User reviews

'28 Weeks Later (2007)' expands on the first film in a surprisingly natural way, even if it answers a nicely ambiguous question which that superior picture purposely left hanging. It's a relatively consistent-feeling affair, even if it never captures the isolation or relentless fury of its predecessor. It does get a bit 'been there, done that' when the plot kicks in simply because of where it starts and where it ends up, though it does take a number of risks and isn't afraid to be pretty grisly, either. It's also a fairly distinct experience in its own right, one that's enjoyable throughout. 7/10.

Not as strong as 28 Days Later, that's for sure but a rating of 1,2, or 3 for certain is undeserved and no serious rating. Some logic issues, yes, but still better than 90% of the movies published under the banner of the zombie/walker genre. I watched tons, and I know what I am talking about - 28 Weeks Later, good, but could have been much better with a more plausible story and with less ueber-life dramatic action scenes (like that car chase and poisoning gas in the streets).

A sequel to 28 days later and you don't need to watch it to understand this one. The infection has died off and the UK population has been reduced to a few, being backed by US forces living on the Isle of dogs in London. We follow one family haunted by what they saw in the outbreak, some of these demons return. You rarely see the aftermath of an apocalypse with this interesting premise and conflicted characters it really starts well. But once the inevitable returns so does the usual clichés in this genre.

Having seen 28 Days Later I thought I was prepared for this, but I was not. Somewhere near the beginning of the film is a scene that goes from zero to psycho in about 2 seconds flat. The beginning of 2004's Dawn of the Dead also had a wildly chaotic kick-off scene, but unlike that film, which was a great film to laugh through while chomping your popcorn, this film is no laughing matter.

When there's no violence, there's fear and tension.

When there is on-screen violence, there is absolute shock and horror. Scene after scene shows ordinary people placed in impossible situations from which they cannot escape. This time, of course, there now two implacable predators out there hunting them down: the rage virus from the first film, and the military which is attempting to maintain control of any outbreak, but is willing to visit unspeakable horrors upon innocent people if they cannot keep that control. The horror and scale of the virus is so severe, that the plans the military implements are completely plausible.

The actions scenes are masterfully done, effectively placing the viewer in the points of view of both the victims and the crazed, but still scarily human, zombies. The portrayal of the violence pulls no punches; people of all age groups and walks of life are destroyed without remorse. No attempt is made to soft-pedal it. The fragility of human life on Earth and its vulnerability to just the right nasty virus are thoughts that stay with you after you've left the theater, and add a nice "after taste" of fear. The soundtrack, as with the first film, is amazing in conveying the tension and dread and sadness of the scenes. The story is fairly tight, as well. My only complaints might be with the acting of some of the soldiers, which just didn't feel authentic to me for some reason.

Overall I'd say this is one of the best zombie films I've ever seen, in fact, one of the most effective thrillers I've seen, as well.

When I first heard there was to be a sequel to Danny Boyle's excellent 28 Days Later and that Boyle himself would not be directing it, I was less than excited.

Then the reviews began flooding in and I was surprised, shocked even, that the majority of them were positive.

It was then after the well respected film critic Mark Kermode said it was "very good" and "better than we had any right to expect" that I began to raise my expectations.

Im happy to report that they were exceeded by a sequel that surpasses the original in terms of tension and spectacle.

Boyle remained on board with the project, albeit as a producer, but also directed some second unit footage and never allows it to veer away from the look or feel of his original.

Not that he had cause to worry as the new director,Juan Carlos Fresnadillo obviously understood Boyle's vision and expands on it without getting too carried away.

The result is a faster paced, less reflective film, containing a very intelligent political subtext and some fantastic action set pieces that (and this is the most important part) delivers a large number of quality scares.

It also dwarfs 28 days later in terms of gore, meaning true horror fans have much more in the way of visceral glee to sink their teeth into (pun intended).

Bring on 28 months later...

The deadly virus has decimated the city of London, exception a little zone where live people no-infected. The US army controls the city and is repopulating with good people. A family formed by a father named Don(Robert Carlyle) and sons, Tammy(Imagen Poots)and Andy(Mckintosh)are reunited .But one of them spreads the epidemic, the rage virus outbreaks and re-ignites the infection infiltrating in the secured zone , causing wreak havoc and death .Those exposed cruel biting suffer a complete transformation turning into meat-eating sickos. The sons escape and are helped by a soldier(Jeremy Renner) and a military doctor(Rose Byrne).The military take on zombies and the survivors are surrounded , facing the world destruction by deadly epidemic.

