"Zombies? Check. Crazy explosions? Check. A helicopter dicing up dozens of merciless, rotten flesh-eaters? Check. So what could possibly go wrong? Especially when you're a sequel to one of the greatest zombie movies ever? Sadly, more than I thought."
Zombies? Check. Crazy explosions? Check. A helicopter dicing up dozens of merciless, rotten flesh-eaters? Check. So what could possibly go wrong? Especially when you're a sequel to one of the greatest zombie movies ever? Sadly, more than I thought.
As the title implies, the film takes place 28 weeks after the events of the first film (aside from the beginning). Now, the U.S. Army has moved in to put everything back to normal. They succeed in re-estabishing order, but things soon go awry as one person's fault becomes everyone's problem. The main portion of the film is devoted to a family separated by the zombie infestation. Finally reunited, the family begins rebuilding their relationships. The only problems being a dark truth that the father is hiding (which is shown in the very intense introduction), and surviving the near-apocalyptic onslaught of both ravenous humans and military might.
Starting off, the movie begins with a bang. Here we are dabbed with a little emotion, then knocked flat as zombies begin their devastating attack. Great, great stuff. This is the kind of beginning all movies need. Something that grabs your interest immediately and doesn't let up. This leads into the rest of the film as we are introduced to the other protagonists such as a rooftop sniper, a female medic and a daring helicopter pilot. The movie continues at a good pace making you care for these characters and the dilemma surrounding them... That is until the halfway point. Here, it looses a bit of speed and begins dragging quite a bit. It's like they had a bunch of ideas, used them all in the first half of the film, then became confused about how to finish it off, while still leaving it open for yet another sequel. The last 20 minutes were especially disappointing I have to say. Coming from the incredibly climactic finale of 28 Days Later, I was expecting a no-holds barred climax limited only by the writer's and director's imaginations. Instead, it's rather well... Blah. Nothing that makes near, if any, impact at all, like the first film did. The other problem that occurs because of this is the length of the film. As soon as the zombies break out again, the movie is already half over. The movie feels VERY short. Way too short. And as stated before, it does set itself up for another film... In a rather (once again), 'blah' way.
Another problem with this film are the zombies themselves. With 28 Days Later, Danny Boyle introduced a new breed of zombie that didn't stop. It kept going like a wild beast until it caught its prey. It didn't lumber about chanting, "BRAINS!" It freaking sprinted at you, screeching, gnashing and wouldn't even falter if hit with a molotov. In this film, the zombies have been altered to be all the more vicious. And while it does make it more intense, it also adds problems. One scene I found overly gratuitous, and well, just not needed, shows a zombie beating a victim (who is unable to resist), then biting chunks out of their neck, then gouging their eyes out with its thumbs. Sure this does pay homage to the first-- the only difference -- In the first film it was a human doing it to an antagonist. In this film, it's a zombie. Whatever happened to the zombies biting people? Why are they now torturing? Sure, there is a connection shared at that moment in the film (between the victim and assailant), I know they're infected with 'rage', but come on, nothing like this ever happened with a zombie in the first flick. It just feels cruel. The other problem facing these deadite cannibals, is that they tried to make these zombies more emotional/sentient. They give hints at it, but then do nothing with it. Disappointing. I guess we all can't be a Day of the Dead.
The other problem that seemed to perpetuate the film was the fact that, it's a zombie film... But most of the attention seems placed on the destruction caused by the U.S. forces. While 28 Days Later was claimed to be a "political" horror film, I saw it more as an incredible horror film with great attention paid to human nature. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of zombies, but the obsession with the military constantly wiping everyone out (sniping the people, gunning them down, carpet bombing them, gassing them, and flamethrowing them)feels like it overshadows a lot of the real problem-- the zombies running amok killing everything in sight(once again, much more prevelant in the second half). And while yes, all of the destruction labeled above is a solution, how it's displayed feels like pointing the finger as well.
Mild problems also occur with scripting. Liberties are taken to further the story, but they aren't well explained. One scene shows a person fleeing through the woods... The only problem? They were just in a room filled with zombies (which were crowding the exit). Another seen shows the children of the film doing something both gutsy and stupid that I honestly could not see happening. Other problems like these abound here and there, but they aren't enough to take you out of the film.
Don't get me wrong though, I didn't hate this film. It's still an
entertaining movie with some really great scenes and moments; but after 28 Days Later, I was disappointed (mostly by the second half of the film). One scene shows a bunch of zombies charging like an army over a hilltop-- on the other side, a helicopter with an angry driver... Let's just say this scene makes Grindhouse's "Planet Terror" look like Ernest Saves Christmas. Another intense scene has the survivors wandering through the city streets of London-- while pinned down by a sniper and chased by zombies (funny thing, in the preview, these "night" scenes were all in broad daylight). Scenes like this really add to the overall grittiness and intensity of the film. They really give a perfect sense of dread and desperation. Especially the very beginning of the film. Another cool aspect is the music. Much like the first film's great soundtrack, this sequel keeps it smart and just uses the music from the first... Well, more specifically, the ending theme from the first film (the mansion revenge scene). This theme really amps up the moment being displayed, making you want to see it through to the end.
In the end, 28 Weeks Later is disappointing in some very key areas, but remains an entertainingly intense, graphically violent sequel that will have you wandering what lurks around the next corner. Just don't expect a film on the same level of greatness as the first.
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