28 weeks later ... the infected are back! (28 Weeks Later (DVD))

Member Name: clumsy221

Product:	28 Weeks Later (DVD)
Date:	10/11/09 (30 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gritty British horror film

Disadvantages: None

***Why did I watch 28 weeks later***

28 weeks later is the sequel to 28 days later, a hugely successful British post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, The Beach).

This film was released in 2007, with Danny Boyle returning as the director.

I loved the first film and I regularly watch it so the 5 years I waited for a sequel didn't actually seem that long.

I loved the reviews of 28 weeks later but I admit I was unsure where the new film would go and I wondered if the original characters would return.

As usual I was first in the queue at the video shop!


***The cast***

Robert Carlyle as Don Harris (Angela's Ashes, The 51st State)

Imogen Poots as Tammy Harris (V for Vendetta, Waking Madison)

Mackintosh Muggleton as Andy Harris

Catherine McCormick as Alice Harris (Braveheart, Spy Game)

Rose Byrne as Major Scarlet Ross (Sunshine, Knowing)

Jeremy Renner as Doyle (S.W.A.T, Lords of Dogtown)

Harold Perrineau as Flynn (Lost, 30 Days of night: Dark Days)


***The plot***

The film picks up 28 weeks following the the original outbreak of the contagious infection known as 'rage', which infects humans through blood within seconds turning them into 'the infected'.

The original characters do not return for this film instead their fate is untold as the story follows a new group of survivors.

The film kicks of with a group of survivors hiding in an abandoned cottage. It is here we meet husband and wife Don and Alice Harris who have barricaded themselves in with 4 other strangers.

Unexpectedly the group are disturbed by a small boy seeking refuge from 'the infected', fear quickly grows amongst the group who refuse to let the boy in.

Ignoring their warnings Alice opens the door and helps the young boy in, but before they can fully shut the door 'the infected' get in and the group split up and try to escape alive.

Alice refuses to leave the house without the boy and they both flee upstairs closely followed by Don but 'the infected are hot on their heals. Alice and the boy find themselves cornered in a bedroom as 'the infected attack', with Alices screams ringing in his ears, Don watches on seemingly unable to help and he decides to abandons his wife, as he escapes into open he looks back and see's the screaming Alice at the bedroom window before she is dragged out of sight.

The film then skips forward and an American led NATO force are now leading the fight against 'the infected' and the virus that has spread on a global scale.

The population is starting to be rebuilt as old and new residents are returned to a small area of London what is now known as 'District 11'. "The infected' are mostly dead and the remaining few are being exterminated by the army. Teams have started to remove the dead and rebuild a new civilisation that is safe and free from danger.

Amongst the new arrivals are Tammy and Andy Ross the children of Alice and Don Harris, who are returning from Spain where they were when the outbreak began.

Upon arrival Major Scarlet Ross is undertaking medical assessments on all of the new arrivals and is shocked to learn that children are amongst the group as they are the first to be allowed into district 11.

In fact 12 year old Andy is now the youngest member of the group. During the medical assessments Scarlet takes an interest in Andy when she spots he has different coloured eyes, a trait he reveals was inherited by his mother.

Having passed their medical the children are welcomed into district 11, however Scarlet is still unsure if the right decision was made to allow children in.

Their father Don is now the head-caretaker of district 11 and he is overwhelmed to see his children alive, but is faced with the fact he has to explain to them how he escaped 'the infected' unharmed, but he strays from the truth when he tells them he witnessed their mothers death, instead of revealing the fact he abandoned her.

Their father confirms they are safe if they remain in district 11 and points out the armed Special Forces Team that act as a rooftop observation team.

The following day the children ignore their father warnings escape district 11 and head off on a stolen scooter. Luckily for them the Special Forces Team are aware they have escaped.

Feeling free and having fun driving through the deserted town, the children find themselves at their old house and start to wander around gathering their personal belongings.

However Andy has a feeling that someone is in the house when he wanders upstairs alone, but nothing prepares him for the shock he is about to face and the truth it will uncover!

For this group of survivors, nothing is what it seems as is chaos is visiting district 11.

But what or who can survive ...

(Sorry I don't want to spoil anymore!)


***In my opinion***

Again another classic horror film done the British way.

Before I watched this film I did think it would have been nice to see what happened to the original characters but to be honest, Im now happy that I was kept guessing ... who needs a happy ending at the end of each film.

The story is pretty easy to follow so if your looking for something interesting and technological you wont get it with this film. It is purely a fantastic gritty horror film about survival.

The opening scene in this film grabbed me from the start and showed that Boyle has brought back 'the infected' even more brutal the second time round.

This film for me looks more at the social impact the virus has had on the population on a wider scale, rather than on the small group it looked at in the first film and it interestingly tackles the political subject of rebuilding a safe city bit by bit. It definitely got me thinking what if ....?

But in my opinion the film continues to keep you on the edge of your seat as 'the infected' stop at nothing to kill. The killings are very brutal and there is lots of blood, so please don't watch this film if you are a bit fainthearted. In particular there is a gruesome scene where a persons eyes are gouged out!

The characters are likeable and you get to get to know just enough about them to enjoy the film. The relationship between the Harris's is really put to the test throughout the film and I enjoyed how the different emotions they went through where portrayed excellently.

I have usually found that sequels in general never live up to the original film, but I can actually say this is not the case with this film, Danny Boyle has done brilliantly at providing a successful and entertaining sequel.

The fill has a much faster pace than the first film with killings from start to finish and action throughout. Once again Boyle has provided some terrific setting s and high quality scenes for true horror fans to enjoy. 10/10



***Another sequel***

Danny Boyle revealed that if he could come up with a good story he would release a sequel to 28 weeks later.

Further speculation has been fueled by various movie websites who have stated that allegedly '28 months later' will be released in 2011, watch this space ...

Summary: Overall an excellent sequel