Product Details

• Actors: Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Mekhi Phifer, Jake Weber, Ty Burrell
• Directors: Zack Snyder
• Writers: George A. Romero, James Gunn
• Producers: Armyan Bernstein, Dennis E. Jones, Eric Newman, Marc Abraham, Michael D. Messina
• Format: Color, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English
• Subtitles: Spanish
• Rated: Unrated
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Universal Studios
• VHS Release Date: October 26, 2004
• Run Time: 101 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (725 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0002ABUTS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #504,149 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Are you ready to get down with the sickness? Movie logic dictates that you shouldn't remake a classic, but Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead defies that logic and comes up a winner. You could argue that George A. Romero's 1978 original was sacred ground for horror buffs, but it was a low-budget classic, and Snyder's action-packed upgrade benefits from the same manic pacing that energized Romero's continuing zombie saga. Romero's indictment of mega-mall commercialism is lost (it's arguably outmoded anyway), so Snyder and screenwriter James Gunn compensate with the same setting--in this case, a Milwaukee shopping mall under siege by cannibalistic zombies in the wake of a devastating viral outbreak--a well-chosen cast (led by Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, and Mekhi Phifer), some outrageously morbid humor, and a no-frills plot that keeps tension high and blood splattering by the bucketful. Horror buffs will catch plenty of tributes to Romero's film (including cameos by three of its cast members, including gore-makeup wizard Tom Savini), and shocking images are abundant enough to qualify this Dawn as an excellent zombie-flick double-feature with 28 Days Later, its de facto British counterpart. --Jeff Shannon

From The New Yorker

Some may have forgotten, and others may never have experienced, the hilarious shocks that George Romero, Sam Raimi, and their fellow horror-meisters offered audiences a decade or two ago. The audacity of films like "Evil Dead 2" and the original "Dawn of the Dead" surprised audiences with surreal images of graphic, unnatural violence. In this remake of Romero's zombiefest, the director Zack Snyder brings back the cringe-inducing gore of yore as his flesh-eating zombies attack a Wisconsin mall in search of fresh meat (Sarah Polley and Ving Rhames among a cast of tasty others). The story hacks away most of the original film's satirical subtext of a consumer society gone wild, but it has retained much of the suspenseful action sequences and the fabulously disgusting makeup effects. The movie may be as mindless as a swarm of the undead, but it's fun in its splatter-filled way. -Bruce Diones
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

111 of 126 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Modern Horror Flick!, March 29, 2004

By 

CreepyT "CreepyTendencies" (Colorado, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Let me begin by saying that I am a huge fan of the Romero trilogy, and believe that those movies are irreplaceable. Every fan of the horror genre should own those films. However, this does not mean that I was not able see this remake without an open mind. In fact, I loved this movie. Rather than try to completely re-do the Romero film, and in so doing step on Romero's toes, the filmmakers went for a different spin on Romero's basic concept.

For those of you who are familiar with the original Romero version of Dawn of the Dead, you know that Romero was not going for the full-fledged horror movie effect. Sure, the movie had some jumps and some gore, but for the most part Romero's film was a satire. Romero did a great job of combining social commentary with some horror elements, which is, in itself, a statement. This remake, however, merely goes for the thrills and chills.

The 2004 version of Dawn of the Dead throws you immediately into the horror/gore, and right from the onset of the opening credits you know that this film is no satirical statement. Sarah Polley plays a nurse who wakes up one morning to find herself in the middle of a nightmare...only, it's not merely a nightmare but a waking reality. Her neighbors and husband have been turned into walking (running) corpses (more similar to those in 28 Days Later than Romero's slow-moving, rigor mortis ridden zombies) and she must seek escape before thinking twice. She meets up with a few other lucky survivors, and they all find shelter in a shopping mall (aptly named "Crossroads Mall"). This safe haven seems almost too good to be true with all the supplies they need to last until more help arrives, and it is. When the "safe haven" in which the survivors are staying is compromised, they must devise a plan and again escape the horrors of the bloodthirsty walking dead.

Overall, I think this was a great film that all fans of horror should be able to enjoy. The acting was good, the effects were great, and the plot was cohesive. Though the movie maintained some of the elements from the original Dawn of the Dead (the shopping mall setting, some cheesy mall music playing in the background, some lines of script that served to epitomize the blase routines many people continue to follow throughout their blase consumer-driven lives), for the most part this was an entirely different film. I really liked the fact that the filmmakers chose not to cut and paste Romero's script, but rather make a new film based on his great idea. I think that anyone who enjoys jumping in their seats at the theater, and intense horror films in general, will love this movie. I, for one, will anxiously await the DVD release!

