I feel a bit of a fraud, did a hit and run with my first review in ages, came back a month later and...
I feel a bit of a fraud, did a hit and run with my first review in ages, came back a month later and you've given me a diamond. I should get back into this, I've been so lazy recently your generous accolade could be just the encouragement I needed. Zx
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Animal rights activists attempting to free laboratory test subjects inadvertently release a monkey that has been infected with pure rage. The infection is highly contagious and causes victims to enter a zombie like state where murder is their only goal.
28 days later…
Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes in central London hospital bed to find the building and the whole of London deserted. Almost the entire population is dead or infected. After finding fellow survivors Selena (Naomi Harris), Frank (Brendan Gleeson) and Hannah (Megan Burns) Jim and his new found companions set off in search of sanctuary.
Danny Boyle is one of Britain’s most celebrated directors. After his phenomenal success with 1996’s ‘Trainspotting’ he was hailed as the saviour of British cinema, Empire declaring “Come in Hollywood, your time is up”. Then came the lukewarm reception to his next two major films ‘A Life Less Ordinary’ and ‘The Beach’. They were a step too far from the films that had made Boyle’s name, both ‘Trainspotting’ and his earlier work ‘Shallow Grave’ were unmistakably British films. His follow ups though had Hollywood stars and production values and Boyle’s voice was lost under the noise and glitter. Thankfully for the British film industry ’28 Days Later’ represents both a return to form and to Boyle’s roots, this is a British film we can all be proud of.
Though recently comparisons have been made between this film and Zach Synder’s remake of Romero’s classic ‘Dawn of the Dead’ such associations are misleading. Essentially the only similarity I can see is that
both Synder’s zombies and Boyle’s infected do not lumber after you, they run. The main difference is that ‘28 Days Later’ is not a horror film (as I was extremely surprised to learn whilst watching it). ’28 Days Later’ is a work of science fiction, in fact it is so blatantly fixed in this genre is amazes me that it ever gets called horror film. The first thing to note is that ‘the infected’ are far from zombies, not only do they not look like zombies they also don’t behave like zombies. The second is that the film is not about the infected’s attempts to kill the protagonists, but rather the protagonists attempts to survive. This film is about character development and human relationships, it is not a series of increasingly inventive attacks by monsters.
What allows this film to rise above the horror genre is the intelligent script written by novelist Alex Garland (most famous for ‘The Beach’). This is Garland’s first screenplay, but it doesn’t show. The plot of the film is tight and interesting, offering just the right amount of surprises without resorting to unbelievable twists. The dialogue is real and retains a strong British voice (and sense of humour) and the characters are full, believable and truly likeable (even loveable in some cases). Of course all the credit can’t go to Garland, it is Boyle that directs this film so cleverly and creates such an unusual and unsettling tone. The film is almost completely shot on digital cameras which removes any sense of the Hollywood gloss that has mired Boyle’s last two films. What it also achieves is a sense of immediacy, the characters’ struggles seem much closer when shot this way and so we care about their plight all the more. A possible down side to digital cameras is the distinctly small screen look it can create, in ’28 Days Later’ though this isn’t a problem. Although the film can at times feel like an extended ‘Dr Who’ episode (because of its plot), it never feels like it belongs on television. To further enhance the film’s tone Boyle keeps a level of tension throughout, even during the long periods where there is seemingly no real threat. This is because we care about the characters so much, in ‘Dawn of the Dead’ Synder had to keep the pace fast to ensure the audience didn’t get bored but in ’28 Days Later’ Boyle can afford to slow it right down and still retain our interest. This allows it to feel like a very small film about four people one minute and one about a national (if not global) threat the next.
The most talked about element of Boyle’s direction is doubtless the early sweeping shots of Jim walking through the deserted streets of London. To be honest once the novelty of seeing these landmarks devoid of human life wears off the opening act of the film is actually its weakest section. It is not until a good half an hour in when Jim and Selena find Frank and Hannah that the film finds its feet and up until that point I was slightly bored. It is Boyle’s direction of people that impresses and though these early scenes are perhaps necessary in establishing the devastation the epidemic has had on England they are far from inspiring.
The final act of the film takes place in a makeshift army base set up in an abandoned stately home by a small group of troops. Christopher Eccleston, whose phenomenal performance in Boyle’s ‘Shallow Grave’ stole the film from his co-stars, shines again here. He plays the groups’ leader with his trademark quiet menace and becomes the film’s real villain. It is in this final section of the film that the true nature of ’28 Days Later’ becomes apparent, it’s not a film about a killer epidemic it’s a film about human nature. Though I have emphatically stated earlier that this is not a horror film, it does have something in common with the zombie genre – it’s never the zombies that’ll get you killed, it’s always people.
Though Christopher Eccleston puts in a fantastic performance as the maniacal Major Henry West, there is only one true star of this film. Cillian Murphy is absolutely wonderful as our hero Jim. He veers from an almost childlike innocence and compassion at the start of the film to a shirtless vigilante who would give John McClane a run for his money by its end. He has an angelic quality to his face (aided by his huge eyes and insanely long eyelashes) which causes an audience to fall for his completely and hence totally support his actions during the film’s bloody conclusion. Naomi Harris is believably hard and cynical, without ever feeling like a feisty cliché. She looks like an amazon and her role as protector of Jim at the start of the film is skilfully flipped on its head by the end without Harris ever turning into a screaming female victim. There is strong support from newcomer Megan Burns and (recent star of ‘Troy’) Brendan Gleeson as the father and daughter who turn a group of survivors into a family (it sounds corny but believe me you’ll buy it).
The make-up on ‘the infected’ is kept minimal, mainly red contact lenses and a pallid look. It is through performance that Boyle gives them their menace, they thrash and convulse and though perhaps their initial impact has been lessened by Synder’s version of running, jumping zombies they are still scary enough to feel like a threat. In keeping with the way the film is shot, it is lit in a very realistic way without attempting to make the actors look fantastic all the time. What really impresses is the use of ‘natural light’ in the form of lightning in the film’s climatic scenes that combine with the mixture of dance and classical in the score to create a genuinely fresh and exciting feel to what could be a clichéd ending.
This is a hugely successful and genre defying work. It is intrinsically British but doesn’t fall into the trap of being ‘gritty’ or dull (or starring Hugh Grant). For a film about death and destruction it is surprisingly uplifting and I don’t doubt will leave you smiling. Thank god Leonardo De Caprio turned down the part of Jim…
Pictures of 28 Days Later (DVD)
"I thought he was biting you"
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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
Very good review, although I don't agree with the bit about the opening shots of London. As a Londoner, it made it so much more real... The Evening Standard shot was a little gem, in my opinion, together with the lonely car in the yellow junction box at Centre Point :)
I also think there is no "real" villain in this film. I think it's struck a perfect balance of showing humanity in its whole - we're all both villains and heros.
But as I said, great review :)))
apstan2 30.12.2006 16:57
Wonder if there's going to be a 29 days later...
dblock 09.07.2006 14:21
great review, i really liked this film not like other so called zombie films.
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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...
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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...
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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]")
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