This moving film contains chills, thrills, horror and lots of blood and gore.The flesh-eating mutants appearance deliver the goods plenty of screams, shocks and tension.The horror moments are compactly made and fast moving .The make-up assistant create a truly frightening zombie cannibals. Terrifying and astonishing frames about apocalyptic events with deserted streets, and creepy mood at London without people totally uninhabited , similarly to classics movies, such as ¨Quatermas and pit, Omega man and Lifeforce¨. I think this movie is better than previous original, because packs more action and more breathtaking images. Casting is frankly well, along with distinguished players, Robert Carlyle, Catherine McCormack, Rose Byrne, Harold Perrineau, appear young promises,as Imagen Poots and Mckintosh.Nice cinematography , using steadycam and photographed in videotape by Enrique Chediak. Atmospheric and haunting musical score by John Murphy ,composed in the same style from '28 days later'by Danny Boyle(also producer along with Alex Garland) . The flick is surprisingly realized with startling visual style by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo(Intacto). Rating : Better than average, this horror story will leave you stunned.

...Not this time.

I believe 28 Weeks Later did appreciate as a sequel (with only a couple very minor depreciative concepts), and that was a surprise.

I'm admittedly a zombie film fan (especially the serious, non A-Team variety). And although the Rage virus in these two films does not produce an 'undead' zombie, the 'infected' nevertheless present a similarly formidable and threatening antagonist. If you haven't seen either film, Boyle's 'infected' are far less like the traditional lumbering Romero zombies, and closer to the Zack Snyder zombies of 2004's Dawn of the Dead. Note that if you were able to get away with seeing 28 Days Later as a date movie, you may not pull it off with 28 Weeks. There is very little breathing room, and some of it is more disturbing and far less bridled than you might be expecting, especially if you are used to the character-based 'safety' of most films.

Unlike 28 Days, a flashpan start to 28 Weeks Later sets the tone for the entire film... Which although short in running time (at just over 1:30) with quite a fast pace, still seemed very much long enough to be perfectly enjoyable, especially for any fan of the genre. Other than a brief, but informative back-story conversation near the beginning, there is almost no down time spent (wasted?) on emerging relationships or overly granular side-stories. Overall the most powerful element of the film isn't really character based, but rather the theme of a terrible pandemic that, besides a small twist, isn't much changed from the first movie.

There is one facet of the film that I did not really appreciate, but can't really detail without a spoiler warning. Let's just say that London is a fairly large playground for certain (coincidental?) events to happen (and not just once). However, there's a possibility I may be missing some concept that made these events intentional--I hope it's some twist of the virus and isn't just star power.

I'll be purchasing the DVD, but probably won't offer to watch it with any of my family and couldn't recommend it as a party movie :)

Post Script: If you had ever wondered why the rest of the world was not affected by this virus, consider the geographically isolating nature of the British Isles and the extremely short incubation period of this virus. A truly viable pandemic must have a longer incubation period and optimally be airborne or at least infect multiple disparate species. So the Rage virus, while perfectly suited in close quarters would likely not travel much farther than a pair of human legs could travel.

European horror movies used to be theatrical, low-budget and suffering from it, and badly edited. Like its predecessor, 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later is nothing like that. I must say this is one of the best horror movies I have seen (and I have seen hundreds), for a number of reasons. Although the movie does juggle many clichés, it does so kind of skillfully, so that you can really expect to be surprised. Most importantly, however, the sequel is as good as the original, which is the greatest surprise of all in the horror genre.

The main gimmick here, like in the original, is a mix of the zombie theme and the killer virus theme. The zombies here are extremely hyped-up, not doped, and instead of being bent on eating the flesh of the living, they behave like rage-driven human beings stripped completely of their superego and ego, and left with the instinct to fight (and yes, as it's the result of a scientific experiment gone bad, the movie can be considered sci-fi). Perhaps due to the fact that this is an European movie, we get something markedly different from the Resident Evil franchise - here, in placed of Resident Evil's focus on showcasing pretty actresses and made-up high-tech, we are treated to a foreboding feeling of isolation and powerlessness in face of helplessness and doom. We get to see normal, everyday people and faces struggling to survive, when practically everyone around them can quickly become the embodiment of evil and destruction. 28 Weeks Later focuses a little more on some action elements than, say, on the question of how long people can uphold their morality and respect for their fellow woman in such peril, but still, this movie stands proudly as a horror flick. And, like I said, it is different - with its crisp visuals (unlike the music-video lushness of a lot of Hollywood film scare), haunting and memorable music and unaffected performances. There are some loopholes in the plot, of course (e.g. really not enough few safety precautions on the part of the military for such a dangerous epidemic potential), but the movie runs smoothly throughout, and even the child actors deliver.

There are better movies with a similar feel (such as Children of Men), but as a sequel to a decent horror movie, 28 Weeks Later certainly stands out. By the way, I think that watching 28 Weeks Later will be an especially scary experience for Londoners, as most of it is set in London. Londoners, beware.

28 weeks after the original outbreak of the Rage virus the military is still busy cleaning up and providing 'safe zones' for the survivors of the post-apocalyptic London. However two kids who want to see their old house could just be everyone's undoing in this sequel to the film "28 Days Later" Director Juan Fresnadilo might not be quite up at the level as Danny Boyle, but he still does an admirable job in his own right and the film crawls with tension (espiecally the opening sequence which is superb). It's also well-acted apart from a few bit parts. But make no bones about it, it's the great Robert Carlyle (Full Monty) who steals the show as the children's' dad who makes some extremely tough choices, he really sinks his teeth into the role and the film is all the more better for it.

