28 Weeks Later is the sequel to Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later and falls into one of those "the movie made money but the director doesn't want to really do a sequel so takes a producer credit instead" sort of deals.
These deals are usually bad. Weeks Later succeeds at least as much as it fails, sometimes being capable of delivering truly frightening situations and some very solid acting from everyone involved. The directing and cinematography proves that sometimes imitation is flattery as occasionally the look of the film drifts back into Boyle's territory. As simply a horror film, the movie works quite well.
Unless you pay too much attention to the plot. The movie adds a new layer to the concept - that being a view of the global reaction to the viral outbreak. Somehow this reaction manages to be far, far more chaotic and, well to be honest, stupid than what we didn't really see in the first movie. The only reason there is any action in this movie is through the complete blundering of those responsible to stop it from happening.
Plus there are a few liberties taken with the viral concept - like having a singular "zombie" as a nemesis throughout the movie which never, ever, entirely clicks.
If you liked the first movie, I think this one is a safe recommendation - it's fun and scary even if not terribly smart.
Monday, October 22, 2007
DVD Watch: 28 Weeks Later
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3 comments:
Yea, I had a lot of trouble with an intelligent zombie that could track people as they flew and drove around the city and be in front of them. Fortunately Zombies can see in the dark as well.
I also had massive problems with the plotline, at one point there were the sounds of rats/mice - considering from the first movie we knew birds could transfer the disease (and since birds fly the English Channel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Robin), why didn't the continent get infected??) but anyway, the assumption that every single mouse/rat/squirrel/bird on the entire island is dead and its ok to bring civilians back is quite a stretch!
The military is always used for a laugh in these movies (one of the good things about Transformers was that the military is not shown as a bunch of bumbling idiots, easily conquered by a teenager) and I think its an interesting point in that the whole problem was caused (don't want to give too much away) but the whole problem was caused by a soldier who decided he knew better than his orders and decided not to carry them out.
But it did have some good moments, and the fast-moving instant-zombie concept is genuinely creepy.
p.s. If you think this was bad, I can't wait to read your read your review of the new Resident Evil movie (how many zombies can you pack into a trailer?)
Yeah, I think it was an adverse reaction to "we got that guy from Trainspotting - surely you can't just kill him off!"
I didn't get a good grasp on the whole "dogs and rats" things. According to the 'pedia, Boyle meant for the virus to be only transmitted via primates. But you're right, there seems to be an intentional lack of wildlife, except, well, when there weren't.
I'm dreading the new RE movie after the schlockfest that was Apocalypse. I rather enjoyed the first one, as popcorn fodder, and always like to see Milla in about anything - but that movie pushed my limits there.
Hrm, the 'pedia also says Boyle did some second unit work on the movie, which might explain how his look and feel creeps in.
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