Day of the Dead (28 Days Later (DVD))

Member Name: xBorgx

Product:	28 Days Later (DVD)
Date:	22/05/09 (68 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Thrilling, Zombies, Terror!

Disadvantages: Not too many

Zombie films seemed to have a big comeback over the past ten years: Films like 'Resident Evil' and the 'Dawn of the Dead' remake all faired pretty well, and one of the films which began such a comeback is '28 Days Later,' a classy little British film by Danny Boyle the maker of 'Train Spotting' and 'Shallow Grave.' This would spawn a sequel, 28 Weeks Later...

28 Days Later begins when a group of animal rights activists enter an animal testing lab to set free a lot of apes who just so happen to be infected with an incurable virus...

And...
28 days later...

Jim (played by Cillian Murphy) wakes in hospital from a coma only to find that there is no one around. The hospital is empty, the whole of London appears to be empty. He wanders aimlessly through he streets calling out, but no one answers. Not until he goes to a church to see a group of people on the floor. 'Hello?' he calls, only to be attacked by the priest, who appears to look in a frenzied rage. Jim suddenly is being chased by hordes of crazy people, but he is rescued by Selena (Naomie Harris) and Mark (Noah Huntley). They rush off and hide inside a shop, a place which appears to be where Selena and Mark have been living. There they tell Jim about what has happened over the last month and how the virus 'Rage' has swept through the country. Anyone who catches it goes into a violent rage and tries to bite anyone in sight. The virus spreads through blood and 'Rage' sets in very quickly.

Slight Spoilers:

Jim wants to see his parents and the others reluctantly agree, but they will have to go together. Once at his parents house, they find them dead in their bed, having committed suicide. Jim, Selena and Mark are attacked by infected zombies and Mark dies. Jim and Selena meet up with two other survivors, Frank (Brendon Gleeson) and Hannah (Megan Burns). Frank plays them a radio recording he has on tape, stating that the answer to infection is at a place near Manchester.

The recording invites everyone to go there and the foursome promptly head up north. During which time they are attacked by more zombies and their lives are generally put in danger. But once they reach their sanctuary and meet up with the unhinged Major Henry West (played by Christopher Eccleston), they find their lives further put at risk...


I would not really call this a Zombie film, even though it has been cited as such by many. Those infected certainly are like the Zombies of old, but for several exceptions - the most notable being the fact that they are damn quick, whereas those from 'Zombie Flesh Eaters' et al are slow and mindless. It is more of a thriller with gruesome moments.

Boring Bits...


Directed by Danny Boyle
Written by Alex Garland

Run time: 113 minutes.
Main cast:

David Schneider .... Scientist
Cillian Murphy .... Jim
Toby Sedgwick .... Infected Priest
Naomie Harris .... Selena
Noah Huntley .... Mark


It is a gripping story and one you have to see out until the end. The characters are likeable so you want to know what happens and genuinely care for them. The acting is great and believable. Eccleston his ever brilliant self and I was impressed by Cillian Murphy, an actor I had never seen before, but went on to star in Batman Begins...


Recommended...

Written also for Ciao Uk by me as Borg...

Summary: Fast Zombies! Where can we run too, where can we hide...??