Finally A Good Modern Zombie Film!

Rating: 8/10 (15 December 2004)

**MILD SPOILERS***
This film works. The reason, quite simply, is moderation. Now moderation may be a strange concept in a zombie film, but it is the reason that so many modern gore and horror films have failed. Yes, Dawn Of The Dead is bloody. Yes it is violent. You can't really go too far with those elements when killing the undead is an integral part of your story but it is story that is most often sacrificed in favour of more killing. This film doesn't fall into that trap. Back to moderation:
1)Horror movies in general rely on some degree of macho stereotypes and dialogue. Dawn Of The Dead is no different, but they keep it to a minimum and characters like Sarah Polley's are there to diffuse it before you are overwhelmed by it. The macho one-liners and tag lines serve their purpose well, creating the campy comic relief that makes these movies fun without sending the film all the way into the category of ridiculous pumped up action film.
2)Some comments here have accused the film of using a lot of CGI. They're wrong. I hate overuse of CGI and this film holds back, favouring the good old method of making up hundreds upon hundreds of extras (watch the special features on the DVD if you don't believe me). A good special effects team who hire quality local make-up artists and stunt personnel can still outdo the best CGI effects and this movie is a prime example. House Of The Dead went cheap on the make-up and put all their eggs in the CGI basket  wrong choice. This film gets it right.
3)Sappy, passive females and tacked on love stories will ruin a fun, fast-paced horror/slasher film every time. There is a little of that here, but it is inventive  a pregnant couple, brief 'the world is ending' sex, and a sacrifice ending that actually avoids being heavy-handed. I was surprised. Very surprised. Good job.
4)Modern heavy music has come to replace ominous synth pads and orchestral atmosphere in the genre. Dawn Of The Dead mixes both quite well. A few well placed contemporary tracks serve to update the feel without turning it into a music video or a vehicle by which to sell a soundtrack album.
5)Editing. The new school seems to be obsessed with fast cuts and rock video pacing (28 Days Later relies on the digital format and its editing tricks - and loses tons of atmosphere because of it). This does nothing to build tension, suspense or fear. I'm not saying that Dawn Of The Dead is by any means a Tartovsky art film, but they at least let the camera linger a little longer than 2 seconds and you can get a sense of the isolation with some well designed long shots and single takes. The juxtaposition between the ominously empty mall and the claustrophobic streets is well conceived and executed.
Recent films like 28 Days Later and House Of The Dead didn't find a way to use these elements in moderation and the results were laughable, annoying, and just plain awful. Kudos to the Dawn Of The Dead team for making a zombie movie that is true to the genre, true to its history and yet, still a watchable and wildly entertaining film. In the end, the film pulls off being engaging, suspenseful, realistic (in context of course), and still a heck of a lot of campy, gory fun. Recommended to all sceptics of remakes and modern horror!