Scary, funny, and respectful of its source material...

Rating: Null/10 (18 March 2004)

I love George Romero's Dawn of the Dead.
Let's just get that straight right off the bat. And - I saw it in a real live movie theatre way back in 1981 (at a midnight double bill with "Assault on Precinct 13!).
When I first heard about this remake (or "re-imagining"), I (like many of you reading this) was SO incredibly offended that someone would attempt to mess with perfection. After all - Dawn of the Dead IS one of the greatest horror films ever made (hell - even the critics loved it!).
To add insult to injury, the screenwriter of "Scooby Doo" was hired to write the screenplay (sure he got his start with Troma, but is that REALLY anything to brag about??), and a first-time "music-video" director was in charge (oh, goody).
Well, I just got home from the premiere, and let me tell you - just like Marcus Nispel's incredible 're-imagining' of TCM last year, the group behind this Dawn redux has crafted an absolutely terrifying, nail-biting gorefest that re-imagines the original, while respecting the source material.
Check your worries at the door and just enjoy it. While it retains the basic premise (people are dying, coming back to life as flesh-eaters, while a few survivors hide out in a mall), this is a completely different animal - similar in name only.
If this film is as big a hit as last year's TCM and Freddy vs Jason, expect a glut of remakes of 70s/80s remakes. If they're all made with as much affection and respect for the genre, then I say bring it on.
This "remake" is as much a product of 21st-Century filmmaking trends as the original is a prime example of 1970's filmmaking. In other words - if mtv-style editing and CGI turn you off, you may be unpleasantly shocked by this film. If, however, you go in with an open, horror-fan mind - you'll be giddy with excitement.
After suffering through a few years of studio-sanctioned garbage like 'Valentine' and 'Urban Legends...", it's nice to see some really brilliant stuff sneak through the cracks....