Wonderfully Haunting + Beautifully Depressing
3.5/4 stars

Dawn of the Dead is one that many consider to be the best of Romero's "Dead" films and the greatest zombie film off all time. Whether or not it really is the greatest zombie film it certainly is a wonderfully crafted film. Dawn of the Dead picks up shortly after the events of Night with the Zombie infestation becoming more and more of an epidemic.

The film opens with fast pace action before settling down as it follows our 4 star characters to shopping mall, hoping to "free" themselves from the horrors around them. As many great action and zombie sequences this film has to offer I think the greatest aspect is how well it creates a sense of hopelessness and despair. The film is down right depressing at times, watching our hero's attempt to "live" their lives. They may have "escaped" the Zombies but in doing so have trapped themselves in seclusion.

The gore of this film goes beyond what we saw in Night and there certainly is plenty of it. The soundtrack does a nice job adding a lot to the hopeless feeling of the movie. The setting is truly fantastic and Romero does a great job turning what is normally bustling with human life into a bleak and desolate prison. While the film does slow a bit the ending sequences are absolutely spectacular.

Dawn is definitely a worthy sequel to Night and expands on many ideas present in his original. This is much more thought provoking than your average Zombie flick. I almost do wish Romero had gone with his original, bleaker, ending of the film but as it stands the film is a classic. It's a shame they don't make Zombie films like this anymore...

Review by ZJW