"28 Weeks Later"  Not Late At All

Rating: 8/10 (13 May 2007)

An intelligent horror film goes a long way in my book and "28 Weeks Later" did exactly that. I enjoyed the first one but thought it was only slightly above average. Although the extreme low budget utilized did add to the credibility of the impressive box office underdog that resulted. Usually when money is added to a sequel, havoc is wreaked and the franchise tends to get washed down the tubes. This was not the case here as the second installment proved to be just as intelligent, if not more so. While it was a zombie-type film, it contained everyday concerns that our world faces.
Technically those infected aren't zombies, so while it isn't a zombie movie per sethey do possess very similar characteristics to them. The way the virus can be transmitted has properties of HIV, but I don't think there was a social statement there as it was probably more coincidental. On the other hand, references to the war in Iraq were a little more poignant and while I don't think it was a direct blowthe director definitely wanted to point out how us Americans love our guns. Which is true. Chances are the U.S. soldiers here behaved exactly the same as they would in an actual confrontation such as this could it occur. They'd operate under the same short fuse and eagerness to bring out the big guns rather than sincerely try to rebuild a lost civilization.
As good as the story was, it wasn't without a fair share of errors. For starters there were huge gaps in the continuity between both movies. Rules that were set in "28 Days Later" went ignored in the sequel, and even some new ones were put into effect. Also the editing was so jumpy that any viewer who succumbs to motion sickness should steer clear, as the camera tends to bounce around mercilessly. I thought some of the action sequences were put together too messily as it was very hard to make out what was going on in some of them as well.
The acting itself was very appropriate for its genre and there were no extreme over-the-top theatrics that usually make me want to strangle some of the characters myself. My absolute favorite had to be Jeremy Renner though. I've been following him ever since his first underground film and while stardom has managed to elude him for quite some time, I think he is an excellent artist. Idris Elba I also adore ever since I've seen him on "The Wire", and he was great here, however his part seemed much too small for a gentleman of his caliber. Imogen Poots was visually stunning and I must say I was rather impressed with Rose Byrne who often tickles me as an annoying character. Robert Carlyle was good as usual in a creepy kind of role that he seems no stranger to. A lot of the audience seemed to pan him early on for a life changing decision he makes that is easy to find fault in. However in a survival viewpoint, he really did the right thing given the sure doom layout that was set before him and due to the fact that he only had a split second to determine what to do.
Now that the year is almost at the halfway mark, I must admit that I've been very impressed with what has been laid out so far. The cinema was getting so bad that I agreed with all the people that stopped going because of how outrageous the prices were getting. The costs have grown even worse in the meantime but they are almost worth it again and I wouldn't doubt it if the cycle reverses soon. "28 Weeks Later" is the best horror film I've seen in 2007 and I can't imagine what it'd take to beat it. This was an intellectual gore fest that combined great writing, excellent acting, and a break from formulaic slashers. I highly recommend this to just about anyone that can handle the jumps it dishes out and am willing to bet a third chapter will be on the way. Hopefully they can think of a better title than "28 Months Later" by then!