If the franchise can keep up the same breakneck pace, tension, and scares as the first two films have then i'd have no qualms about seeing a "28 Months Later" or even a "28 Years Later"

My Grade: B+

Eye Candy: Catherine McCormack shows T&A (but due to the scenario it isn't arousing)

I've never been a huge fan of the zombie horror genre, but I was very impressed by Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later… Somehow it managed to create characters worth caring about as well as throwing mindless zombies at them. So when I heard that a sequel was in the making, I was excited but understandably cautious since the Disappointing Sequel Syndrome is all too common nowadays. I also disapproved of the director switch, fearing that yet another low-budget gem will be Americanised by Hollywood, made far too slick for its own good.

So to say 28 Weeks Later was a pleasant surprise would be an understatement. Fresnadillo managed to maintain everything that was good in the original and add his own flair. The rage virus, the zombies and the gore are all still here. But most importantly, what keeps the series shockingly vivid is the willingness to flaunt the naked truth: we humans are the real monsters. Under such extreme circumstances, mankind's self-preservation instincts kicks in and it is an ugly sight to see. It might be the necessary thing to do, but that still doesn't make it feel right.

The film starts off at an odd pace but soon settles into a familiar terror-stricken rush. The cast was well selected, nothing out of the ordinary but no obvious weak links either. The Americanisation was not as severe as I had previously dreaded, and I actually quite welcomed Rose Byrne and Jeremy Renner leading the plot. The shots of post-apocalyptic London may have been done already but they're still as effective as ever, and John Murphy's score is brilliant as always.

All in all, a worthy sequel to Days and very few fans will be disappointed, I hope.

Given that this time of year normally gives way to three-quels, kid friendly fayre or brainless blockbusters it's nice to have a proper 18 certificate horror film we can all go and see - without the worry of horror-lite 12A Hollywood horror, or 'lets try to gross out as much as possible' Hostel-a-like films.

Taking over directing duties from Danny Boyle is Juan Carlos Fresnadillo - and at just a shade over an hour and a half long - he has given us a great piece of well paced, atmospheric cinema, with more than enough moments in there to please fans of the original, as well as plenty in there for anyone new to movies' concept.

It's (funnily enough) 28 Weeks Later - and the infected have all died out, so it is now time to repopulate London. Cue more deserted streets, and a great opening which introduces us to the latest batch of protagonists to the rage virus - as well as lots of bored American soldiers - who whilst they don't actually add anything to the plot certainly keep the action moving.

Kudos to the producers for adding Robert Carlyle to the cast - who adds a certain vulnerability and air of menace to the role - think Begbie having a really really bad day - as well as a nicely rounded cast of supporting actors - including an impressive Imogen Poots, and Boyle alumni Rose Byrne.

Sure there are the usual horror staples to adhere to - stupid characters you just know are going to come to a sticky end, caricature soldiers to name but two - but ultimately you've got a well made film which is great to look at and, given a Spanish director surprisingly British horror movie that not only adds to the original but with the excellent ending certainly leaves the door open for Part 3.

Was average at best.

I'm really tired of the stupid things people do in most horror films. This film is no different. The horror films that I consider as really good don't need to have idiot characters doing stupid things to keep the story moving. Death shouldn't need a dumb mistake or a poor decision as a catalyst.

The effects were really realistic, the story even plausible; not that it needs to be. The speed of the virus' transformation however, was inconsistent with the victims and a little faster that what one would expect to be believable.

Average at best.

Six and a Half out of Ten

This I can honestly say is not an overstatement. The movie contained everything it needed to be become a classic horror movie. It had gore, emotion,a few jumps,and action all the way through. The movie starts off well with the jumps and the pulse pounding action. Then all calms for a second, only to pick up again and faster.

First off the gore was not as bad as some movies, which are overly gory for no reason. Don't get me wrong there was gore and lots of it, but for some reason it seemed to fit within the movie so well that your not really bothered by it. I'm no gore hound but I honestly couldn't turn away from the screen.

The emotion is excellent for a horror film. Normally you get one dimensional characters, that do things that would never make sense whether panic stricken or not. In this film the emotions were well placed and not cheesy at all. There may have been one scene that went a little overboard but it didn't ruin a thing.

The jumps were slight, and if your not a jumpy person you may not jump at all. But with all the action you'll still be on the edge of your seat, and the jumps to tell you truth are an added incentive.

Finally the action was full on pulse pounding. It was incredible for a horror film. Think of the beginning scene of the Dawn of the Dead remake, but put it in the whole film, with a few chill spots with well placed acting. Honestly this movie deserves a 10 and has restored my faith in horror movies. I will be getting it on DVD and any directors cuts that may come out as well.