Excellent second chapter for the franchise!

Rating: 9/10 (15 May 2007)

Simply put, summer sequels should never work out this well. Normally, follow-ups to reasonably successful movies fall flat - it's nothing new. But this is a normal scenario; in most of these cases you'll have all of the superstars that made it's predecessor such a success coming back for more, and maybe the director if you're lucky. 28 Weeks Later, the follow-up to the brilliant 2002 flick 28 Days Later, went 0 for 2 here, losing not only visionary director Danny Boyle, but also its entire cast - which had no A-List stars but rather an infinitely more effective group of lesser-knowns. On paper, this movie was doomed to fail.
But amazingly, it doesn't. New director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo has created an excellent new chapter for the franchise - a success in that it maintains the style of the first film, but still manages to be its own movie.
Arguably the biggest name in the movie is Robert Carlyle as a middle-aged Englishman named Don, although the film focuses primarily on the journey of his two children, Andy (Mackintosh Muggleton) and Tammy (Imogen Poots). We don't meet them immediately; the prologue beginning places them at refuge in Spain shortly after the first outbreak of the rage virus, setting us up for, yes - a zombie attack, and more importantly a key moment of cowardice from their father.
Following this, we learn of the events that followed the initial breakout of infection. Fast forward to today, and we see an American occupation/restoration attempt (sound familiar?) of the lone secure area of London, the Isle of Dogs. If the new populace stays within the boundaries, they're safe from infection. Right...if you give a child a new toy, is he really to be expected NOT to play with it?
Inevitably, Andy and Tammy's curiosity gets the better of them, and after a reunion with their father, they venture outside to explore their old home, setting off a chain of events that will introduce infection to the world again. Along the way, we meet an array of genuinely likable characters, including US Army nurse Scarlet (Rose Byrne) and the sympathetic sniper, Doyle (Jeremy Renner).
From a stylistic standpoint, Fresnadillo's clearly polished up the work of Days. The tight, frenetic camera work is still present, but the film no longer has that grainy quality that was the first film's lone miscue. In other words, the franchise no longer looks as though it's being shot on a Super-8 camera, and this is a welcome change. Special effects are perfectly utilized, particularly in one specific moment of desperation that is also the film's most notable for possible political undertone. The result is a work that looks the part of the Hollywood blockbuster it's sure to become while maintaining the best qualities of its lower- budget predecessor: endearing characters and an intriguing plot.
But now we're left with the vital question of whether to take the franchise a step further into 28 Months Later. Weeks sets that venture up perfectly, and with a possible return of Danny Boyle to the helm, one can only look forward to it with great anticipation.
8.5/10