Dawn of the Dead

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Dawn of the Dead

R

2004

1h 40m

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

193 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

When her husband is attacked by a zombified neighbor, Ana (Sarah Polley) manages to escape, only to realize her entire Milwaukee neighborhood has been overrun by the walking dead. After being questioned by cautious policeman Kenneth (Ving Rhames), Ana joins him and a small group that gravitates to the local shopping mall as a bastion of safety. Once they convince suspicious security guards that they are not contaminated, the group bands together to fight the undead hordes.

Critics Consensus

A kinetic, violent and surprisingly worthy remake of George Romero's horror classic that pays homage to the original while working on its own terms.

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Antonia Quirke

London Evening Standard

12/18/2017

It is ferocious and young and exciting.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

05/27/2011

The new version has its share of disturbing moments, but writer James Gunn and director Zack Snyder have stripped away the social satire of the original and put little in its place.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

12/22/2010

2/5

Extremely gory horror movie; not for kids.

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Kyle Logan

Cultured Vultures

Feb 13

Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead is a success, though not a major one.

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David Day

Horror Movie Talk

Sep 23

10/10

This may be one of the best zombie movies ever made, and I think that has a lot to do with all these spectacularly talented people that come together on this Dawn of the Dead.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

06/11/2023

... the screenplay by James Gunn has its own survivalist drive, and first time feature director Zack Snyder delivers something what Romero didn’t: he turns it into a high octane zombie action film.

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Blake- N

@PBSAniDom 1d

Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead is a standout remake that successfully reimagines George A. Romero’s 1978 classic for a modern audience while still respecting the original’s spirit. It delivers intense pacing, strong character moments, and a constant sense of tension that keeps the energy high from start to finish. What really elevates it is how it updates the zombie outbreak scenario without losing the core idea of survival horror and human conflict under pressure. The atmosphere feels relentless, and Snyder’s direction makes every moment feel urgent and chaotic in the best way. A great touch for longtime fans is the inclusion of cameos from original cast members like Scott Reiniger, Tom Savini, and Ken Foree, which adds a nice layer of respect to the legacy of the 1978 film. Overall, it’s a highly effective and entertaining remake that stands on its own while honoring what came before. 8/10.

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Stoner J.

@Stoner Apr 25

Excellent horror action remake of the original. It’s super gory and so much fun.

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Rio P

@Ericraymond111 Apr 12

Terrible remake nothing new here just copied the original 1978 movie

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Dominic Emmanuel S

@dominic726 Mar 16

this is one of my all time favorite horror remakes next to the 2010 crazies remake

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Brandon W.

@whippopatomus Mar 9

I hadn't watched this movie since I was a kid and never was able to appreciate how this is one of the best survivor group zombie movies ever. Even with being over 20 years old the special effect and costume design are top tier. The script was also reasonably logical given the context of the show. It really showcases a very niche period of time for cinema and the best for the 2,000s. They sure don't make 'em like this anymore.

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Todor Y

@Phantom961 Feb 5

The remake from original movie is one idea better. They did a good work with it. Movie started well, zombies look stronger and adequately played. Musical choice is okay. Here effects are well made, damage from guns on zombies appear alive and vivid.

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Zack Snyder

Director

Sarah Polley

Ana

Ving Rhames

Kenneth

Jake Weber

Michael

Mekhi Phifer

Andre

Ty Burrell

Steve

Dawn of the Dead: Official Clip - Two Buses From Hell

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Dawn of the Dead: Official Clip - Holy S***!

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Dawn of the Dead: Official Clip - Blow My Head Off

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Dawn of the Dead: Official Clip - I'm In

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Dawn of the Dead: Official Clip - Zombies Ate My Neighbors

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Dawn of the Dead: Official Clip - Zombie Janitor

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Dawn of the Dead: Official Clip - Fire Power

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Dawn of the Dead: Official Clip - The Dead Will Walk the Earth

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Dawn of the Dead: Official Clip - Regime Change

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Dawn of the Dead: Official Clip - A New Batch of Survivors

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Synopsis

When her husband is attacked by a zombified neighbor, Ana (Sarah Polley) manages to escape, only to realize her entire Milwaukee neighborhood has been overrun by the walking dead. After being questioned by cautious policeman Kenneth (Ving Rhames), Ana joins him and a small group that gravitates to the local shopping mall as a bastion of safety. Once they convince suspicious security guards that they are not contaminated, the group bands together to fight the undead hordes.

Director: Zack Snyder
Producer: Marc Abraham, Eric Newman, Richard P. Rubinstein
Screenwriter: James Gunn, George A. Romero
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Metropolitan FilmExport, Toho-Towa, New Amsterdam Entertainment Inc., Strike Entertainment
Rating: R (Language|Gore|Pervasive Strong Violence|Sexuality)
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 19, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 12, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $58.9M
Runtime: 1h 40m
Sound Mix: Surround, DTS, Dolby SRD, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)