The idea of remaking Dawn of the Dead is audacious in a way, and Zack Snyder’s 2004 “remake” manages to be shockingly effective, if somewhat missing some of the charm of the original. The original film is no romp by any means, but as I’ve previously remarked upon, there’s a definite sense of levity, with the mall setting providing a chance for lighter character beats. The cheap low-budget nature of the original, with its shabby, shambling zombies, is endearing in a way. Though not an expensive film by modern standards, the 2004 Zack Snyder adaptation  looks and feels like it takes full advantage of its $26 million budget, bringing a high level of technical craft to the proceedings. The zombies here are incredibly active and quick beasts, fueling an almost unrelentingly violent film.

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