neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Dawn Of The Dead
	Zack Snyder Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, Mekhi Phifer, Ty Burrell, Michael Kelly, Matt Frewer 2004		Did we need another stab at George Romero's classic "Night of the Living Dead" and his sequel "Dawn of the Dead"? The originals by writer/director Romero remain the standard by which all modern zombie movies must be judged. And yet, it's hard for a monster-movie fan to deny a macabre interest in how the latest generation of special effects might depict a population of bloodthirsty, undead cannibals gone wild. Going by the remake of "Dawn of the Dead," the answer is "pretty damned good 'n' grisly." With a nod to today's technical sophistication and post-modern humor, screenwriter James Gunn updated Romero's 1978 screenplay for "Dawn of the Dead," while recapitulating the satire of consumerism found in the first version. A better-than-average cast, led by art-film ingénue Sarah Polley, alpha-male Ving Rhames, regular-guy Jake Weber and urban hunk Mekhi Phifer, didn't hurt the re-do. They portray some of the living who seek refuge at a suburban mall when they're besieged by zombies. This latter day "Dawn," directed by Zack Snyder, is amusing in spots and has its fair share of scares, but there's little explanation, bogus or otherwise, for why the dead are hungrily walking the earth in search of live human meat. Of its type, it's bargain-matinee caliber, although you're better off seeking the Romero versions on video.