View Full Version : 28 Days Later
Wicked Lester
31 Mar 2004, 08:52
Got this out on DVD over the weekend.
An English film directed by Danny Boyle (of Trainspotting and The Beach fame).
The plot is sort of Day of the Triffids meets Dawn of the Dean - in other words the plot is played out in a post apocalyptic Britain ravaged by 'the infected' - human survivors of a disease that transfers rapidly from person to person via the bloodstream leaving you as a rage enhanced zombie type figure.
Despite obvious holes in the plot I really enjoyed it.
Any others seen the film?
Thoughts?
RogerMellie
31 Mar 2004, 12:28
I really liked it up until they got to the military base. The creepiness and suspense evaporated from then on. Also, I didn't care for lighter moments like the supermarket scene. Otherwise, the deserted landscape, the shocks and the performances were all tops, especially given the low budget.
Wicked Lester
31 Mar 2004, 13:15
The supermarket scene was probably just Boyle's homage to Romero's Dawn of the Dean.
I was in two minds in respect to the Army Base scene.
For real trivia buffs the army base was a grand old stately mansion - the exact same one used in A Bridge Too Far.
I digress.
I thought the Army Base scenes were ok with two main flaws.
The first was the suggestion that within 28 Days, a highly trained military outfit would lose all semblance of decency and humanity. Hard to say I suppose - haven't been in their situation yet.
the second was the sudden transformation of Jim from a rather naive and saintly character to a raged 'uninfected' who could outwit, outlast and outsurvive a band of trained army personnel.
But I agree with you - it was still great fun.
daicos4ever
31 Mar 2004, 13:43
With Jim's 'transformation', I don't think it was that. He just used his brains. Particularly by releasing the infected soldier.
One thing I didn't understand was how the infection spread to Paris and New York as was mentioned. Surely because the infection acts so quickly it would mean that it can't possibly spread out of Britian. Especially over the Atlantic. How would it get there?
Great movie though. Mainly for the creepiness of how an empty city like London would seem.
Wicked Lester
31 Mar 2004, 13:52
Yeah I wondered how it could possibly be in Paris or London also. Obviously not be plane.
Perhaps by boat. If someone desparately fleeing England got bitten during the chaos as they were boarding perhaps the virus could spread rpaidly through all those on board.
If the cabin crew were not infected for argument sake, as they docked at Dieppe or Calais the virus could spread rapidly again.
I suppose it would also depend on how long the virus remains infectious in blood. It would not be difficult for a bird to pick up some blood in England and deposit it somehow in France.
Hence the problem with such films. You're left with all these unresolved questions - and you want answers.
mongrelpunt
31 Mar 2004, 15:11
You couldn't half tell that is was by the same guy/s who did The Beach. The end was just adapted from The Beach for this movie.
Overall I thought it was a good movie, but there were too many parts where you thought "Why the hell would you do that?"
I mean, going through a dark tunnel when all the infected rarely came into the light? Come on now (I have to remember, they were British!)
Originally posted by Wicked Lester
Yeah I wondered how it could possibly be in Paris or London also. Obviously not be plane.
They could have walked...ie, via the Channel Tunnel.
BTW, I've got the DVD.
I watched it last weekend, and I thought it was okay, but nothing special.
I saw it when it came out, not bad.... but not fantastic either.
Right up there with some of my faves! I have a 'thing' for horror films... (most with gore) but this one really stood out for me. It had a really creepy feeling through out most of the film. Although the atmosphere wasnt the greatest at times, i really enjoyed this moive and cant wait to get it on dvd.
The new Dawn of the Dead remake is also meant to be very good, might be worth to go and check it out this weekend.
When Jim stcuk his thumbs in that Army bloke...that was a little wierd.