Verbalism Personified

What's it like being Dead?

Posted Tue 27 April 2004

And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts,
And I looked and behold: a pale horse.
And his name, that sat on him, was Death.
And Hell followed with him.
- Revelation 6:8

Flesh eating, virus spewing undead have taken over your town! Your once-loving family, relatives and friends are now zombies who are out make you join their ravenous party.

A film about the mindless effects of consumerism, Dawn of the Dead is a taunt and wickedly funny remake of the more thought-provoking 1978 original.

Remakes have a history of either performing well or badly at the box office. In this instance, the infusion of new blood more than resurrects the genre of the walking dead. It is hard for audiences coming out of the theatre not to feel infused by the experience.

The scenario, plot complications and cast of characters thrown together propel the film. From the dedicated nurse, steady policeman, edgy security chief and our unlikely hero with directed common sense, Dawn of the Dead bands them together through common crises without having to beat the obvious to death.

The use of the shopping mall is comical irony. Having evolved into a symbol of mass consumption, it surrogates as a place of refuge and escapism from the bloody reality outside. However denial isn’t usually far behind as a reformed gangster insists on his pregnant but infected partner, carry their child to term. His final words before dying in a hail of bullets complete the delusion.

Privilege and class-distinction are defined by the mass of infected zombies outside, against the fortunate few who are not but are celebrating life on the inside. In a dinner setting where everyone recounts what they are best and worst at, they share in the joy and pain of what it means to be alive. On the other hand, zombies clamoring mindlessly for the ‘good stuff’ are reminiscent of queues lining up for Hello Kitty Dolls.

No horror movie would be complete without gore, guns and explosions. Dawn of the Dead makes good on these. Tight editing, amplified sound effects and the thankful absence of slow motion shots will keep you on the edge of your seat. While the premise is bleak and the outcome hopeless, the incidental background music in the mall chirpily reminds you: “Don’t worry, be happy.”

posted by Teutoburg @ 1:00 AM