Dawn of the Dead(2004)
2004 · Zack Snyder · 101 min
A group of survivors take refuge in a shopping mall after the world is taken over by aggressive, flesh-eating zombies.
Horror · Science Fiction · Action
7.14.7k votes
TMDB score
4/5
Intensity
4/5
Gore
3/5
Stays with you
How Dawn of the Dead scares
Your heart rate stays up almost the whole time, thanks to a frantic opening and constant threat of being overrun. The zombies here run fast and attack in swarms, so the fear is mostly about outrunning and fighting off danger rather than creeping dread. There's plenty of blood and bites shown on screen, plus some dark humor mixed in to lighten the mood between the chaos. It's a good pick if you want an adrenaline-pumping survival ride rather than something that messes with your head long after it's over.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, Dawn of the Dead rates psychological 2/5, visceral 5/5, gore 4/5, lingering effect 3/5, and overall intensity 4/5.
- Psychological: 2 of 5
- Visceral: 5 of 5
- Gore: 4 of 5
- Lingering: 3 of 5
- Intensity: 4 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 55 of 100 — balanced
Supernatural vs Real-world: 80 of 100 — leans Real-world
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 45 of 100 — balanced
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
An explosive, chaotic opening gives way to a tense siege rhythm of highs and lows before slamming into a breathless final sprint.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 2, 5, 4, 3, 2, 2, 3, 3, 2, 3, 4, 5.
How scary is Dawn of the Dead?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, Dawn of the Dead rates 4/5 — one of the more punishing watches in the catalog, balancing creeping dread with well-placed shocks. It attacks the body more than the mind — physical, in-your-face horror. Expect it to be heavy on gore and scary but not punishing. Some of it will follow you to bed, but it lets go within a day or so.
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