28 Nervous Breakdowns Later

Rating: 6/10 (27 May 2007)

This is the Sequel to the successful thriller 28 Days Later. As can quite easily be discerned from the title, 28 Weeks Later is set for the most part 28 weeks after the Breakout. For those such as myself who didn't see the first movie, a clear, blindingly obvious outline of the situation is not made. However, based on information picked up as the movie progresses one can work out what is going on.
The basic plot outline seems very similar to that of Outbreak (Dustin Hoffman, Morgan Freeman & Kevin Spacey) where a variation of the Ebola Virus created by the US government gets loose and infects the population at large. NATO moves in and quarantines the area. One member of the army uses their wit and influence in an attempt to A) Prevent the Militaries heavy handed actions. B) Preserve the only hope of vaccination. Of course it is not just Outbreak that this movie is reminiscent of; consider the situation in Iraq as you watch this and you will agree there is an obvious parallel.
The Virus, known as RAGE, causes adrenaline induced frenzy. The Infected become blood spewing maniacs whose mission is to kill or infect those who have managed to avoid death or infection. The Infected in this movie are formidable due to having vastly increased amounts of adrenaline. This means that they are Faster and stronger than a traditional Zombie and resemble those from the 2004 Dawn of the dead rather than from the 1978 original film. They may be significantly stronger but they are also easier to kill (being of the living and not the 'undead') and can require as little as a crowbar to the face.
The action is fairly exciting and if jump eight feet in the air out of fright is your thing then this is for you. There is of course the small issue of the "Acting" which consists almost entirely of Robert Carlyle crying (during which scenes he also seems to be smiling) and hordes of mad running, screaming loonies. The point I'm getting at is that Carlyle is the only decent actor, everyone else is either wooden or have a very easy acting part (mad infected loonies).
Don't see this movie if you a squeamish or scare easily. I used to be fairly afraid of Zombie, but now I am not because that feeling is dwarfed by feeling towards The Infected (which is best described as blind terror). The results of the movie are as follows 1) I have vowed off sleep for the rest of my natural (or unnatural) life. 2) I predict the sale of tinned food, emergency bunkers and firearms will increase noticeably. Basically a good horror/thriller and will probably be best enjoyed by those encapsulated by the first film. All in all I give 28 Weeks Later 6 Infected Loonies out of 10.