DAWN OF THE DEAD
This is not about the original 1978 Dawn of the Dead. This is about the 2004 Dawn of the Dead. The Zack Snyder Dawn of the Dead. This is Zack Snyder’s first film, and it’s pretty damn fun; or at least it’s starts off being pretty fun and then kind of just continues for a bit, being whatever, until eventually it’s over.
Honestly, I’ve never really understood the Snyder worship. I don’t hate him, and I frothed over 300 as much as anybody else when it first arrived in theatres, and I even loved Watchmen(‘s opening credit sequence). But what’s with this undying devotion to the man? Is it Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole? Is that the big one for everybody?
Despite not understanding where all of the Snyder love comes from I will say this though – this Dawn of the Dead is better than the original. I know, I know, I know. I know. I know! But.. dare I say this? I don’t care about George A. Romero. I know he invented the zombie genre and for that I’ll be forever indifferent. But I don’t think his movies are that good. You ever seen Land of the Dead? Yawn. This might not be as smart as his original film but I think it’s more fun. And for that I am truly sorry.
This one stars Sarah Polley as Ana, who is great. Sarah Polley is the best. It’s also got Ving Rhames as Sergeant Kenneth Hall and a pre-Modern Family Ty Burrell, back when he got cast as assholes instead of goofy dads. And they’re all trapped inside a mall and there are zombies coming to the mall. The whole ‘zombies are humans going about their shopping routines’ thing is better handled in the 1978 version, and this one is – surprise, surprise for a Zack Snyder film – less interested in nuance.
Where would I fit into Dawn of the Dead? Heck, I love me a shopping mall as much as anybody. My late teens were also spent in that mindless activity of going to a place where there are shops and wandering around for a bit before settling into the food court until enough time passed that you could call it a successful day of activity and you returned home. I remember being nineteen and feeling like an adult because a bunch of mates & I stayed later than usual and had dinner at a Hog’s Breath in a shopping centre one time. So yeah, I reckon you could find me in Dawn of the Dead.
IF I WERE IN 'DAWN OF THE DEAD' I WOULD: DIE BEFORE EVEN GETTING THE CHANCE TO SEE THAT THE FOOD COURT ALSO HAD A SHAKE SHACK.
