The Reel Rejects - DAWN OF THE DEAD (2004) MOVIE REVIEW!! FIRST TIME WATCHING!

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Starting point is 00:01:13 Without further ado, let's get into Dawn of the Dead. All right, gang. Well, we've done it now. We saw the Snyder cut. The Snyder Cut of Dawn of the Dead. And part of me is like, is there a three-hour version of this? I almost guarantee there is a longer. I wouldn't assume it's a full HBO miniseries length.

Starting point is 00:01:36 But, man. Leave a rating on Apple and Spotify if you're listening to the audio version of this review that's about to embark. But yeah, I do think there is a Snyder cut lurking. It doesn't beg it. But there are a couple of aspects of this movie where I'm like, I bet there were more scenes that you shot. Yeah, there's definitely some trimming here. I bet certain characters probably got storylines that were excised. I think, like, the girl whose name I almost remember, who's run after chips, the young girl who loses her whole family.

Starting point is 00:02:09 Like, I could sense there's probably a little bit more. He usually likes to write people that are, like, seeking new families. That's kind of his thing. And we didn't really have that with her. Yeah, we didn't really get to peer into her character or the blonde woman who's there and the older guy. The two with the, yeah, the two got murked in the chainsaw thing. We only get to know them very well. And there's, there are certain beats where you're like, oh, yeah.

Starting point is 00:02:31 I bet they would have had a discussion before unloading all those people out of the truck and getting the woman with the bite into the wheelbarrow. We're like, oh, they might have been like a seat or two more with this whole zombie wife pregnancy scenario. We could have also used a scene explaining why she didn't put two and two together. Because I really, like, I guess she was altruistic. Not to start this video off with only. Grimes because I really enjoyed it. This was an enthralling and punchy experience.

Starting point is 00:02:59 And it got better and better for me. I was a little worried in the first act. I'm not going to lie. Because it's not my genre, so I was a little worried. It would be, you know, a two-hour journey of a thing that isn't for me. But it really escalated in tension. It escalated in like, you know, the character arcs are pretty traditional, but it, everyone did such a good job in them.

Starting point is 00:03:18 I was compelled. Like, CJ had to become selfless. And I was still, it worked. Like, you know, he had. had to sacrifice himself and it worked so it you know colored by numbered a bit but like all movies are the same five stories whatever they say so it has to execute on the promise and i think it did overall yeah yeah no i mean like i and especially as a fan of the genre uh quite enjoyed this because i mean god that first that prologue alone i thought was a beautiful little short film and

Starting point is 00:03:48 i've i've heard uh again people you know hold this film up you know certainly like we joked in the intro. Like, I've seen this movie checked in so many of those, like, ah, top 10 zombie movies of this thing or that thing. Yeah. And so, yeah, like, I can see why even just based on that, but looking further beyond that, yeah, like, there were aspects of this that I was curious about, um, as both a fan of the Romero films and also as a fan of James Gunn and Zach Snyder and also knowing, again, the pedigrees of both. There's just so much you come into this with going like oh i wonder what this will look like and in 20 years we've heard you know how good it was and i was a little worried when it wasn't my genre that i wouldn't find you know

Starting point is 00:04:31 the things that don't connect me to it that i did though yeah and it's an interesting blend i like it makes you wonder about especially like part of me and i'm a big rob zombie fan and one criticism often levied is like man it would be cool if you would direct someone else's scripts sometimes and i know that zack snider isn't always like the only writer on his stuff but having a different writer with a very distinct voice and who probably, you know, like it's still Zach Snyder's movie, obviously, still directed, but I feel like, you know, that's a strong voice on the script, and then you have the director interpreting that. And I would like, it made me kind of yearn for like, man, I would love to see you take on a piece that has been

