Review was request by Patron Samantha Devlin
What else is there left to say about Dawn of the Dead?
This 1978 horror classic directed by George A. Romero is among the most influential zombie films ever created. Through its action, special effects, and thematic storytelling, the movie left an identifiable bloody handprint on cinema, pop culture, and even video games (see: Dead Rising).
For these reasons, anyone can see that Dawn of the Dead is a culturally relevant work. Hell, even people who never visually ingested the film recognize it as being iconic.
And this included myself. For a long stretch of time, I never partook in the visual mass consumption of Dawn of the Dead, opting to instead admire it from a safe distance where its bloody splash zone couldn’t douse me in crimson.
I, of course, respected Dawn of the Dead, but for reasons ranging from chronic procrastination and being disinterested in horror films until adulthood, I just never created time to relish in the movie’s carnage for the first 3+ decades of my life.
This thankfully changed. Amid Halloween season, I finally delivered my chronic procrastination a firm kick in the ass (being paid is an exceptional motivator) and watched Dawn of the Dead. A movie that gracefully balances horrific thrills and gore-filled fun with stylistic panache.
Beginning in Philadelphia, Dawn of the Dead follows four human protagonists: two of which are the traffic reporter Stephen (David Emge) and his pregnant girlfriend in the TV producer Francine (Gaylen Ross) who both work at the same local news station.
Dawn of the Dead‘s two other protagonists are the SWAT officers Peter (Ken Foree) and Roger (Scott H. Reiniger). The two, who are from different units, become disillusioned after a firefight and brawl breaks out between racist cops, civilians of color, and zombies, and they decide to rendezvous with Stephen (who is Peter’s friend) and Francine in order to flee Philadelphia (for reasons other than the Phillie Phanatic) via a helicopter.
The four eventually land atop a mall, deciding to make it their new permanent residence due to the wealth of items that fulfill the whole spectrum of necessities and desires. Products that range from food, weapons, televisions, expensive clothes, and (probably) The Washington Post’s journalistic integrity. If it exists, it is usually for sale at a mall.
And from there, the four discover new ways to commit zombie manslaughter and eliminate the mall’s undead infestation all while always craving more products to collect and consume.
Dawn of the Dead is pretty damn great. Watching our four leads devise new methods to murder and herd zombie hordes en-mass is a treat. One with a lot of guns, shopping carts, severed limbs, and such. As stated earlier, it is fun.
But with that said, Dawn of the Dead is more than just a zombie slaying cinematic vehicle. After all, the film is a sequel to Night of the Living Dead which had absolutely biting social commentary, and Dawn of the Dead does the same albeit with a flashier coat of blood red paint.
Beyond the exciting action and the impressive (and disgusting) visual effects and costumes, Dawn of the Dead exudes thematic depth. That depth being how the film broaches the topics of capitalism and American consumerism.
In fact, Dawn of the Dead explores these themes (and satirizes them) in multiple ways. The film is set in a shopping mall; it juxtaposes zombies devouring human flesh against the average American mindlessly consuming products; the four protagonists greedily accrue more products despite how doing so increasingly places them in harms way; and there’s this sense that materialism ultimately cannot replace the need for human connection.
Through these themes, Dawn of the Dead is an enjoyable action horror romp that posits an insightful argument against American consumerism. The movie satisfies two different types of audiences simultaneously: those who require a movie to be fun and those that demand a deeper meaning behind its zombie horror mayhem.
And if you enjoy both types of movie? That is a double bonus given Dawn of the Dead‘s exceptional cinematic craftsmanship. Because Dawn of the Dead is ultimately a zombie thriller with brains.
