A sequel to the brilliant 28 Days Later where Britain was quarantined after a zombie outbreak, this one picks up six months later, when the Americans come to reboot a dead country. But of course, something goes wrong…
And these aren't zombies in the traditional sense. They run bloody fast and rather than being dim-witted and shambolic, they're furiously angry and bloodthirsty. The first film was best known for its wide-angle shots of an empty London (filmed early in the morning) so look for more of the same here, as well as a zombie chase across farmland which replaces the gut-wrenching tunnel chase in the original.
I apologise, we feel bad, but there's no trailer available. ~Ed.
‘28 Weeks Later’, following ‘28 Days Later’, is all about American NATO troops coming into Britain to resettle the country after the virus outbreak (who’s to fear now – the zombies or the soldiers?). The Isle of Dogs, on the Thames River, is the site of the established safe zone, but there’s little to worry about because there hasn’t been any sign of the ‘infected’ for several months. Cue: something goes wrong…
Twenty-eight weeks after the initial outbreak, Robert Carlyle meets up with his kids who were holidaying abroad during the outbreak. The kids are the weakest parts of the sequel (The annoying girl especially – I was secretly hoping that she’d cark it early on). The boy (real name Mackintosh Muggleton) is all wide-eyed wonder, and likes to wander off Spielberg-style only to get entranced by infected zombies racing towards him.
Having said that, a strength of the sequel is the unusual characters and the even more unusual order in which they meet their maker. The idea of having a family play a central role means that we get to see some of the most horrific familial relationships ever - you’ll know what I’m talking about. Goodness me, I was slack-jawed with disbelief at some of these scenes.
There are new inventive ways to see zombies attack, such as the night-vision bit in the underground or the helicopter fricassé. And the night-time scenes actually look like night-time scenes. Usually sets will get flooded with blue light (it’s moonlight, don’t you see?) but here when people are running around in the dark, we share their sense of disorientation.
There are a tonne of great locations in an empty London. From a lonely Tower Bridge to a deserted Wembley Stadium, everything ups the ante on the first film. But the grainy digital-ness has been replaced with a richer film picture so unfortunately any authenticity is lost.
It’s an intense, humourless movie, and I left feeling very stressed. I’d had just about enough of people spewing blood and pushing in people’s eyeballs with their thumbs. The original’s clever theme, essentially an extended metaphor about anger infecting Britain, is lost here. Despite its strengths, ‘28 Weeks Later’ is really just an excuse to see more blood and death.
[Reviewed by Andrew Hedley]
If like me you love althings zombie then this is a small budget film but doesnt skimp on the scare factor or the zombies loved it now feed me brains
Unfortunately i was pretty disapointed with this sequel considering the 1st was so thrilling. The first half isnt bad & sets a good pace with a good storyline but the second half disappoints big time! There are so many plot holes it became frustrating to watch plus i had paid $14 to watch a movie filmed with dodgy camera angles in the dark. The thing i did like about it tho was its unpredictability in terms of who dies & in what order... you'l never guess. So in summary wait for the DVD if you have to see it.. though you'l be disappointed if u enjoyed the original.
Best film ive seen in ages. first hour mesmerising. edge of your seat white knuckle action. robert carlyle brilliant. recommended.
But in a good way! As sequels go this one does a pretty good job. It's full of suspense, blood and gore. I personally liked the storyline of this one more than 28 Days Later. I'm always amazed at how they can make it look like a city is abandoned when it's normally a bustling mecca. It doesn't leave you feeling sick when you leave, rather leaves you thinking about issues regarding the army, pandemic and other such thrilling topics. I liked this because it was almost believeable. The focus was on the illness and you had a sense that the infected were infected rather than "zombies".
I missed seeing 28 Days Later and so didn’t know the full story but the sequel did a good job of telling you the backstory. I expected a Zombie movie, I expected blood & gore & from watching a ton of these movies over the years, thought I was desensitised enough for no amount of it to register on my freakometer but this is certainly the exception. I & my friend spent the better part of the movie hiding behind my coat, eyes peeking out only briefly. Not only is it the blood & gore but the speed in which everything moves & having been filmed almost entirely by steadycam you felt as if you were in the action. Boyle pays homage to other films in the genre but this isn’t a “scary” film per say as you don’t walk out of there afraid to walk to your car or with that sinking feeling in your belly, instead it’s more of a shock film. I don’t think I could lift my jaw off the floor for the entire film & even when I diverted my eyes from the horror the sound was still enough to get me. It's hard to really say either way good or bad-It's a good movie but be prepared.
Feels a tad redundant - it doesn't do anything that the original didn't do better, and it lacks that film's understated lyricism. As a pacy Saturday night shocker, though, it can't really be faulted, and the final twist is genuinely hilarious...
Bigger action, more amazing deserted (and devastated) London sequences and biting contemporary relevance, if a touch less heart. It’s a worthy follow-up, with a grimly satisfying coda that doesn’t rule out revisiting the situation 28 months later...
Unlike most big-screen horror films these days, 28 Weeks Later has a half-decent premise, a credible cast, including noteworthy performances by newcomers Muggleton and Poots, and an edgy musical score. Despite this, and successfully making London look deserted, you can't help thinking that it's a case of been there, done that...
A ferociously entertaining thriller with sympathetic characters, stunning set pieces and pulsating excitement...
There’s nothing overly inherently wrong with the film – on reflection, there are several serious plot holes which are quite glaring and jarring (the worst being it’s never overly clear how Don’s wife survived the original attack) but the pace of the film zips along that you’re carried with it. It does, however, feel like a video game in many places...
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 10th May 2007.
Release date: May 10th 2007.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