Starting point is 00:05:13 fully fleshed out by somebody else. I definitely feel like they tempered each other. Like, like it wasn't a lot of gunisms and it wasn't a lot of Snyderisms. Like neither of them, you know what I mean? Like that one monologue definitely had flourishes of James Gunn. And then a couple of the slow-mo shots. And obviously Snyder does a lot more than slow-mo, but he styles his slow-mo in a very specific way. And those moments were obviously very him,

Starting point is 00:05:37 and he's grown into that even more. But overall, it was a stylized film from writing and directing standpoint, but not in the style of the writer and director's work today. Yeah, which is so fun and fascinating. And again, it just, I like, you know, obviously, Zach Snyder's, style of visual and auditory immersion is very appealing

Starting point is 00:05:58 but I am kind of like man I wish I could see him do more things where I'm sitting there not if I didn't know it was him I wouldn't necessarily have guessed it was him yeah so like that is a fun and especially neat thing when you are so used to somebody's defined

Starting point is 00:06:14 style and two coming into a genre that is very very familiar with you know being rebooted and remade and referenced all the time horror movies especially I think have a lot of that. You know, you do have your moments in here that are, you know, obviously you're based on, you know, the George Romero down of the dead and you're taking that premise and that basic setting and you're using that. But there's also like, oh, here's a shot that looks kind of like the shining user. You know, here's Johnny Moly.

Starting point is 00:06:38 Yeah. But even those were kept to something of a minimum where it wasn't constantly, you know, kind of nudging you with like, look how much I love my horror movies, you know, which, you know, I can have fun with, certainly. but I've seen a thousand movies where like oh the doctor's named carpenter and this guy's named Craven and I'm like I'm like cool guys I know I get it I like those movies but there are still moments where I got to have

Starting point is 00:07:00 what I imagine other people do with comic things where I get to be like oh I'm excited and it's like just for me like you had a few moments in the beginning where I was like oh is that a reference like it was still paying love to them but not in an obnoxious way yeah having like Ken Foray show up to say the classic tagline

Starting point is 00:07:15 like that's a cool thing that you wouldn't notice and you can do that with remakes in such a fun way I think when remakes know there are a remakes know they're a remake and don't lean too far in but still give homage. Like I love in Fright Night, the Colin Farrell one. Oh, I guess you see it. Oh. I've seen the original one. So Chris

Starting point is 00:07:30 Sarandon from the original has a cameo but it's a really, it's not overdone, but it's really fitting. And it's like a really, it's similar where it's like, we know we're a remake, let's give a little love, but it doesn't, if you didn't know if you never see the original, you're not distracted by it. I hate when it's distracting.

Starting point is 00:07:46 This was a great example of it being not distracting. Yeah, instead of shining a spotlight and going, look, see, we did our due diligence, and we homage the original. You're like, we, we check the box. Yeah, we succeed. Yeah, it's not about that. And I, and I appreciate, again,

Starting point is 00:08:01 for as much as these do, and the metropolis stuff, like, as much as these guys have gone on to shape pop culture at large in so many ways, like, it was cool to see something like this that is very pulpy. Yeah, like a $70, $50 million maybe at best, like a $50 million zombie movie.

Starting point is 00:08:16 Yeah, maybe even less at the time this was made. Like, you know, because mainly you just got to pay for the, I added $5 million for the film stock. I could be wrong, but like film is so expensive. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And like, you need all those effects and all those gore gags and stuff too. And the fire.

Starting point is 00:08:32 Yeah, and that's a lot of people to wrangle. Like, there's a lot that goes into stuff like this. And it was fun for me because this felt very much in the tradition of zombie movies. And that, you know, pertains to the classics, but also, you know, more recent stuff like 20. I think this would be post 28 days later. so there's certainly that in here. And I feel like, you know, Zach Snyder is often debated in terms of, like, the messaging and, like, what the movies are about. And certainly James Gunn is somebody who is, I think, better recognized for bringing subtext with him.

