Some good twists, but overall a disappointment as a remake

Rating: 6/10 (20 March 2004)

If you can forget this is a remake, it's not bad for an "escape" movie. It's got enough gore and action to keep you entertained, but for a moderate stretch in the middle where not much happens. The opening sequence is absolutely terrifying, and pulled me right in with it's chaotic apocalyptic nightmare. Once the characters get to the "mall," however, things slow down to a pace that makes me a little bored.
The audience is never made to feel like the zombies outside are a real threat to the living in the mall. The atmosphere is not bleak-- rather, you can almost forget about what's happening outside as the characters have fun inside the mall. There's even comic relief (there were no comic moments in the original; it was completely dark). I suppose this part of the movie was supposed to be about character development, but the movie even fails at that. Most of the character development is shallow, stereotypical, and it is difficult to understand the motivations behind some of the characters' actions.
While it may seem like I hated the movie, the last thirty minutes or more are edge-of-your-seat thrilling, so the payoff is good. As far as comparing this movie with the original, I would definitely call this movie a disappointment. It's too flashy! There is slick heavy metal music, blatant product placement, comedy, and cheap attempts to make you feel emotional without anything deep or philosophical under it. The original made you feel as if something terrible had happened to humanity. This film only makes you feel as if something terrible has happened to the characters in the film, most of which you could care less about.