My Favourite Summer Film

This summer I tried to watch a lot of films from IMBd's 250 greatest films list. One of the films I thoroughly enjoyed was Dawn Of The Dead (2004). The 2004 remake of George A Romero's 1978 classic zombie film focuses on a nurse trying to escape the zombie apocalypse with a group of survivors. In the 1978 version (sequel to "Night of the Living Dead,") four people take up residence in a deserted mall while trying to stay alive amid the armies of the dead and a vicious gang of militant bikers, where as in the 2004 remake, it has a lot more people, and a lot more conflict, what you'd expect from a film made 20 years later.

I enjoyed this film because of all the characters, although some of the acting was a bit flimsy, there are no two characters that are similar, they are all individual and completely different, the makers seemed to have covered every minority to achieve this and also create tension between them. There is the main focus, the female hero who has lost all family and has nothing left, the bad ass good guy, a ditsy blonde, a caring grandmother figure, etc. One of my favourite is CJ. You meet CJ when the group first get to the mall (the setting for most of the film) at first CJ comes across as a typical American red-neck, homophobic, racist, and a good shot and when you do meet him, you cant help but dislike him and you know he will eventually bite the dust. But as the film progresses you start to like him more and by the end, he is the character you most want to see through the end of the world.

Another reason I enjoyed it is what you’d expect to be in a zombie film, the gore. The film (although addressing serious issues that could happen in this situation) doesn’t take the flesh eating undead too serious when it comes to the blood and violence, to just be straight, the gore is cheesy, the heads exploding, making the audience cringe and the blood squirting out when the zombies bite, and a chainsaw through the torso, but that’s what makes it good, it makes the film shocking and makes people want to watch it.

The film also keeps you guessing, as a zombie film you'd expect plot twists, but you don’t see it coming in this film. The group seems to get into these situations that you think you can guess what’s going to happen, but then you find out your wrong. This film does this well just by keeping to shock factor high, whether I will be someone you didn’t expect to die getting shot by another group member, a surprise zombie attack or even just someone sacrificing themselves, it always keeps you guessing.

Overall, I really enjoyed this film and there isn’t much wrong with it, aside from the “B list” cast, the plot to it is fantastic and doesn’t slow down. This is a fast pace, gripping, gorey, classic zombie film and is now one of my favourites.