Starting point is 00:09:10 And that is an interesting kind of element of this. I'd be curious to go back and pick a part because the original, and it's been a while since I've watched Dawn of the Dead. you know I have more of like a back of my hand familiarity with Night of the Living Dead which was cool like and there's I think a strong female or like a stronger than Barbara the first the original Night of Living Dead has Barbara who is you know so kind of overcome by everything and so kind of actively in a state of like trauma throughout that movie and people feel types of ways about that so it's kind of neat to see Sarah Polly be such a just a naturally assertive character

Starting point is 00:09:47 in a way that made a lot of sense but that's just a sidebar just like looking at the original movie like there is I think a renown that movie has for the fact that it was sort of a piece of commentary about you know various aspects of American culture

Starting point is 00:10:02 certainly consumerism with the mall and all that stuff. And we didn't get enough of that I would have liked a little more commentary on something. In the midst of movie and TV show reactions you know such a busy schedule around here who's got time? to prep gourmet meals. Well, that's for Factor steps in. Factor is a game changer delivering chef-crafted, dietitian-approved meals right to your door.

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Starting point is 00:11:12 your health and time. Dive into the gourmet life, people. That's the thing, is, I feel like there is an interesting thing to, not to say that there isn't any, because there's at least one moment I noticed, yeah, he pulls down the gate and he keeps telling them not to, like, loot the merchandise, and, like, he's so concerned with the merchandise in the mall. Which is something I thought we might get into. Yeah, and that's, like, a commentative thing, but I feel like perhaps more so than commentary,

Starting point is 00:11:36 and in a scenario like this, I will be more forgiving of it. I think we've kind of swapped that for the thing I think is sort of intrinsic to a lot of Zach Snyder's approach which is okay how would we how would we depict this thing if it was like happening in real life today right and so you know just as an superhero films this especially like he is definitely the guy that's going like okay let's make it real let's make or how can I show you what this would

Starting point is 00:12:03 really look like and also like give you the attitude that you know would match our real world yeah that's a little bit more rough around the edges and it's not, you know, pretty and sanitized for you and all that stuff. And then on the writing side, I do think James Gunn did what he does well, which is, like, immediately endear you to certain characters. Like, I was really impressed at how much I, like, cared about Mikey Pfeiffer and the Mackay Fyfer kept getting more interesting. So he was the right person to be making such horrible decisions. Like, by the time you realize, like, you know, I was assuming it was going to go, he's so great, he's so great. Oh, no, when he dies,

Starting point is 00:12:34 I'm going to feel it more. Instead, it was, he's so great, he's so great. Oh, my God, he's endangering all of them because he loves his wife. like that is so much more compelling you know him him willing to risk everything but him doing it smartly so he feels like it's the right move and him just wanting to be a good dad and then that face man geez but like I love

Starting point is 00:12:52 that that subverted expectations which is what James Gunn does well like he builds up a thing and then you take a left and I like that Ving Rames was kind of the anchor for what you expect but you still love that character so much you're like okay good this is going the way I wanted to and Ty Borel likewise like he's gonna he's not gonna have growth

Starting point is 00:13:08 so CJ can because if they both say assholes what's the point so i i like the writing of the characters not all of them had an arc because not all of them could yeah not everyone gross yeah so i liked that for it and i think that's again for what this is like you can always dog something if it's not as deep as the original or whatever but for what this is i think it is appropriate to take more of the and the remake tries i haven't seen it still i just know that it was renowned as not being what the first one as the backlash would have you believe, but it's not the original.

Starting point is 00:13:41 But then again, the other way, dread. Dread is a better commentary at our new one. I'd say the new, like, so obviously the different filmmakers, different strokes. Yeah, and it's not that you can't extrapolate those things, but I do think it's an interesting, yeah, flip that, okay, in the original one, you can kind of like sense the permeating nature,

Starting point is 00:13:57 as I recall, of that, you know, perspective happening. Whereas here, it is more of an array of things, and you are more watching sort of the petri dish of remaining humanity and how everybody copes and how people would react to depending on their nature, nurture. Yeah, and so, like, I really liked the ensemble for the

Starting point is 00:14:16 most part, like, even on characters that weren't as developed for the most part, I liked the main players at the very least. Like, when characters would get a little flimsyer, sometimes it wouldn't always help the performing in a little isolated situations. It's just like you don't know

Starting point is 00:14:31 the daughter character who's developing this relationship, with the younger security. It's clearly important. It's nice to have a little bit. Yeah. And so like, you know, it doesn't necessarily help that character in moments where you are kind of in some of the others' perspective. Because I definitely judged her for going to save the dog more than I might have if I cared about her more. Yeah. And that's the thing where if I had one gripe, it would be that.

