The set up is this: the recently deceased are returning to life and attacking the living, and after three weeks society has collapsed. In Philadelphia, TV station staff members Stephen and Francine plan to steal the station's traffic helicopter and make their escape with police officers Roger and Peter. While stopping for supplies at a shopping mall, they eventually decide to stay and establish a stronghold to wait out the apocalypse - while indulging in their materialistic desires.
I think the opening scene is one of the most ingenious methods of exposition I've encountered in film. Taking place in the TV station where Francine and Stephen work, there are no zombies - just a futile attempt to keep things organised as everything descends into chaos. The zombies show up in the next scene as Roger and Peter are part of a police raid on a housing project - with some possible social commentary.
Both groups of characters soon realise that it's best to cut and run, but they are nonetheless sympathetic and you want to root for them. I think they work off each other really well - especially Roger and Peter as they hatch a plan to block the entrances to the mall using lorries from a nearby depot. I hope to make use of their dynamic as an influence on my own writing.
If you're interested, I recommend the American theatrical cut. While the European version is well-paced and focuses more on the action, they cut a lot out which helped the world-building.
So, rest in peace Mr Romero, and thanks for the great legacy you left on the popular culture. And if by some bizarre occurrence you do come back, we'll just head to The Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all this to blow over. After all, we couldn't have done that without you.
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