28 Weeks Later

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Summary:
After several months of clearing and quarantines, some brave-ass motherfuckers are among the first to re-inhabit the UK from the rage virus outbreak. Don and his kids are among the new inhabitants. Of course, there's always risk when going back to such devastation.

Review:
What I found most appealing about 28 Days Later was the involving character development, and intelligent use of tension building (at least for the first half). Gone are these two key elements to the original's success, and - 28 Weeks Later - we have a movie that centers on carnage and mayhem, with easily recognizable visual and dialogue cues to keep even the less attentive viewers guessing what will happen next.
It's apparent from the first half hour that this isn't going to be as involving and intelligent as its predecessor. Instead, Fresnadillo and writers work their hardest to keep the pace whizzing by, filling in plot holes and stupid character actions with one frenzied attack after another. Much like almost any other zombie/rage-induced maniac attacking movie, this remains at its core an escape and evade picture. Very simplistic, but still entertaining.
Robert Carlyle was once again great. I especially enjoyed the opening scene in which he runs in panic from dozens of rage induced baddies for his own life, sacrificing others for himself, however unwittingly. His actions are plausible considering the circumstances and I can't think of him as a wimp since I don't think I would have done different in his situation. Then we cut to 28 weeks later, and he's the head of operations for many of the building's electricity and appliances operations. Is there a reason for him showing his kids that his ID card can access all areas of the facility? Hm. I also wonder if there was a particular reason for showing the medic's fascination with his son's multicolored eyes... as well as saying that a trait like that is hereditary. WOW! I wonder if this is all to set up events for the future!
I couldn't help but notice that the overuse of the original movie's score doesn't work as well this time around. The somber and subdued tone of that score gets ruined with the lack of dramatic punch, and the intersplicing of loud booming noise to induce shrieks and shoulder shakes through the moviegoers' seats. Once again I was turned off by the unimpressive cheap shots to induce fear on the viewers. However, it doesn't mean that I wasn't having an overall decent time. The great cast and merciless pacing kept me watching, and not worrying so much about the movie's countless moments of idiocracy.
In order for the events to unfold in the way this movie does, the characters have to do countless bad decisions. It starts when the two kids run out of the area of quarantine. A sniper sees them but fails to take prompt affirmative action. This leads of course to more troubles down the road, and none too soon.
After discovering that their mother survived a rage infected bite, she obviously is the key to a cure. With this knowledge, us grand American soldiers refuse to post immediate guard on her room. Of course there has to be a setup for mass carnage to ensue. This is the reason to see this movie, right?! Well, once the shit hits the fan, I can't help but laugh at the concept of putting every SINGLE PERSON TOGETHER into one room. I don't know about you, but doesn't the idea of putting all your eggs in one basket not such a good idea? Hrumph. Time to stop thinking while watching this, just go with the flow. We go to see people being chased down and slaughtered, so that's what we're gonna get!
Then a Code Red is called. The extreme measures used to try and contain the infected are executed in the wrong order. Why do the chemical attack last when the priorities are still the same? Shit! STOP THINKING! There are some cheesy and cheeply made dream sequences that are there for two reasons. The first is to make a loud noise and startle you, and the second is to justify some major flaws in plausible logic in the end.
Regardless, this movie can't help but be entertaining. During the massive wave of newly infected taking place, the editing is too quick and the cam too shaky to really see what's going on. Too bad, because that could have been much more fun to watch.

My favorite part has to be about the way the movie doesn't make AMERICA the fault for the insurgence of newly infected. It is in fact UK kids who go out and to the stupid shit, and UK folks who make stupid decisions to cause the mayhem. Yay! Somehow we aren't viewed as the truly bad guys!
Jeremy Renner was pretty good as SGT Doyle, the American superhero who tries to help the sole survivors through a maze of obstacles. He's got a kindly demeanor, and I could see myself trusting him if I met him. Add to that, some kickass helicopter piloting that would have been 100 times cooler if I didn't see it done a few weeks earlier with TERROR PLANET, a much better "infected people attacking the masses" kind of movie. Even better was having Jeff Fahey as the pilot in that one! YEAAAAAHHH, baby!! Sorry, I love that fucking flick!

28 Weeks Later is not a disaster of moviemaking by any means. Most of the disaster is appropriately caused by the movie's rage infected. I will say that it is somewhat of a disappointment. I didn't get ANY suspense in the darkened subway with the nightscope rifle. I think that was supposed to freak the shit out of me, but I ended up laughing at the ineffectiveness of it all. A big BONUS, however, is 28 Weeks' willingness to snuff off certain characters that you wouldn't have expected to be killed off. A couple of times I raised my eyebrows, and was impressed by the ballsy move.
28 Weeks Later is much much better than most horror movies these days. It's well worth your time if you're looking for an entertaining, illogical horror fest. Don't expect the smarts or emotional investment of the first movie. This one is more about leaving ones' brain at the door and cheering for blood and carnage! That's not all bad. I just wish it played things a little smarter, and found a more intelligent means of getting to the mayhem. It went the really easy route for every plot twist and turn, thus reducing this movie's potential for greatness.

GRADE: C+

Reviewed: 5/13/07