Different movie than the first, completely enjoyable.

Rating: 8/10 (22 July 2011)

I almost feel the need to review some of the "bad" reviews listed by users for this film. Seriously, there's a reason that you don't write professionally let alone review films professionally. Anyway... 28 Days made an excellent comment on the human condition by posing the question: Is violence a necessary aspect of humanity? Violence might be necessary to create order as personified by the English soldiers welcoming the crew into their occupied estate. I found 28 Weeks as completely enjoyable as it's original in different ways. It was a different movie with different characters set in a different time of the same story setting. I almost feel the second (28 Weeks) to be more serious in tone. 28 Days had moments of dry wit spliced between moments of sheer terror, but the feel of the film felt more playful and philosophical. I feel the funniest parts of 28 Weeks was it's moments of over the top gore. I don't mean to equate violence with humor but gore can be likened to slapstick comedy depending on it's context i.e. helicopter in the field scene. Many people seem to focus on the unbelievability of the movie. Guess what. It's an unbelievable premise. So was the first one. It's a movie. It's a zombie movie. Actually here's another thing that irks me. They aren't zombies, people. They're infected with a virus that induces extreme rage. If you don't view them as zombies but as people who are enraged beyond anything that you or I could possibly imagine, it makes sense that the father figure retains some if not only a small bit of his rational thought prior to being infected much like the infected soldier in 28 Days they were keeping chained and alive for purposes of study. There's a moment where Jim sets him free and he is completely conscious while being a "zombie" and recognizes what Jim intends for him to do. Also why is it so unbelievable for some people to accept that the children wanted to escape the occupied zone to go back to their home to gather personal effects? OK, maybe they're kids and it's impossible for them to escape a border of soldiers, but the tone was set. It's 6 months after any sign of existing infected person. The American soldiers that are there are bored. No one sees the threat as imminent anymore. It is a relaxed occupation where refugees are made to be comfortable in high-rise apartments as rebuilding of society is quickly underway. The kids escape and are scooped up rather quickly, considering. It's a movie. It's not the best movie but far from the worst. Definitely is deserving of more than 1 star. I would expect maybe 5 on the low end and 8 on the higher end. Oh, one more thing that bugs me. This is not an Americanized remake or sequel. It's not a typical Hollywood movie. The same makers of the original had their hands in the production of the sequel. I feel if you enjoyed the first one, it's entirely possible to enjoy this sequel especially given that most sequels and/or remakes or re-imaginings are crap. I read somewhere someone likening it to Aliens vs. Alien. I find that a completely accurate comparison. Guess what. Aliens was fantastic as a sequel as well and I can and will defend that movie if need be but not here.