An Inferior Sequel Yet Very Much Capable Of Standing On Its Own.

Rating: Null/10 (9 October 2015)

The follow-up chapter to Danny Boyle's post-apocalyptic horror that infused a new life into the subgenre of zombie films by replacing its reanimated corpses with people infected with rage-inducing virus, 28 Weeks Later stays true to many elements of the original but makes way too many absurd choices over the course of its runtime to finish as an inferior sequel.
Set nearly 6 months after the events that transpired in 28 Days Later, the story of 28 Weeks Later paints an empty portrait of London that seems to be on the road to recovery after US military intervenes to restore order. The survivors are brought into a quarantined facility but things once go out of control when a surviving member turns out to the carrier of the virus that decimated the entire city.
Co-written & directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, 28 Weeks Later begins with an absolutely thrilling prologue that sets the tone for the upcoming events. The plot then takes us through what all has happened in the time gap between the two films and from that point onwards, it's a downhill ride. There are plenty of poor decisions made here, whether its reintroducing the virus or a resurfacing zombie or the drama surrounding one dull family.
The set design manages to capture the tone of the original but fails to take advantage of it. Cinematography goes completely mental after the brilliantly filmed prologue for the camera is swung without any sense of direction and the chaotic aura it was aiming for isn't entirely realised. Editing is fine for the most part. John Murphy returns with a welcome score. And the performances are all over the place, with Jeremy Renner leading from the front.
On an overall scale, 28 Weeks Later follows into the footsteps of its predecessor with much bigger aspirations & higher budget but fails to provide us with characters that are worthy of emotional investment, something 28 Days Later pulled off quite effortlessly. However, much of its unfolding story retains the thrills & terror of the previous chapter, and apart from a few dumb decisions, it's an enjoyable, entertaining & quite satisfying ride capable of standing on its own. Worth a shot.