Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Director: Zack Snyder
Starring: Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Mekhi Phifer

Synopsis:
Survivors of a zombie outbreak take refuge in a shopping mall.

Impressions:
It's fun to take shots at Zack Snyder. He is very much a style over substance sort of filmmaker, especially when left entirely to his own devices. However, his knack for strong visuals and action set pieces can't be denied. His film debut here is strong and it makes sense that it earned him the currency to get successive big-budget projects. It uses the rising trend of fast zombies to good effect. Some people think the classic shamblers are creepier, but I'm one of the folks who are freaked right out by fast zombies. I suppose it's the difference between choosing suspense over terror. Because there's a larger cast of characters, characterization is shallower, but the characters are better realized than many horror films. If you want a more actiony take on zombie horror, this is one of the better examples out there. Give it a watch.

Rating:
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