A One Mann’s Movies review of “28 Weeks Later” (2007).
Ahead of this week’s launch of Danny Boyle’s new film “28 Years Later”, I’ve gone back to watch the previous film in the zombie apocalypse series, “28 Weeks Later”, which – astonishingly – is fast approaching its 20th anniversary. And what a cracking action/horror film it is! If “28 Days Later” could be equated to “Alien” in terms of its cult status then “28 Weeks Later” is the “Aliens” of the series.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
“28 Weeks Later” Plot:
Six months have past since the events of the first film and all of the ‘rage-infected’ in the UK have died of starvation. But the country is still a dangerous place due to corpses, wild dogs and rats. The US military have established a beach-head in the business district of London – “District 1” – and are cautiously bringing back UK citizens from overseas to repatriate them into new homes. But everyone must undergo strict medical screening by a doctor – Scarlet (Rose Byrne) – before they can proceed. Military paranoia about potential reinfection is high.
Certification:
UK: 18; US: R. From the BBFC web site: “Injury detail, violence”.
Talent:
Starring: Robert Carlyle, Jeremy Renner, Rose Byrne, Harold Perrineau, Idris Elba, Imogen Poots, Emily Beecham, Mackintosh Muggleton, Raymond Waring.
Directed by: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo.
Written by: Rowan Joffe, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, Enrique López Lavigne & Jesús Olmo.
Running Time: 1h 39m.
“28 Weeks Later” Summary:
Positives:
- Barely pausing for breath, the action is non-stop and relentless.
- The story is well plotted and exciting.
- The script takes no prisoners: the bumps are hard and unsettling.
- The shots of a lifeless London are just brilliant.
Negatives:
- London is a big place and Dad gets around!
- There’s a plot point that may give “28 Years Later” problems!
Review of “28 Weeks Later”:
Shame, violence, more shame and mayhem.
I’ve seen this film before, but I’d really forgotten just how gripping and well-plotted it is. We effectively cast off the trappings of the old film and there’s not even a ‘Ripley’ crossover character to bridge the gap. But it doesn’t feel needed. You get pitched into a familiar world, but a world with a militarised twist. Just as “Aliens” sent in the marines, here we have the US Army very much in control. Jeremy Renner’s sniper is on the top of the office blocks with his “TV” being the fun, frolics and sex he can spy on in the flats opposite through his rifle scope.
But it’s the story arc of one particular family that hits you at an emotional level. Father Don (Robert Carlyle), mother Karen (Emily Beecham), presumed dead, with their newly arrived kids Tammy (Imogen Poots) and Andy (Mackintosh Muggleton). For reasons explained in the dramatic and terrifying opening, Don is carrying a massive burden of shame due to cowardice on the battlefield. (What would you actually do under those stressful circumstances? The same?) It makes Don relatable but also a bit of an anti-hero in the piece. The way the family relationships then develop is really something else!
Spectacular action set pieces.
The film is full of brilliant set pieces that literally had me grabbing my arm rests. A ‘fox in the chicken house’ scene is brilliantly done; a stalled car scene is heart-breaking; a pitch-black underground journey is astonishingly visceral. In all of this, the script is unforgiving in providing you with an avenue of hope and then in the next second crushing it underfoot. It’s all relentlessly grim.
Bringing this to life are some extremely gory special effects that are enough to make me squirm. A tender scene between a couple – literally, a kiss of death – leads to one of the most grisly deaths imaginable, horrifically put onto screen.
Well directed and well-shot.
The action pieces are well choreographed and shot by cinematographer Enrique Chediak. The style is so much that of Danny Boyle that it came as a surprise to me when the director’s name – Juan Carlos Fresnadillo – comes up at the end. (Boyle was committed to another film at the time (“Sunshine”) and so couldn’t direct. I’m guessing that the critical summertime shooting schedule (see below) dictated that… but it’s a shame.) It’s also not written by Alex Garland – it was written by a posse of writers (never normally a good sign) which again makes it a surprise that it turns out as well as it does.
Given how well this film was received, its a surprise that Fresnadillo doesn’t have more of a screen career. After directing this film he did NOTHING on the big screen until last year’s (very entertaining) Millie Bobbie Brown fantasy caper “Damsel“. I wonder what the story is there?
A strong cast.
The cast is really enjoyable to watch.
- Robert Carlyle does personal angst extremely well and Emily Beecham is terrific at playing the screaming partner: an image of her at a window from the start of the film haunts my mind.
- Rose Byrne is also really effective in the movie. I’m so used to seeing her in more lightweight comedic roles that I forget that the woman can really act. She is one of those comforting actors who whenever she appears I relax into “Oh, this’ll be good then”. A safe pair of hands.
- Increasing the international appeal of the film, Jeremy Renner is added developing his army grunt role as prep for “The Hurt Locker” that would come the following year. He does it well.
- Conversely, the great Idris Elba is under-served by the script.
- Finally, Imogen Poots – as I’ve commented before on “Baltimore“, a highly underrated actress – convinces in the role of the sister. However, even though she was only 18 when she did the role, she looks a lot more mature than her years. Given the age gap with her brother, I started the film not being able to work out who she was…. Karen’s sister perhaps? A nanny? It was quite a long way into the film before there was a conversation about “Dad” and I went “Oh, I see”!
Awesome London!
“28 Days Later” blew everyone’s mind with the opening shots of Cillian Murphy in a hospital gown walking through a lifeless London. So, of course, this film has to repeat that and up the ante. The shots achieved and the set dressing to achieve them is terrific. The position of the sun and the quality of the light reveals that the film must have been filmed way before 6am at or around midsummer day in order to get the city so empty. (The dagger to my heart as a Supporting Actor is the line “You must be available to be on set by 4am”… ugh!)
But why add such a silly coincidence?
(This comment is a bit spoilery if you haven’t seen the film… but you probably already have, haven’t you?)
Where the film loses a lot of Brownie points for me is in the appearance of the post-infected Don (Robert Carlyle). Don manages to not only escape sharpshooters and firebombing but also randomly pops up again EXACTLY where the fleeing group happen to be (after, you’ll remember, a random car ride across London). London is a HUGE place! It’s a ludicrous plot fail and one that took me right out of the story.
Summary Thoughts on “28 Weeks Later”
“28 Days Later” had novelty and was a really solid and beautifully crafted film by Danny Boyle. So this was always going to have to be compared with it. But I’d forgotten how good it was. As a park-your-bashed-in-brain-by-the-door action thriller it really delivers the goods.
And that troublesome plot point for the new film? The fact that the infected died out through starvation after 6 months surely gives Alex Garland a bit of a problem with “28 Years Later”. How are there still going to be any infected alive in the UK? I will watch with interest tomorrow when I see the new film in cinemas!
Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
Trailer for “28 Weeks Later”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljqY7qrnycw.
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