Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Dawn of the Dead (2004) is a remake of George Romero's 1978 original. James Gunn wrote the screenplay, an adaptation of George A. Romero's original. The film was directed by Zack Snyder.

The plot is relatively simple - for an unexplained reason, the dead have begun coming back to life as zombies after being bitten and killed by other zombies (though the audience is led to believe from the introduction that a virus is the cause). Ana, who is played by Sarah Polley, goes home from work at the hospital one night and wakes up the next morning to find her suburban Milwaukee town in ruins around her. Her husband is attacked by a young girl from the neighborhood, and Ana is forced to flee in her car. After crashing the car, she meets up with Police Officer Kenneth, played by Ving Rhames, and they meet other survivors who decide to cross through a mall on their way to what they have heard is a safe town. They find themselves trapped inside the mall with various other survivors, surrounded by thousands of zombies and with no apparent way out.

The film runs for 97 minutes and is rated R by the MPAA.

Cast:

• Sarah Polley - Ana
• Ving Rhames - Kenneth
• Jake Weber - Michael
• Mekhi Phifer - Andre
• Ty Burrell - Steve
• Michael Kelly - CJ
• Kevin Zegers - Terry
• Michael Barry - Bart

Both Ken Foree (Peter from the 1978 original) and Tom Savini (the special effects artist for the 1978 original) play minor speaking roles in the 2004 version - Foree as the televangelist who utters the film's tagline early in the movie ("When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth.") and Savini as the county sheriff who is seen on TV at what they believe to be the safe town that is their intended destination. Scott Reiniger (Roger from the 1978 original) plays the general.

Zack Snyder (the director) has an uncredited appearance as the commando at the U.S. Capitol Building.

Johnny Cash's song "When the Man Comes Around" is played to the opening credits.

The Living Dead Movies Night of the Living Dead - Dawn of the Dead (1978) - Dawn of the Dead (2004) - Day of the Dead - Land of the Dead