The quintessential modern zombie flick that mixes gore, black comedy and social commentary, to mixed results. Despite the 10 year lag in release dates from the first film Night of the Living Dead, this one picks up pretty much right after the outbreak of zombie hordes occurs. And it's a hell of a lot gorier than the first.
Starting off in the panic seen through the eyes of a television station trying to keep the public informed, it's obvious that modern society is crumbling. It's beyond the scope of normal human comprehension, and it's starting to sink in even for those who see the world through the glass teat. The copter pilot, his girlfriend from the station, and some associated friends take flight, trying to get away from the madness. Trouble is, it's everywhere. But they manage to find refuge in a shopping mall, and do their best to turn it into some kind of deranged normalcy (and good thing it's back when a gun shop was still part of the mall clientele). But despite the facade they build around them, chaos and zombies still have a way of shattering the cocoon they've built up around themselves.
This is truly the second chapter of the (for now) trilogy by Romero. It has some nicely done "reality" situations mixed in with the rest. As much as I like the film, it still comes off as pretty dated. The ghetto scenario and consumerism digs are nice touches, but are a bit out of place. I guess I'm a bit tainted, as I did watch the recently-done remake and enjoyed that pretty well from what I can remember. Only a couple of beers and its looming DVD release will tell for sure. But this is still a good zombie flick to catch, especially if you drink every time a zombie takes a headshot. Plus Tom Savini not only does the creature effects but even has a small acting role as well.
