Dawn of the Dead (2004)

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363547/

This is the remake of George A. Romero's 1978 film, Dawn of the Dead. The basic plot of both movies is very similar; however, the movie does deviate both with minor plots (characters, scenes, action, etc.) and the fate of the survivors. Both scripts use the setting of a mall to express a concern for consumerism, although Romero's version carries far more obvious symbols and scenes to demonstrate this (such as use of manikins; zombies returning to locations they spent time in while alive; etc.). In the original movie, we witness the two remaining survivors flee from the hordes of the undead in the nick of time (with the assistance of a helicopter), and with some variation we see the same with the survivors in the remake (except with a boat).

As far as remakes go, I found this film to be a knock out. Zack Snyder does a great job balancing the message of consumerism the original offered; while keeping it in the realm of a modern, witty zombie flick. I found that each character was well built up, and displayed very "real" sense of how a zombie apocalypse would play out. Like most zombie movies we're never bothered with the cause or reasoning behind why the dead are reanimating; and by doing so, becoming cannibalistic monsters.

The thing that stood out most to me with this film is Snyder's development of the characters in the story. Each character demonstrates the emotions riding them through the action; whether it be the fear for the police officer's brother, the daughter's loss of her father to the infection, the nurse's loss of her boyfriend, etc... they all have baggage that brings them to think or act differently.

The remake does add a bit of a twist ending if you watch the ending credits: you see the survivors locate a video camera and record the events that follow their escape on the yacht. Engine problems, spoiled food, zombified remains on board, and the like are all documented as the boat approaches what appears to be an uninhabitable island. When the survivors arrive they are met with a large horde of zombies, and we are left to assume that the survivors are no more.