28 Weeks Later
Though it lacks much of the haunting artfulness of its’ predecessor, “28 Weeks Later…” is the rare horror sequel to meet the expectations of the original by not only delivering what audiences want, but also bringing something new to the table. In 2003, director Danny Boyle teamed up with “The Beach” author Alex Garland to deliver a frightening dystopian vision in the form of a zombie movie. “28 Days Later” reinvigorated both genres by splicing them together, as the deadly rage virus- originally detected in monkeys- got loose and decimated much of the British population, turning them into flesh-eating killing machines with killer speed (the zombies of George Romero’s “Dead” series make for easy nemesis’ in comparison); what was scary wasn’t that they’d tear you apart if they caught so much as the fact that they could catch you if you weren’t smart enough…or fast enough. And it didn’t help the small band of survivors in that film- led by “Batman Begins'” then-unknown Cilian Murphy- that survival was put before any sense of humanity, whether you were a civilian running for dear life or a part of the small military presence that looked to contain the virus at all costs, and bring back the population. To say it was a breathe of fresh air for the horror genre- which has sunk to remarkable lows in quality and taste over the years- is to put it lightly; it’s still a modern benchmark for the genre, and an instant classic.
That’s what makes “28 Weeks Later…” so satisfying. Even with Boyle and Garland sitting out as director and writer- their smart social commentary from the original is all that’s lacking from the 2003 film- their guiding hand as producers is evident, with new director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and fellow co-writers Rowan Joffe, Jesús Olmo and E.L. Lavigne continuing the story of the rage virus’ rampage over Britain with a commitment to story and character over thrills, though rest assured, “Later…” provides plenty of them. It’s six months since the events of the first (well, kind of; the timeline’s kind of sketchy on that if you try to follow it), but what’s important is that England has been under military quarantine and the rage virus has been contained. As the film begins proper after an intense opening attack in a rural cottage (which, in the film’s chronology, takes place months prior), the military is flying in British citizens who got out to repopulate and begin to start over. It’s interesting that in these opening moments, just as everyone identified “28 Days Later” with the SARS scare that happened at the time, my first thoughts in watching the repopulation effort of England were of people going back to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina (of course, that might be more because I’d just watched Spike Lee’s “When the Levees Broke” earlier in the week)- their lives destroyed, families broken apart, a country in need of rebuilding. We’re asked to focus in early on Tammy (Imogen Poots) and Andy (Mackintosh Muggleton), who’re shortly reuinited with their father Don (Robert Carlyle, from Boyle’s “Trainspotting” and “The Beach”), who’s been in quarantine after surviving the cottage attack in the opening and watching his wife Alice (“Braveheart’s” Catherine McCormack) get killed by the attackers. Tammy and Andy are the first children to be brought back, much to the reservations of a leading medical officer (Rose Byrne). She has good reason for her concerns; it’s not long before the virus manifests itself again when Alice is found in the off-limits zone of the city and brought back to be examined. I’ll let you take it from there.
Actually, I’ll let Fresnadillo and co. take it from there, as they further develop the vision of the original film much in the same way Romero did with his subsequent “Dead” films. But don’t mistake this for just a British version of that seminal monster series; the “Later…” series has its’ own twists and turns, and it begins with the story and characters. Basic issues of morality in the face of crisis are explored further when a military sniper (Jeremy Renner) and a helicopter pilot (“The Matrix Reloaded’s” Harold Perrineau) take it upon themselves to help out a small band of the uninfected- including the children and medical officer- and try to get them to safety. It’s not as easy as it sounds; in addition to the rage victims, the military officers have ordered a Code Red emergency, which means, if the situation gets out of control, uninfected civilians are targets for the snipers to take away the food source, which is how the virus was contained previously. Admittedly, it’s a barebones story- as it was, fundamentally speaking, in “28 Days Later”- but it’s one told with conviction and energy. Actions speak louder than words, and after a terrific setup of the present situation (which does bring to mind the artful stillness of a city eerily silenced by tragedy from the first film; again, John Murphy’s evocative music helps set the tone), the filmmakers let ’em rip with the gore. And there’s a lot of it, with the expanded military arsenel providing for some of the most vicious scenes, while the filmmakers generate genuine suspense and scares through the use of darkness and shadow. The visual style leans too far towards the confusing at times- like the first film, the penchant for hand-held shaky cam work is overkill and kills the mood- but when all Hell breaks loose, it does become an enhancer for the more visceral sequences. For fans, “28 Weeks Later…” offers everything you want in a zombie movie. For non-fans, well, it’s unlikely you’ll be taking this movie in anyway…especially if you didn’t watch the “Days” before it. If you can stomach it, I’d recommend watching both, to see how “Days” became “Weeks”- yes, I’m aping Fox’s tagline- and just wonder what’ll happen when “Weeks” become “Months” (yes, “28 Months Later” has been discussed, and there’s a hint of sequel setup at the end). Dare I say it won’t be long until “Years” are contemplated? For now, that’s a topic for a later time.