52 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You've woken up the demon in me, August 1, 2008

By 

Ravenova (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dawn of the Dead (Widescreen Unrated Director's Cut) (DVD)

Imagine. A clam peaceful morning. A promise of a new day. A promise of love, of hope, of joy and prosperity. A promise shattered. A new dream takes over . . .

Welcome to this brave new world, teaming with the hungering legions of the damned and demented. An inexplicable virus has taken over the barren husks of those who have died and has risen them as new beings - - - beings who must sate themselves on the gory, writhing remains of the living. And, in the soulless eyes of these macabre creatures, a new world takes form - - - a world filled with the wails of the tormented dying, a world drenched in the blood of innocents, a world where corruption and decay rule all, a world where hope has died and been buried. In this Stygian realm, the few survivors must make a new way of life, must lock themselves in a fortress of solitude for their physical safety. They must, regardless of the consequences, band together against the gruesome hordes that await their warm flesh. However, will the slow onset of mental imbalances, unrequited loneliness, and barren heartedness eat them alive before their loved ones do? Only time will tell. The clock is ticking. The dead are waiting. Step up to the gallows. . .

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A Film to Die for:

While the horror genre has long been home to the musings of the demented, Dawn of the Dead takes depression and loneliness to a whole new level creating a film that, simply put, is to die for. The aura is suitably, almost entrancingly, morbid as the film delves into not only the gory rampages of the newly turned, but on the all too real emotions experienced by the few survivors as they struggle to remain alive and, even harder, sane. While Dawn of the Dead is by no means a deep film, it does have that certain something, that inexplicable magic, that makes the viewer care. Yes, indeed, this is one those films that you will spend yelling at the screen, warning the unwitting characters to turn around, or not go down that creepy corridor, or even better, not to hover near those that have just died, indulging in long moments of anguish without remembering just what happens to the corpses of the infected victims. Yes, the characters lack that certain brain power, but, unlike most zombie flicks, it's believable. They reside in a world that rotates around death, not life. A world that overnight turned into a carnal house stacked with the bodies of those they once loved so it is acceptable, even believable, that the characters would have trouble grasping the ramifications of some of their actions, including their "daring" plan in the conclusion.

Of course, the best story in the world is only as good as its telling. How many times have we, the exalted viewers of America, been presented with an interesting movie concept that despite the ingenuity has failed on every level (Aeon Flux comes to mind). And, conversely, how many times have we been presented with a simple, unadorned story that for some reason spellbinds the entire audience (think of Paper Moon.) Dawn of the Dead most certainly falls into the later category. Like most George Romero films (with the exception of that travesty Land of the Dead) the acting is brilliant and emotional, the special effects are surprisingly (and sometimes upsettingly) realistic, and the entire aura of the movie from beginning to end is dismal yet somehow, strangely appealing. Dawn of the Dead creates a horrible world, yet the viewer will want to visit it again and again.

As the movie gains force, the conclusion rushes forward and although, as briefly mentioned above, the characters' daring scheme does present the viewer with major qualms, it is believable and even suitable. Unlike those "cliff hanger" movies that misconstrue intrigue with irritation and decide to end with no revelation or meaning Dawn of the Dead ends dramatically, poignantly, and memorably satisfying the viewer and rounding out the entire movie nicely, leaving no room for complaints or questions. Also, one word of advice, be sure and watch the ending credits because an important event is actually portrayed as the credits role. This is part of the conclusion and is highly important.

Extra Information and a Note to Potential Viewers:

The version of Dawn of the Dead that I viewed was the unrated director's cut (which I highly recommend). The film was originally rated R in theaters. Since this movie contains extreme gore, violence, bad language, and brief scenes of nudity, viewer discretion is advised (and yes, I got that from TV). For those who are interested in the actors/actresses these are some of the names of the outstanding cast: Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, and Mekhi Phifer. Also, Dawn of the Dead boasts an excellent soundtrack especially the concluding song, so don't miss it!

- Ravenova

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Blue Ray Quality Review, March 1, 2010

By 

The Bus (NC, United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dawn of the Dead (Unrated Director's Cut) [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

I'm not going to talk about the movie, there's 700+ other reviews for that. Basically, is this worth buying on Blue Ray if you already have it on DVD? Probably not. The sound is crystal clear, as seems to be the case even on movies with the worst transfers. However, the picture isn't that great. It's slightly better than standard definition, but the blacks are grainy, and the sharpness comes and goes. It IS slightly better than SD, but fairly underwhelming otherwise. I think only big fans of this movie who will watch it often will benefit from HD.

I wouldn't re-buy it for your collection if you have to dust off your SD version when you watch it. So if you're thinking hey it's only $10 should I get it? Only if you don't already own it on SD or you're a big fan of the movie. No doubt, it's a great movie, probably the best remake in the series and probably best overall in the series including all the new ones and all the originals. But the upgrade to BR probably won't be worth it for most viewers.