28 Weeks Later

Irritating but Inventive Sequel, 26 May 2007

Author: gary-444 from United Kingdom


After the shortcomings of the recently released "Sunshine", Garland and Boyle, the Executive Producers give further evidence that their talent doesn't quite match their ambition.

A sequel to the limited, but well delivered 28days later, was merited.A sci fi film set in a contemporary Britain riven by virus crazed zombies/ crazies is worth revisiting. Initially the opening sequence when Robert Carlyle, the lead, is besieged by lightning quick vicious zombies is handled brilliantly. The camera work and editing combine to make a genuinely terrifying and horrifying scene.

However when the film settles down the hand held camera work and trademark grainy dark visuals start to irritate, as do the holes in the plot. The London settings, for a film financed in part by the UK film Council are thudding - Tower bridge,The Dome, Wembley, Big Ben.Nice for the Yanks, but a bit too obvious for British audiences.

The allegorical content regarding the parallels between the Americans inability to "hold" central London in the same way as they have failed in Baghdad is fine. You either "get" the layering, or you don't. Those that don't are not missing out as it does not interfere with the mainline plotting.

Pretty consistently dark, gory and unpleasant, there is an hilarious scene towards the end when a helicopter uses its blades to decapitate dozens of attacking zombies causing everyone in the cinema to burst out laughing - intentionally so, and a piece of welcome "black" relief.

The finale neatly opens the way for a third installment in such a way that i am sure it would b successful. Maybe next time eh Danny and Alex?