Top notch action/horror entertainment

Rating: 9/10 (16 April 2004)

I am a huge horror movie buff, but the movies that I consider 'quality' horror films, either high rate horror or blissfully B-budget masterpieces are few and far between. When I heard that they were remaking Romero's Dawn, the first thought in my mind was that this one was going to suck...hard. Then I saw the 10 minute preview on tv prior to the movie's release, and I was very impressed. It was at that point I said what the hay, and I decided to do what I usually do when a new horror film comes out...cough up the 6 bucks and blindly give it a chance, expecting the wor st but hoping for the best.
I was totally blown away by this remake. The acting, direction and dialogue are all very compelling and well done. I know, I'm surprised I'm actually saying this about a horror film, but it's true (even a good number of the self righteous critics out there praised this one, which is a feat within itself for any horror film). The cast do an incredible job with fleshing out their characters, and making us give a damn about most of them. Sure, you have you 'zombie fodder' stock characters including the cynical smartass metrosexual, the blonde slut, the clueless and scared girl, the gun totin' redneck, and others, but they all play their characters' one of two traits very well and convincingly (even Matt Frewer...that's right, Max Headroom, has a small part in this as the ill-fated father of one of the survivors). In addition to this, we also have an interesting combination of main characters, all of whom are played well, and play their stereotypes well, but each give a hint of confliction that makes them all interesting.

***Possible Spoilers*** For example, one character, played by Michael Kelly portrays the token remorseless self serving jerk, a character who most of the audience loathes and knows will get his comeuppance, but then completes a 180 halfway through and becomes one of the heroes. This character to me, was the most compelling, and the unexpected transformation was a welcome change from the usual bad guy in a panic situation (i.e. Cooper from Night of the Living Dead). Others are Jake Weber's Michael, a guy who wants to do right and lives through practicality, yet find confliction when faced with killing someone who is infected, along with Sarah Polley, whose character also wants to do the right thing, but thinks with her emotions more than what is happening in reality. And of course Ving Rhames, whose tough guy character opens a soft spot for a stranded survivor ontop a roof across the street whose only means of communication is holding up a dry erase board and writing messages back and forth. Speaking of this character, Andy, gun shop owner stranded on his roof, this was an excellent addition to the story and made for a compelling subplot.
**End of Spoilers***
Though for all it's greatness, there are still moments of pure stupidity where you literally want to scream at the characters for their lack of common sense (scenes where no sane person would ever do, no matter how rattled by stress or fear) but for a horror movie, these scenes are surprisingly few and far between. This isn't the social commentary that Romero made, this is a film on it's own that only borrows the zombies (who now run at supersonic speed) and the shopping mall from him. This is an entirely new film and it succeeds at being what it wants to be...a slick action film with thrilling suspense. I think in a lot of respects, this movie beats the original in terms of characterization.

A lot of ppl praise the original and say this movie is nowhere near it...I used to love the original, but after watching it again recently am a little shocked I ever loved such a movie with horrible acting, no character development, crappy effects makeup and the most horrendous musical score I have ever heard in a movie. Granted I still enjoy the original, but my point is that the new dawn exceeds in many areas where the original failed.
At any rate, this is the best horror film I have seen in years...it is exciting, humorous, and a very bloody good time at the movies. It is not going to win oscars, but it is going to win over many more ppl when it comes out on dvd. This is a horror film buff's wetdream...an actioner that provides the scares, suspense and dark humor. 9/10 stars.