Minimal expectations...

Rating: 4/10 (13 January 2008)

Not having read the book or seen 28 days later, I dove into this movie with no expectations, except to hear a standard Smithy line like " Oh man! You did not just do that!". On this front I was pleasantly surprised as lines of this flavour were included but they did not dominate the script, which brings me to my main problem with this movie: its totally under-developed script.
I have a few issues with consistency in this movie. Aside from the item mentioned above in the goofs, I had a problem believing that certain things should remain so conveniently available despite no maintenance for 3 yearsfor example: piped water, electricity, cars (I will concede that he could probably have just picked up another one, when his dies from not being serviced). The other one that bothered me greatly is that despite locking up and blacking out his windows every night, he somehow manages to be woken up by the sunlight shining through his bedroom window.
Anyway, let us leave the consistency editors alone and focus on the writers. As far as dialogue goes, this movie wasn't as silent as one would expect from one man and his dog. Like I said above the trademark Smithy comments are heard. My problem with the writers is with how they allowed soo many great opportunities to develop the story slide, in order to allow the action junkies get their fix of loud noises, explosions and chase scenes.
Without giving the story line away too much, I will try to explain my reasoning. The reaction and consequent proactive hostility displayed by the male mutant (let me just say "Fred?!" and mental head banging), at the capture of the female test mutant was something that could have, nay should have been developed further. It just felt like the writers has spent all their time and effort on setting up the movie, then realised at 1 hr 25 mins that their allocated time for their target audience was up, and wrapped up the movie with the requisite BOOM! After I, Robot, I was very disappointed in Smithy's choice of roles. It could have been sooo great!