The prologue of Dawn of the Dead remains one of the greatest horror intros ever put to film. Sarah Polley's Ana goes from a normal suburban morning to total apocalyptic pandemonium in less than ten minutes. The camera never pauses, throwing viewers right into the front seat of a burning, crumbling civilization.
Once the survivors barricade themselves inside the Crossroads Megaplex, the film balances dread with razor-sharp dark comedy. James Gunn's script gives the large ensemble cast distinct personalities. Ving Rhames brings stoic grit as police officer Kenneth, Jake Weber acts as the moral center, and Ty Burrell turns in an entertainingly smarmy role as Steve.
Snyder directs with slick music-video energy that emphasizes crunchy kinetic impacts without losing the horror grit. The makeup effects hold up remarkably well, utilizing practical gore and physical stunt actors rather than floaty digital doubles. It may lack the heavy anti-consumerist satire of Romero's original, but it swaps it for high-octane survival thrills that never lose steam.
