I've turned purple, woohoo!Thanks to all my fans (!?!?) Now, go check out my new profile page, court...
I've turned purple, woohoo!Thanks to all my fans (!?!?) Now, go check out my new profile page, courtesy of Desolate Cash :)
Member since:18.07.2002
Reviews:33
Members who trust:31
Oh My god! I am so scared that I can barely breathe. My hands cover my eyes almost completely, with just a few finger paces to peek through, even though I half don’t want to see anymore. I am more afraid then I have ever been in my life, and I’m not sure I will get through the next few hours…………………….
Phew! And that was just me sitting in the cinema watching this film! I can honestly say that this film scared me more than any other film I have ever seen, which was good, but at the same time, the lack of oxygen was becoming a problem by the end!
28 Days later. What would happen if a bunch of animal rights activists ignored a scientist’s warning not to release the monkeys in his Cambridge laboratory because they have been infected with ‘Rage’, a highly infectious disease that can be spread to humans through blood or saliva and will cause them to kill madly and indiscriminantly? Bad things, that’s what.
As you can probably guess, the above is exactly what happens. Within seconds of the monkey being released it has attacked one of the activists. 20 seconds later she has already attacked one of the others. This is VERY fast acting. The film then skips to 28 days later. A man is just waking up in hospital. Half his head is shaved with a sticthed wound. We assume he has at some point suffered head injuries. Looking around the man is confused. Everything is deathly silent, there appears to be no-one around and he is naked (mmm, nice!), wired up to all kinds of drips and machines that are either empty or apparently turned off. He rips them out and stands, unsteadily. More than anything
at this point you notice the complete silence. Already, I am unnerved.
This man, who we later come to know as Jim (Cillan Murphy), wanders lost for some time in the eerily deserted streets of London, unsure as to what as happened. His shouts appear to go unheard. Then he finds several dead bodies in a church. Then he comes across a priest there, but something is wrong, he doesn’t walk quite right, twitching and awkward. His only sounds are grunts and growls, and when he steps into the light, his eyes are red and crazed, something has gone very, very wrong!
Chased by unknown would-be assasins, Jim comes across his saviours in the form of Selena (Naomi Harris) and Mark (Noah Huntley), who are living off candy bars and trying to stay alive. They explain that some kind of outbreak has occurred, and there are very few left alive and un-infected. 28 days has passed since it started, and it is assumed that Jim has spent at least this long in some kind of coma. In that time it seems as though the world has come to an end. Money is useless, the Government has fallen, there are no longer tv or radio reports, and the last things they heard were that infection had spread to New York and Paris……
I don’t want to say too much more, for fear of giving the plot away, but the gist is of trying to find some kind of organised help, preferably the military, and others who have survived whilst fending off the ‘zombie’ nation that is everywhere around them. This is easier said then done, and perhaps the most harrowing part of this isnt even those who have become infected and turned to kill their friends and family, but those who arent infected, and how they behave towards to those around them.
This is a film of apocalpse, where the world we take for granted is turned on its head, and everything is dark and sinister and foreboding. Not unlike many of the old zombie films, 28 days later brings a special kind of fear, the kind that makes you question how you would react if it was you mother, father, brother, sister, son or daughter coming towards you, a crazed look in their red eyes, knowing all they want is your blood. Films like this are far more terrifying than aliens or vamires, its so much more personal. Indeed, I saw many references to some of my favourite zombie movies, elements of both Day of the Dead and Dawn of the Dead, were thrown in there. But the effects in this were far superior. No more the days of dodgy blue/green make up, these ‘zombies’ (I will call them that, although that is not what they are called in the film, but it is an apt description all the same) look very human, and yet, not human at all. The red crazed eyes are a combination of good make-up, effects and acting. The expressions and movements both haunting and terrifying. Reminiscent of human, but without the humanity. What could possibly be more terrifying?
The special effects in general are very good, expect to see impressive explosions, people on fire and other gruesome goodies. The soundtrack was none existent. The silence is all around almost all the time. Those left are too afraid to make a sound, in case they attract the attention of any nearby ‘zombies’, and the effect is eery and keeps you on your toes, you find your ears straining for the sound of approaching footsteps or the sinister gutteral noises of approaching danger.
