Largely a popcorn flick, but one of the better ones

Rating: 8/10 (13 October 2009)

I base this upon the Director's Cut. However, I saw this at the theater, as well. There are new story sequences(among other things, making CJ likable), and the movie also gets bloodier. This remake of the 1978 classic that it shares a title with has the zombies running(I think which appears more comical is a matter of taste), and takes a stylized approach(note that it is not as indulgent as what Zach did on 300 and Watchmen, I believe he reserves that for graphic novel adaptations), without the form overshadowing the content. Apart from a marvelous look and awesome action(there are those that would say that it overshadows the horror; just don't forget, this has plenty of creepiness, jump scares that pay off, unforgettable disturbing content and bone-chilling atmosphere, also it adds stuff that, if it has been seen before in the sub-genre, it's certainly been a long time since it was), this actually does engage the viewer, and at least for the 100 minute running time, you care about these people, though you'll definitely find some to hate(and this does use a couple of clichés). Snyder is no Romero, but to be fair, he really isn't trying to be. He's got his own voice, and it's nicely distinctive without attracting too much attention to itself. This goes for comedy to a greater extent than the 'real' "Dead" films, and typically succeeds. There is a little satire, and it's spot-on, perfectly delivered. The acting is mixed. There are a couple of impeccable performances. The pace is even, and mostly quite fast. This never loses your interest, and, for the right audience, it is a satisfying viewing experience. There is graphic and brutal gore, brief nudity, a moderate amount of strong language, and of course what I've already mentioned. The DVD comes with an introduction to the version, five deleted scenes, three featurettes(one of them, along with Andy's Lost Tape, have separate pages here on the site, and I will comment on them there), and a cringe-inducingly corny and overlong production called Special Report. I recommend this to any fan of this type of cinema. 8/10