Leofwine_draca BEFORE DAWN is a low budget, low rent zombie movie, made and filmed in Yorkshire by husband and wife team Dominic Brunt and Joanne Mitchell. Brunt is best known to viewers of UK TV as the lovable Paddy in the long-running soap EMMERDALE, so watching him battle vicious zombies in this film (which he also wrote and directed) is something of a novelty.Unfortunately the novelty value is just about all this has going for it, because boy, BEFORE DAWN is bad. I actually didn't mind the ultra slow, family drama of the first half, purely because the horror comes subtle and there's a growing sense of unease which works really well. Some nice location photography really adds to the experience and I was left with high hopes for the rest of the production.Sadly the zombie denouement is less than impressive and something you'd expect to see in the likes of shot-on-video trash like ZOMBIE CHRONICLES. Brunt unwisely employs some extreme (and ludicrous) shaky-cam effects for the zombie attack sequences, which are overblown and ridiculous. There's no zombie horde here, no shambling menace, just a story that peters out leading to an anticlimax that makes you think "that's it?". I like Brunt but a dearth of originality makes BEFORE DAWN one of the worst zombie movies out there.

Paul Magne Haakonsen Okay, well first of all I have go to put out a warning to anyone buying this movie from the DVD cover, as I did, don't look at the cover and get your hopes up! You will be sorely disappointed. On the cover you see a man standing alone with a rifle and a smoking city in the horizon. This is not even in the movie, nor does it have anything remotely to do with the movie. But it gets better. There is also a really cool looking zombies there in the gash, along with a whole army of zombies behind it, again, not there in the movie. False advertisement at its best.That being said, let me just say right away that despite this false advertising and cheap tricks to lure people into buying the movie, then "Before Dawn" is actually quite good once it gets up in speed and pace. The movie was actually quite enjoyable. The movie is rather slow at getting into gear and tends to drag on and on without getting anywhere. Well, right up until Meg (played by Joanne Mitchell) goes jogging, then things pick up pace and gets interesting.There is only a handful of zombies in the movie, but the make-up on these was actually quite good. Now, anyone familiar with my reviews will know that I am not a fan of agile and fast-running zombies, as the ones in "Before Dawn" are. It is just not my thing. But still, the effects and make-up on the zombies here worked really well. One thing, aside from the running, that I didn't appreciate about the zombies in this movie, was the predatory growling sounds that they emitted, it was just too odd and misplaced.And there isn't a lot of people in the movie, so there is a lot of weight on the shoulders on those on the screen, and they did good jobs with their given roles. Thumbs up for that.As for the ending of the movie, well... I will not spoil anything here by saying how it ends. But it is one of those types of endings that you will either love or hate. I didn't really appreciate it and found it to be a bit too cliché and predictable."Before Dawn" is a great addition to any zombie aficionado's zombie movie collection. It is enjoyable and has a good amount of violence and just enough gore to keep even most gorehounds happy. Britain does spew out a good amount of enjoyable zombie movies.

cjmccracken What Before Dawn has managed to do is give a well needed dose of life and energy into a sub-genre which has been faltering somewhat of late. The tone, pace and aesthetic of the film are all marvellous. The relationship between Alex and Meg is so engrossing and believable that it draws you right in. This is very much an examination of human interaction, in which the zombie apocalypse just so happens to be occurring in the background. It's too easy to make the Mike Leigh and Ken Loach comparisons, because they are very unique filmmakers, thankfully, so is Dominic Brunt.The pathos which is generated by the shambling, partially alcoholic Alex is a stark contrast to the energetic and productive Meg; however, an emptiness exists in them both, cleverly accentuated by sharp, penetrating dialogue. The subtle jibes which they make at each other, even in the midst of kind gestures will ring true to anyone whose relationship has passed the point of no return. Alex's strained interactions with this mother in law are also particularly well written and delivered. Nicky Evans' Alex is one of the finest examples of survivalist character to appear in many years. He manages to generate both suspicion and empathy simultaneously, his appearance climaxing in a particularly effecting manner. This is not to categorise the film as a kitchen sink drama with zombies either, for that would be an injustice. It is merely the fact that the richness and depth of the characters on screen generates a connection that is rarely seen in genre features. A marvellous combination of astute filmmaking and deft knowledge of the horror film, Before Dawn is a film which warrants multiple viewings to allow the multitude of subtleties to sink in.Where the film really succeeds is that it delivers on the gore front as well. The zombies are of a new ilk, one which manages to create a new strain of terror, just when we thought we'd seen it all. Their stripped, shorn faces, accentuated by blood red eyes and frantic lunges become terrifying and we begin to feel as edgy as the characters within the piece. Before Dawn is a rare treat, an intelligent genre piece which has so much to offer. The performances are a testament to all involved and certainly one of the most talked about movies at Grimmfest. If there is any justice in the, this movie will take pride of place in any discerning horror fans collection. I can only hope that this is merely the first that we've seen of Dominic Brunt and Joanne Mitchell. Colin McCracken also writes extensively for zombiehamster.com as well as a number of genre publications. He can be found on Twitter as @zombiehamster

davidfergusonuk I had the good fortune to see this picture at Frightfest 13. The film opens with beautiful shots of the British countryside, immediately making you think "how can anything bad happen here".But being a movie with the living dead you already know the answer.This is an intimate film as you follow this couple on there last ditch attempt to save their marriage. Indeed the film could have played out as the final death throes of a relationship without the invasion of zombies and indeed Dominic Brunt's desperation to resuscitate what has died is palpable.Joanne Mitchell as Meg is superb and makes a potentially unsympathetic character someone you care about.The acting is measured non-histrionic and understated.Everything is very real.The message of the film could very much be "there are greater horrors in life than zombies".Although they are flesh eating zombies in the film this could easily be enjoyed as a companion piece to "28 Days Later". The waves of horror that wash over you and the emotional ride Dominic Brunt goes through are brilliant.A cracking script, a strong cast,, and excellent camera work allow you to over look the perhaps not perfect make-up or the overdubbing, but this is to be too critical of a film that succeeds to strike a different note in the genre and bring a solid sense of reality and horror to what is happening whether it's the zombies or the death of a marriage.Recommended.