The backgrounds also seem perfectly suited to what is going on. A large portion is set in central London, with its grey dreary streets, rubbish lying around haphazardly and scary dark alleyways/housing blocks, all of which add to the overall atmosphere. Other parts of the film take place in some more northernly countryside, which acts as a stark contrast to the London scenes. There are also scenes of a deserted old country house, full of splendour which seems pointless in the midst of what is going on, but again, its long dark corridors and odd secret doors add to the feeling of foreboding.
Danny Boyle directed this, and I think it stands up well, if not better, than his earlier masterpieces, shallow grave and trainspotting, whilst keeping the grittyness and characterisation that worked so well in both of those films.
The actors in this were all completely unknown to me, although some looked familiar and I think I have seen them on various tv programmes. It was surprising therefore how impressed I was with their acting. I fully believed their fear, anger and grief. There was not one moment that I felt the acting lacked, and the characters also developed well, I liked seeing their transisition from their old selves, where life had been relatively simple, to now, where everything they have ever known is gone, and they are never safe.
Overall, I liked this film on so many levels that it may become my favourite film ever, and is certainly my film of the year so far. For horror, I was truly horrified and scared, yet the drama of this was also impressive, and many angles were covered that are often overlooked in other ‘blockbuster’ films to allow for more gore and special effects. The ending also left me fully satisfied, which so many films seem unable to do these days, so that is another plus. What can I say? I loved this, even though I was scared and replused, it was just so well made and acted, I cant seem to fault it. As its an 18, its obviously not for everyone, but if you’re old enough, and think you can handle it, check it out. I have one piece of advice though, BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 1984 - Horror - Director: Joe Dante - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Polly Holliday, Frances Lee McCain, Judge Reinhold, Corey Feldman
Production Year: 2004 - Horror - Director: M. Night Shyamalan - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Brendan Gleeson
this sounds good. I'll have to watch it, my sister has the DVD, but ive never watched it. Faye x
CombiChrist 11.10.2006 22:55
Excelent film and an excelent review, makes me want to see it again!
PitSweat 01.07.2005 19:51
Like the writting style, very original and personal rather than the usual dull relaying of facts that anyone can put down. Good read, something I could actually smile to while reading. Nice one, I'll check out some others you've done and keep my fingers crossed that they're written in a similar way. Thanks.
Anti-vivisection activists make a very bad judgment call and release an experimental ... more
monkey infected with "rage".28 Days Later..., as the title has it, bicycle messenger Cillian Murphy wakes up from a post-traffic accident coma in a deserted London hos...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Anti-vivisection activists make a very bad judgment call and release an experimental ... more
monkey infected with "rage".28 Days Later..., as the title has it, bicycle messenger Cillian Murphy wakes up from a post-traffic accident coma in a deserted London hos...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
A powerful virus is unleashed on the British public following a raid on a primate research ... more
facility by animal rights activists. Transmitted in a drop of blood and devastating within seconds, the virus locks those infected into a permanent murderous rag...
In this film from director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland a powerful virus is ... more
unleashed on the British public following a raid on a primate research facility by animal rights activists. Transmitted in a drop of blood and devastating within second...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: Superb, exciting, bloody, poignant, beautifully made, well acted and Directed. Disadvantages: Digital film may be cheaper Mr Boyle, but that's only because it looks like a home video. Please stop using it.
willgould 14.11.2002 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of 28 Days Later (DVD)
Advantages: An entertaining film, shows london completely deserted and makes you think! Disadvantages: Not as scary as it's made out to be, too many holes and inconsistences in the plot
GR-Design 11.11.2002 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of 28 Days Later (DVD)
Advantages: Superb, exciting, bloody, poignant, beautifully made, well acted and Directed. Disadvantages: Digital film may be cheaper Mr Boyle, but that's only because it looks like a home video. Please stop using it.
willgould 14.11.2002 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of 28 Days Later (DVD)
![28 Days Later ... [DVD] [2002]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78528816.jpg "28 Days Later ... [DVD] [2002]")
Nov 5th, 2002
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