Dawn of the Dead
A quartet of fugitives turns a shopping mall into a precarious fortress as the undead apocalypse exposes the absurdity of consumer society.
Overview
Survival becomes a deadly game as the undead roam free, and the living must fight for their lives.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- visceral
- satirical
- foreboding
- late night horror marathon
- cult movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard it as an exceptionally compelling and entertaining zombie horror film that combines graphic gore with sharp satire of consumer culture.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The survivors occupy a shopping mall while the undead repeatedly return to it, making consumer behavior central to the film's social commentary.
The mall initially offers security and resources, but its possession is threatened by zombies and armed raiders.
The film combines shocking zombie gore with darkly comic situations and satirical treatment of apocalypse behavior.
Its celebrated gore, bites, machete attacks, and decomposing zombies make tactile effects a defining aesthetic feature.
Films like Dawn of the Dead, and why
Night of the Living Dead
shares pioneering zombie horror, apocalyptic collapse, graphic practical gore, and social criticism
Land of the Dead
shares satirical horror, consumerism critique, escalating undead violence, and grim survival tension
The Return of the Living Dead
shares splatter horror, isolated survivors, relentless undead threat, and dark humor
28 Days Later
shares post-apocalyptic survival, claustrophobic refuge, practical gore, and bleak social commentary
Movie Details
- Director
- George A. Romero
- Release Date
- 1978-09-02
- Runtime
- 127 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (2388)
Cast
- David Emge
- Ken Foree
- Scott H. Reiniger
- Gaylen Ross
- David Crawford
- David Early
- Richard France
- Howard Smith
- Daniel Dietrich
- Fred Baker
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Dawn of the Dead about?
- A quartet of fugitives turns a shopping mall into a precarious fortress as the undead apocalypse exposes the absurdity of consumer society.
- What is Dawn of the Dead like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Dawn of the Dead as brisk, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Dawn of the Dead violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Dawn of the Dead as graphic.
- What did critics think of Dawn of the Dead?
- Critics broadly regard it as an exceptionally compelling and entertaining zombie horror film that combines graphic gore with sharp satire of consumer culture.
- Which films are like Dawn of the Dead?
- Films with a similar feel include Night of the Living Dead, Land of the Dead, The Return of the Living Dead, and 28 Days Later.
- How long is Dawn of the Dead?
- Dawn of the Dead runs 127 minutes.
- Where can I watch Dawn of the Dead?
- In United States, Dawn of the Dead is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video.
