28 Weeks Later... (2007)

A sequel you say?  Let it not go unreviewed!  The BTF 2011 Halloween Review Marathon continues!

Reviewed by James Ryder

You know those horror movies where characters do the stupidest thing possible?  These are the type of characters that you want to yell at.  “Why are you going into the room full of blood stains and monster noises?!” you might ask.

Well, 28 Weeks Later… is one of those horror movies!  Its characters are so dumb their deaths could be written off as a thinning of the herd by viewers and surviving characters alike.  Furthermore, this sequel to 28 Days Later… manages to be more nihilistic and more cheaply sentimental than its predecessor thanks to the decision to make a pair of children the center of its apocalyptic story.  Who cares if thousands of other civilians are eaten by zombies the infected as long a Lil’ Timmy gets away in an air duct?

Run Timmy!

Lil’ Timmy (whose name in the film is actually Andy and is played by Mackintosh Muggleton) is joined by his sister Tammy (Imogen Poots) as they relocate back to London approximately 7 months after the outbreak in the first film.  The infected have died off, and London is slowly being rebuilt.  There is actually a cool science-fiction feel to these sequences, but little of this new society is explored before the second outbreak of the rage virus.

The children meet with their father Don (Robert Carlyle), who managed to survive the original infection and is now a maintenance engineer.  He quickly points out to the kids that he has keys to all locations in this New London (I hope that doesn’t come into play later on in the film!).  Through one horribly misguided decision after another, the population is reinfected.  The remainder of the film’s running time is spent following the kids running and adults making bad decisions on which way to run.  The cast is rounded out by American soldiers who were sent to prevent a second outbreak (Mission Accomplished!).  They include Jeremy Renner (The Town) as a Sniper, Rose Byrne (Knowing) as a doctor and Idris Elba (American Gangster) as a commander. 

28 Weeks Later… is directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, who pitches the silence and quiet meditation of the first film for more action and plenty of shaky cam.  Fresnadillo actually creates an eerie tone to the film and crafts excellent action sequences, but unfortunately, the plot holds the film back from excellence.  The film is credited to four writers: Fresnadillo himself, Rowan Joffe (The American), E.L. Lavigne and Jesus Olmo.  Danny Boyle and Alex Garland of the first film (director and writer respectively) served as executive producers. 

There are several exciting set pieces and interesting concepts in 28 Weeks Later..., which are squandered due to poor plotting and woefully stupid characters.  The idea of making a leaner and meaner sequel could have been a brilliant one (this entry is 12 minutes shorter than the previous film, and contains much more gunplay).  However, every time something “cool” happens, be it a set piece or plot point, the film quickly returns to a family dynamic that could have been lifted from any direct-to-DVD Disney film - complete with a blundering dad.

(c) 2011 Beyond the Films