work gradually before this point is reached. Remarkably again, the story kept on! How they did it you will have to watch for yourself.
This movie should remind you of another recent British-made horror movie "28 Days Later". The plot and setting are very similar but the tone and style differ significantly. 28 Days Later feel dead serious throughout and feels very heavy and dark. It does psyche you in a weird way. Dawn has more color, is traditional, and infused with some fun. Overall, neither is superior to the other however.
Personally, I think there are 2 endings and it's weird you can actually choose which one, and this is no DVD option. I will not describe the ending but you may wish to leave the theatre right after the screen blackens out in the end, right before the end credits roll, and that can be 'your' ending; or, you can elect to stay further and watch chopped video segments unfold in between credits and that can be another ending. (BTW, this is not the same as Return of the King's multiple but protracted endings.) Now isn't this something?