By Jim Shea

Instead of the slogan “when there’s no room left in hell, the dead will walk the earth” after viewers watch this remake of Dawn of the Dead, they’ll be thinking, “When Hollywood runs out of ideas, it’s time for a remake.” While last year’s remake of Texas Chainsaw Massacre received mixed reviews, some people threw caution to the wind for this updated version of George Romero’s 1976 cult film, Dawn of the Dead.

At first, many critics cried foul when writers for the Dawn of the Dead called for the zombies to become speedy runners which definitely ripped off 28 Days Later. No, this isn’t a serious problem for the Dawn of the Dead remake, but a major concern for fans of the original film is whether or not director Zack Synder can live up to the Dawn of the Dead name.

Ideally, most zombie movies are supposed to have a sense of suspense and horror and Dawn of the Dead does just that. A common mistake most movie viewers have while watching remakes is that they are expecting a carbon copy of that particular movie. While the 2004 version of Dawn of the Dead takes the concept of zombies roaming the Earth and survivors fending for themselves inside a mall from the original version, another aspect the 2004 version does take from the 1976 version is the fun you’ll have. It’s kind of odd that a zombie/horror movie is taken this light-heartedly, but you wonder if the actors are being too melodramatic or presenting themselves like this on purpose. Yes, this film has some of the gaudiest script-writing you’ll ever see, but if you look at the general audience for this movie, they won’t care since they’re not expecting much from the acting.

Past the laughable dialogue, there were sporadic moments of terror during Dawn of the Dead that will be quite “claustrophobic.” However, after the first half of the film, it then focuses on high-adrenaline action without losing its wittiness. For you “hardcore” zombie film viewers, the gore and blood remain intact for Dawn of the Dead as seen with a couple of blood-splattering scenes.

This Dawn of the Dead remake may not be the brightest acting from big names like Ving Rhames or Mekhi Phifer, but you’ll understand why some of the acting can either get goofy or bland during the film. Lead actress Sarah Polley as Nurse Ana may be way too perky for some, but besides that, this film actually follows several of the main characters during the film with each character having a conflict of their own. Fans of the original film should take note of the cameos made by original cast members during a segment of Dawn of the Dead. As for the gruesome scenes scattered throughout the film, you can be certain on one thing; you will squirm during the pregnancy scene.

Dawn of the Dead may not be the smartest movie, but it does live up to expectations and makes an enjoyable film to watch. Fans of the George Romero classic should fear not as this remake does pass off as an acceptable update. Dawn of the Dead does follow the usual conventions of a typical horror flick, but somehow manages to turn itself into quite an entertaining movie.

Final Grade: B

Sarah Polley and Ving Rhames led the pack in Dawn of the Dead.