10 MORE Scariest Opening Horror Movie Scenes Ever
1. Dawn Of The Dead (2004)
Yes, it's a remake of George A. Romero's classic of the same name, but that doesn't do anything to lessen the visceral, blood-soaked rollercoaster ride that is the 2004 Dawn of the Dead. Functioning as Zack Snyder's happy place, the film follows the familiar beats of a group of survivors trapped in a shopping mall as a zombie plague takes over the rest of the world - attempting to devise a plan to survive as best they can in this apocalyptic vision of an alternate present.
The opening sequence is designed to hammer home just how aggressively normality has been flipped upside down, beginning low and slow in establishing Ana's average existence as both a nurse and a loving wife - ending on a peaceful note as a new morning rolls in. But the new day brings a whole new world with it.
A little girl is the first diseased weapon of mass destruction, as she tears Ana's husband's throat out in front of her. Then everything spirals out of control. The suburban bliss of Ana's life is now bloodied and burned, as a drive around the neighborhood quickly confirms: the transformation is insanely fast, terrifyingly violent, and surprisingly heartbreaking. No time is wasted with this powerhouse of an opener.