In Dawn of the Dead , the television networks and government agencies slowly go dark as the power grid fails. The New York blackout proved to Romero's audience that society was only ever one power failure away from total collapse. The terror in the film wasn't just the monsters; it was the sudden absence of the law. The Legacy of the "Blackout" Aesthetic

You learn to fear the sound of an engine. Because gasoline is now the currency of kings. Anyone driving a car after day five is either a cop who has abandoned their post or a gang looking for your kerosene.

R for intense zombie violence, gore, and mature themes.