“28 Weeks Later” — A Movie Pulse Review

On our next Slice of SciFi Show (#109) due out on Wednesday, May 16 we will talk a bit about this film during our Movie Talk segment. Until that time here is a look at what the boys over at Movie Pulse thought of it.

28 Weeks Later boasts a fantastically intense opening sequence, and with it a promise of a relentlessly paced thriller. And director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo delivers exactly that. Outdoing the intensity (and certainly the gore) of its predecessor, the sequel retains much of the jumpy scares and all of the terrifying zombies, but focuses more on visceral action and horrifying violence, and brings a welcome unpredictability to its frenzied survival story. 28 Days Later you may fear those corrupted by chaos. 28 Weeks Later you will fear those infected by Rage.

Twenty-eight weeks after the initial Rage Virus outbreak finds London occupied by the American military and a heavy quarantine in place. Those that survived begin to rebuild their world in seclusion, and after several months of no sign of the virus and all those originally infected dead to starvation, hopeful tranquility appears to return. But such serenity was not meant to last, and when a father with a dark past is reunited with his children, tragic events unfold that rapidly lead to another outbreak of the Rage. Once again an epidemic of voracious zombies threatens London, and those trapped between the ruthless military and their drastic precautions will find little solace amongst the carnivorous abominations that roam the streets.

When 28 Days Later premiered, horror fans the world over praised it for its new breed of zombie with a familiar penchant for human flesh, but also a new, extremely aggressive and violent temperament. Combined with an enhanced agility and speed, Danny Boyle’s unique twist on the undead fiend became far more terrifying than Romero’s original design. While Days used his vicious creatures almost as a backdrop for the more diabolical workings of his corrupted military, Weeks takes full advantage of these cannibalistic crazies to produce some truly shocking horror scenes. The opening sequence perfectly outlines just how deadly the infected are as they overwhelm the small group of survivors and dispatch them in a quick and brutal fashion. From there each encounter becomes even more panic-inducing as Fresnadillo utilizes several ingenious tension-building devices, from the shaky handheld cameras to the foreboding music. One standout scene finds the protagonists in a pitch-black subway station with the only light source being a sniper rifle night-vision scope. In a wonderfully chaotic moment all hell breaks loose and we are witness to a riveting fight for survival where we feel as helpless as our heroes thanks to Enrique Chediak’s camerawork and the frantic editing.

With the increased zombie screen time comes a far higher level of blood and gore and both are handled well to enhance the gravity of the survivors’ plight. Throats are torn, eyes are gouged, and heads explode to reveal a sadistic amount of bloodletting that will have gorehounds cheering and the squeamish fleeing. Partway through the film a helicopter decapitation reminiscent of Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror can be found, but here it’s no longer an over-the-top splatter of body parts, but rather an exercise in some truly horrific bloodshed.

Though different in focus from its predecessor, 28 Weeks Later builds upon Boyle’s original concept to create a terrifyingly appropriate sequel that carries on a series of horror films that redefines the zombie. No more are the shambling, brainless denizens of the night - here the undead possess an unparalleled speed and ferocity that only the most heavily armed (and fortunate) can hope to escape. Arguably superior to the original, 28 Weeks Later is a triumphant return to a remarkably frightening world lost to both those in power and those immune to it, where death can descend upon you in the blink of a bloody eye - if you’re one of the lucky ones.

- Joel Massie & Brandon Hill
MoviePulse.net