Starting point is 00:14:52 It's sort of like, okay, well, I kind of want to fall in love with these two kids, young romance. Which is usually what James Gunn does so well. It makes you fall in love. So it was interesting. Like, I feel like we could have used a little more time with them. Or with Mackay Fyfer to go like, I like, man, but like, what's going on with you? Oh, oh, that's because it kind of goes like, hey, man, what's going on with you? And then immediately we find out what was going on with you.

Starting point is 00:15:16 Yeah, so like I love that choice. But that's, yeah, an aspect where, again, I feel like there was probably just an economics of time they had to adhere to. And doing it on film, I might have just not been able to film. Like, just, you know, you've got to hit some marks and some. But overall, like this, I'm not of the genre and I really had a great time with it. I really liked the characters developed. I liked the ones that did get to develop But I also really enjoyed that I learned that I would not help as many people

Starting point is 00:15:39 I definitely well those moments where I was like don't do that and it was an interesting I know I think I would help But it was interesting under times of duress in the film I got like judgmental and that's fun Yeah, that's the fun of these kind of movies is your brain doesn't know it's fake So I got to actually live I was so in it I got to live like don't do that don't do that as opposed to like go help them Yeah, I mean and I don't know what I would do in real life, but I certainly judged a lot today That was an immersive experience. So I had a great time of this.

Starting point is 00:16:05 Please let us know in the comments below what you think of the James Gunn, Zach Snyder, Dawn of the Dead. Let us know what movies you want us to watch next. As you can tell, horror, fear. So let us know, I definitely got the same like palm sweaty bones aching. I got from 30 days a night, which is nice.

Starting point is 00:16:22 But in a more fun way, with more needle drops, with a little more ironyy, great. And I mean, yeah, great ensemble, great music, great shots, you know, great cinematography for the most part lean and mean Get credit for his style

Starting point is 00:16:35 When it's like It does capture atmosphere There's a lot of really good merit to Zach Snyder's work And then you've got the creative James Gunn choices Mixed in with that which I'm sure like I would love to know what the collaboration was Because I could imagine how one of them could have guided this thing solely But I can also imagine how there's so much potential overlap for their interest It's the 20th anniversary I'm sure if anyone has the time that's doing nothing else

Starting point is 00:16:58 It's James Gunn and Zach Snyder that would talk about nothing I would love that. They would have nothing else to discuss. They would only discuss Don of the Dead. Because especially watching this now is such a fascinating window. Yeah. It's such a fascinating window into each of them in a way. And like their seeds planted.

Starting point is 00:17:14 Yeah, while also being so far removed from what we know of them now. Yeah. I'm like way more. As much as this is like a straight ahead lean and mean, you know, zombie flick, which it has every right to be if it wants to. You know, I do think there's an interesting metal layer there that's like really fun to contemplate. These two guys, 20 years later, responsible for two universes. Team back up. Yeah, I would love to see

Starting point is 00:17:36 more from a pair of them, if that'll happen. So, much love, Reject Nation. Like I said, leave a comment, leave a like, leave a share, do all the things. We will see you very soon. Appreciate you watching. And it shouts out to Andy, because loved him. Yeah, Andy. With the signs, it was so good.

Starting point is 00:17:52 Such subtle work. So good.

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The Reel Rejects - DAWN OF THE DEAD (2004) MOVIE REVIEW!! FIRST TIME WATCHING!

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