A rare sequel that works

Rating: 9/10 (5 October 2014)

Whether you like the follow-up to cult horror hit, '28 Days Later' will depend on whether you prefer 'Alien' to 'Aliens.' Producer, Danny Boyle, said that '28 Weeks Later' is to '28 Days Later' what 'Aliens' is to 'Alien.' And, I can't think of any way to sum it up better.
28 Days Later, as it told the story of a plague sweeping Britain turning the population into zombies (okay, 'infected' if you want the technical term), it was dark, tense and moody. However, 28 Weeks Later goes in the other direction, being loud, brash and exciting.
The action picks off when Britain is starting to be repatriated by a UN team. Of course things don't go smoothly and the human population soon finds itself at the mercy of a horde of flesh-eating, rage-infected zombies (infected). If you like your horror explosive and non-stop then you should like this. It has a good cast, good special effects and, thanks to the soundtrack, makes sure it feels like it's set in the same universe as its predecessor at all times.
In fact, the only downside I can think of is that it's probably a little too short. The characters - although good - never quite get the chance to be fleshed out as they might have been. Whereas most films go on too long, this one could have done with some extra character-development to go with the excellent action.
It may not be Aliens, but it is a worthy sequel in a world of endless, terrible additions to horror franchises.