Too bad

Rating: 2/10 (18 May 2007)

I was eagerly awaiting this sequel. In a summer drowning in them, I thought a follow up to the Boyle classic original could stand out as a second edition to a storyline worthy of more story.
I don't think I can say how disappointing '28 Weeks Later' was in only 1,000 words! The story was thin, even though the tag lines and trailer gave hope for much more. Having three credited screenwriters is always a bad sign for an action film.
I don't mind the use of hand-held cameras, but I have to say that it was completely distracting in this case. The action is choppy and nearly impossible to follow. Any scene that wasn't of a crowd was filmed in intense close-up, for no reason I could see other than maybe the operator didn't know how to adjust the depth. He couldn't hold the camera still, certainly. Most scenes were poorly lit, and I don't think it was all about setting a mood, either.
I won't give away any plot points, but there were a few story elements, meant to be poignant and touching, (I think), but so impossible, so horribly conceived and executed, that the audience I saw it with laughed at them. So bad they were funny, and not on purpose.
I saw and really liked 'Intacto', so I know that Fresnadillo can make good movies. If you liked '28 Days Later', just wait for the next sequel. It can't be worse than this one.