Film - 28 Weeks Later

Film - 28 Weeks Later



This follow up to 2002's 28 Days Later is one of the most highly anticipated films of 2007.

The film begins with a group of people hiding out in a house. Suddenly, there is knock at the door. It's a young boy, begging to get in. Fearful of showing the zombies that the house has potential victims, they reluctantly let the boy in. He's normal, but the zombies now zero in on the house...

The US military has taken over London. A few months ago, the final zombies apparently died off, due to hunger. The city appears to be safe for repopulation, but, of course, something highly unlikely happens that triggers the birth of a new generation of zombies.

I didn't feel all that excited about this film, despite it's attempts to be zombie and post-apocalyptic sci-fi film, all rolled into one. There are lots of hyper-violent scenes, almost no humour and oh, yes, lots of blood. And the zombies don't just stroll around, they run really, really fast.

It's the story that made 28 Weeks Later seem like a let down. The acting all around is strong. When you can get past his accent, Robert Carlyle, is excellent as the father being reunited with his children,having to explain how his wife died, twice, as the kids learn more about her supposed demise. A sniper, Sergeant Doyle, abandons his post in a crisis of conscience when he spotted Andy, the 12 year-old, in his sights, with an order to shoot to kill everyone, to contain the virus. Scarlett, a Major Army doctor, protects Andy and his sister Tammy, believing that they may hold the key to killing off the zombie virus. Tammy, played by 17 year-old actress Imogen Poots, has mesmerizing eyes and was convincing as Andy's protector. I'm sure she'll be positioned to be the next starlet out of the UK. It appears that they have set it up for another sequel. Together with Doyle, they race through the streets of London, trying to evade zombies, US military snipers and a forthcoming firebombing that promises to incinerate everything. The visuals are spectacular. People will flock to see the film, that I have no doubt, but I wonder if they will have a sense of indifference to it, as I had. Maybe I'm too accustomed to happy endings to be comfortable with the compromise ending of this film, to be satisfied.