29 Days Later?

Rating: 1/10 (20 March 2004)

Someone pointed out to me that 28 Days Later was not persay a zombie film... and true as that may be, my contention is that Zack Snyder's (who) Dawn redux is no more a zombie film than 28 Days. It is poorly scripted (by Scooby Doo's James Gunn, so what did we expect?) and more closely resembles a sequel to 28 Days Later than a reworking of the classic film it is intended be based on. Sure this one also takes place in a mall, and has cameos from 3 actors from the original, but where the Texas Chainsaw redux created an intriguing, suspenseful and original take on the 1974 film, it also captured the essence of Tobe Hooper's classic. Dawn 2004 captures none of that. This film supposes that none of us have seen NOTLD or DOTD(1978) and tries to pull us in with a dizzying 10 minute prologue, which is taught and well constructed but ultimately leads us to... well NOTHING!!! A bunch of people you don't care about talking, talking and talking some more and for good measure they kill a couple of "zombies" so we don't forget what the movie is supposed to be about. Some stupid comic relief for those who can't handle the "horror" (if you can call it that) and then the breakneck final act which is edited in that MTV, shaky cam (Blair Witch), cut every nanosecond pace in which the "zombie" attacks in 28 days were edited or for that matter any typical "Fast and the Furious" action film of the past decade which is geared to appease the no-attention-span video game playing fans who make this kind of crap so successful at the box office. There were NO scares in this movie, every moment was predictable and formulaic. The attempt at character development via the silly and overlong conversations that took place around the coffee shop only served to bog down the film and I for one nearly left the theater 45 minutes in. Not a memorable performance among the leads. The best moments came from Tom Savini and Ken Foree in brief cameos. Ving Rhames even disappoints and one can only hope that Jack Lemmon hung on to that Oscar that Ving gave him. The film had some (too few to mention) moments, but then so do reruns of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" With the recent releases of films like Wrong Turn, Cabin Fever and the TCM redux I was beginning to think there was hope for the horror genre, but after seeing DOTD 2004, I say let the dead STAY dead for now and cross my fingers that George A. can get his 4th dead film made. Any TRUE zombie fan who LIKED this movie needs a lobotomy. When there's no more room in hell... the dead will continue walking right past this waste of time!