enjoying things for what they are...

Rating: Null/10 (10 April 2004)

i have been a long time romero fan, as well as a fan of horror genre in general. it is rather unfortunate that the genre rarely produces films that can make the hair on the back of your neck stand up...realistic fiction is usually scarier ie; se7en, requiem for a dream, kalifornia, henry, portrait of a serial killer etc etc etc...
that said, i was extremely excited when i saw the first trailers for dotd2004...when i was a little kid, my dad took me to see the original, and i had nightmares for a month solid. of course i own the original and i have viewed it many many times. what i find so satisfying about the "re-make" is that it doesn't try to be exactly what the original was at all. it is a creative re-telling of the story, taking liberties and paying homage simultaneously. the shot-for-shot remake of psycho, for example, is a complete failure.
knowing the budget limitations of romero's original film, it is brilliant, i dont know why so many people think that it is such a huge social commentary about consumerism. yes, the concept is there, but i think so many are trying to recontextualize his 1978 film and look at it in terms of where film making has gone since then. it's a HORROR movie!!!
dotd2004 is, as well. it is enjoyable, a fun ride, and hopefully it will lead to a day of the dead "re-make" as well as romero's as yet un-made 4th and final installment in the zombie series which so far, 2 studios have promised money for, then rescinded the offers.
to those who hated this film, perhaps you were going in expecting much more than this genre usually delivers, or wanting an exact replica of the original. it is what it is, and i feel that both films can co-exist, albeit, as tomes of their respective eras and budgets. for people who are skeptics going in, i have one word of advice before you see ANY film, MATINEE.