Dawn of the Dead

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Dawn of the Dead

R

Released Mar 19, 2004

1h 40m

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

192 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.

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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

It is ferocious and young and exciting.

Dec 18, 2017

Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

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.

May 27, 2011

Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Extremely gory horror movie; not for kids.

Rated: 2/5

Dec 22, 2010

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

... 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.

Jun 11, 2023

Full Review

Kristy Strouse

Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying

Dawn of the Dead provides new digs for the Romero classic, with heightened energy and wonderfully gory thrills.

May 18, 2023

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

This version proved to be that rare bird: a remake that, while not matching its predecessor in any way, nevertheless succeeds on its own terms.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 27, 2023

Full Review

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Sujal T

One of the best zombie movies......worth watching

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/18/25

Full Review

Audience Member

If you like zombies you'll love this classic

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/18/25

Full Review

Diet Dr. Paul .

Wretched. Trash. Undredeemable.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/14/25

Full Review

J H

My favorite zombie movie, and one of the best horror movies I've seen. "Zombies don't run!" What a dumb thing to say. How about, "zombies aren't real"?

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/19/25

Full Review

Scott M

I remember loving this movie when it came out. The fast zombies gimmick was still relatively new and fresh, and the gore and high-intensity action sequences were great. Before rewatching it tonight for the first time in over 20 years, I found myself wondering if it would still hold up today. After watching it, I can confidently say—mostly. The action is still solid, with some truly thrilling chase sequences, and it still feels as intense as ever, but some of the film's sensibilities feel a bit dated now. Like a lot of horror films at the time, the movie gets to the action almost right away to grab the audience's attention. The downside is that, in order for there to be any plot or character development whatsoever, the pacing has to slow way down at some point. So, like many horror films of the 2000s, this movie drags a bit in the middle. Furthermore, the rich characterizations and realistic acting we’ve grown accustomed to over the last two decades are largely absent here. Instead, the film features slightly over-the-top performances and relatively hollow characters. That said, there's still a lot to appreciate about the film. It's pulpy and a bit silly, but aside from a slightly dull second act, it's still highly engaging and loads of fun. All in all, it's a solid action-horror film that has largely, if not completely, stood the test of time.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/11/25

Full Review

Gabriel M

Um dos melhores filmes do gênero e tão influente quanto sua primeira versão

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/25

Full Review

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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

2:41

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

1:20

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

1:18

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

2:23

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

1:58

Dawn of the Dead: Official Clip - Zombie Janitor

1:45

Dawn of the Dead: Official Clip - Fire Power

2:21

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

2:13

Dawn of the Dead: Official Clip - Regime Change

1:43

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

1:35

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Dawn of the Dead: Dawn of the Dead - Best Scenes

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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)

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