28 weeks later (Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, 2007)
5 reasons to watch this film
1.Robert Carlyle in his most amazing role
2.Great soundtrack
3.Zombies..but not zombies
4.A fun film from beginning to end
5.One of my favorite helicopter scenes (Helicopter scenes are always amazing)
So i got to check out 28 weeks later at a screening because of a friend of mine. He's a critic and a great one at that, he's the one that got me into films. He's kind of my teacher in a way. Well we had the honor of getting a preview screening and i have to admit, after the film ended i didnt know what to think. I did have fun throughout the whole movie but i just feel like it didnt live up to the first 28 days later.
As i went into the film i had a feeling that it would remind me of Aliens and it actually did feel like that. The thing that made 28 days later great was the feeling of being alone, the scenes were very quiet while we got to know the characters and then out of nowhere the infected attack. It just felt like Ridley scott's "alien" and that is a compliment. With 28 weeks later we have an all out horror/action escape film that literally doesnt slow down at all. You never really get to know the two main characters which happen to be children and it seems flawed. That's where James Cameron's "aliens" succeeds because of Sigourney Weavery reprising her role. We already know this character and we actually care if she makes it or not. With 28 weeks later, we dont have any characters from the original, an all new cast where the main characters are a 12 year old boy and a teenaged girl.
After i left the theater i began to think to myself, that wasn't a flaw if you look at it in the sense that these children are just getting back to Britain from being sent out of the country for school. The Kid's have no idea what is really happening except for what they hear on the news. They are tossed into this infected frenzy that just goes insane. There is no time to get to know these characters and that is why we should actually feel for them. They are just innocent people that are trying to escape from something they are completely unaware of. The film leaves it up to you if you want to feel for these characters. It doesn't over do it with sad music over a sad scene. It doesn't have dramatic close ups. The film knows it's bounds of being just mindless fun and smart filmmaking.
The film does something that i highly respect, throughout the film we have heros that never really become heros. People that should live in a normal film get killed of out of nowhere. Also letting us know that we should feel for this kids because no one is safe in this film.
It had to sink in for a while but i finally understood it. Many people have already gave this movie a bad name without watching it just because Boyle and Garland aren't the creators this time but Juan Carlos Fresnadillo does a great job of capturing the atmosphere of the original except for one thing that annoyed me. The constant shutter effect, an effect that honestly doesnt have a purpose and no one can pull it off except...yes, except Kar Wai Wong in Chungking express but then again, it's Kar Wai Wong, he can get away with anything.
This film is great fun and a breath of fresh air from all the so called "horror" films that have been coming out lately. Put "the reaping" and "the grudge" to the side and check out this film, you won't be disappointed. Non stop horror/action from beginning to end. Every act literally starts with a infected rampage. Great fun and a great follow up to the original.
Grade B+
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