🧟‍♂️ Dawn of the Dead (1978)

“The one that inspired Dead Rising 🎮🧟”

Let’s start by showing y’all the trailer, shall we? 🎥

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Non-Spoiler Plot Overview

George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead picks up after Night of the Living Dead and expands the scope: society is collapsing, the dead are everywhere, and survivors flee to a shopping mall where they attempt to build a new life.

It’s bigger, gorier, and more satirical than its predecessor. The mall becomes both fortress and commentary—humans consume, zombies consume, maybe they’re not so different.


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Character Rundown

Stephen (David Emge) – A news helicopter pilot, eager but out of his depth.

Francine (Gaylen Ross) – Pregnant, determined, and arguably the most grounded of the group.

Roger (Scott Reiniger) – A SWAT officer, reckless but loyal.

Peter (Ken Foree) – Another SWAT officer, level-headed and arguably the film’s true hero.



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Pacing / Episode Flow

The film has a strange rhythm. It opens with chaos in the city, shifts into an oddly comedic middle section where the group “plays house” in the mall, then ramps up into a violent showdown with a biker gang. It’s a mix of horror, satire, and dark comedy—sometimes effective, sometimes tonally messy.


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Pros

🧟‍♂️ Zombie escalation: Romero doubles down on the gore and scope compared to Night.

🏬 Mall setting: Iconic. The imagery of zombies wandering a shopping mall is unforgettable, both creepy and oddly funny.

🎭 Social commentary: Consumerism, conformity, and survival instincts—Romero always layered his zombies with meaning.

🎮 Influence: This film directly inspired Dead Rising and countless other “mall zombie” stories. For that alone, it earns a special place.



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Cons (Softly Put)

🐌 Overlong: At 2+ hours, it drags in spots, especially when it leans into mall “playtime.”

🤡 Tone shifts: The mix of slapstick comedy and horror can undercut tension.

🧟 Con – Grey Skin Zombies
The makeup is technically a step forward from Night of the Living Dead, but let’s be real: the grey/blue skin tone doesn’t exactly sell “undead.” Instead of horrifying, it just makes the zombies look like they’re suffering from oxygen deprivation. It pulls you out of the horror and into unintentional comedy — more “somebody call a medic” than “run for your life.”


🍼 Francine’s pregnancy subplot: Set up with weight, but handled awkwardly and doesn’t add much.



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Final Thoughts

I respect Dawn of the Dead for its place in cinema history and for inspiring games like Dead Rising. The mall setting is legendary, and the critique of consumerism still sparks discussion.

But for me personally, this film doesn’t fully land. It’s long, uneven, and sometimes feels more camp than terrifying. My appreciation is more academic than emotional—I admire what it represents, but I don’t connect with it.


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Rating

6/10 – Historically vital, but not one I love.


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Spoiler Warning ⚠️

Full spoilers for Dawn of the Dead below.


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Spoilers

The film begins with society in freefall: riots in the streets, TV stations crumbling. Stephen, Francine, Roger, and Peter escape by helicopter, eventually spotting a mall. They decide to land and fortify it, clearing out zombies one shop at a time.

In the process, Roger is bitten. His slow decline is one of the film’s most tragic threads—he dies, reanimates, and Peter is forced to put him down. This moment hits hard even today.

Once the group has the mall secured, they indulge. Shopping sprees, food, clothes, even jewelry—it’s both a survival strategy and a satire of mindless consumerism. Romero makes it clear: even safe, humans are trapped in cycles of consumption.

But the idyll doesn’t last. A biker gang (led by Tom Savini in a memorable cameo) invades, wreaking havoc. Chaos erupts, zombies flood back in, and Stephen is bitten. He dies, reanimates, and leads zombies into the hideout. Francine and Peter barely escape—Peter almost commits suicide before deciding to fight his way out.

The final image: Francine and Peter escaping by helicopter, low on fuel, uncertain of their future. Survival is temporary, not triumphant.