28 Weeks Later (2007)

   

Directed by: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo

Written by: Rowan Joffe, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, Enrique López Lavigne & Jesús Olmo

Starring:

Robert Carlyle .... Don
Rose Byrne .... Scarlet
Macintosh Muggleton .... Andy
Catherine McCormack .... Alice
Jeremy Renner .... Doyle
Harold Perrineau .... Flynn


Release Dates:
London Sci-Fi Film Festival: May 6, 2007; Theatrical: May 10, 2007 (Australia / Hong Kong / Indonesia / New Zealand / Singapore); Theatrical: May 11, 2007 (Ireland / Phillipines / Taiwan / UK / USA); Shanghai International Film Festival: June 17, 2007; Espoo Film Festival: August 24, 2007 (Finland); Festival internationnal Week end de la peur: August 26, 2007 (France); Copenhagen International Film Festival: September 2, 2007

 

Rating:

 

Six months have passed since the rage virus has been inflicted on the population of Great Britain and a survivor named Don (Robert Carlyle) abandons his wife as a bunch of infected people have invaded his home.
He meets two of his kids Scarlet (Rose Byrne) and Andy (Mackintosh Muggleton) in which they are brought in by the US Army in which they help to secure a small area of London for the survivors to repopulate and start again. 
Both Scarlet and Andy manage to wander out of the area that is safe to go to the home to see if their mother really was infected by these people and brings her back which causes problems for this area and terror breaks loose on everyone.

 

In the start of the film seems to be where everything left off the last time but yet having different people being effected by all of this in which we have a family preparing a meal and things seem sad and depressing for everyone when they start eating here. We also spot a great surprise attack here with one of them near a window and a group of infected people starts to attack her in which this looked exptremely terrifying and intense to spot here while to plot unravels here. Also things look disturbing when the main character Don manages to escape but his wife and child are still in the house and she cries for him but he keeps running which certainly looked sad and disturbing to spot this on someone acting so selfish to save only themselves. There's perfect shots on him running away with the infected people on his tail as well as trying to get away on a boat while they try to surround him which shows great intnse shots here. You kinda wonder if this idiot will get what's coming to him here.
Later on in the story when he comes to get his other son Andy and his daughter Scarlet things seem emotional when he tells them the upsetting news about his other family members which seems to be well written in here. Also we spot them on a monorail with a host seeming happy hosting everyone on their trip to their building of safety as this looked somewhat uplitinf to watch and a nice key to the plot too.
The plot starts to weaken a bit with pointless dialogues as well as things happening way too fast to follow here but yet there's an interesting moment when Scarlet and Andy manage to sneak away as there's great shots on them laughing and having a good time in which we spot deserted areas in which leaves a feeling that something crazy will happen later on in the story. The story seems well put in when they go to their home to see if their Mom is still alive in which we spot a good dark scene up in the attic with Andy staring at his Mom looking frightened as well as her hugging him too tightly which also keeps you in suspense that she perhaps is an infected one too. This all looked still, dark and very mysterious to watch all of this.
Many good close up shots on the Mother in which we spot a color change in her eyes as this seemed pretty spooky knowing that something isn't right here. Also we have Don about to kiss her while she's strapped in a chair as this keeps you watching knowing that something here isn't right and that's just what happens. Things look even more disturbing when we see him turn and act vicious towards her as well as what we see him doing to her as this was strongly put in and well done. This moment is definetely not for you if you are in a depressed mood for sure seeing on what someone does to their loved one.
Alot of intense camera shots on infected people running around and attacking as well as people shooting at them. Things happen really fast here which makes alot of the situations seem incredibly confusing here.
Yet the story improves here in which we spot someone filming people like Scarlet and Andy down near a subway area with intense moments on them falling and situations like that which adds some good flavor watching a mocumentary in the middle of the story making this moment look incredibly dark and clever here.
What really works in well here is that we spot a helicopter rising and someone jumps on the ledge of it as well as the driver freaking out and doing stunt driving on it using his device as a weapon against the infected people which looked cool to watch as well as this looking wild and crazy.
There's a disturbing moment when we spot infected Don slowly creeping up towards Andy in which you slowly watch this wonder on what will happen here but yet the results don't look good at all.
The near ending seems to work in well leaving a door open for another sequel in which things seem complicated as to what has happened here.
Bottom line is that the story doesn't take alot of it's time like it did in the original and nearly was going to be considered average from just above average to a good film as there's alot of improvements into what we see here and great shocking effects here as well as having perfect distance shots on the city and the craziness that is happening here. This can please the fans from the original while watching this. Very tragic, disturbing and well done.

The acting stands out quite well as lead actor Robert Carlyle (Don) seemed to show off his role quite powerfully showing a great intense fear with his running or panicking on situations pumping out great adrenaline into what he does. He also has a nice emotional attitude in other areas too which shows off quite believeable here. He also does well with his violent attitude when he becomes infected as he really drives everything out here just going believeably monstrous and insane. He seemed to be really pumped to play this part and did what he could do here which looked awesome.
Rose Byrne (Scarlet) brought some nice attention with her young teenage kid personality here and there in which she does well with her sobbing emotions when she hears some upsetting news which came to life a great deal here. She also knew on how to show an aggressive attitude too looking good and energetic. Plus she was terrific by freaking out while trying to find some way of escaping near a subway station just rolling with the punches here. She does well screaming and calling out which she does intensely well too. She was a good character actress.
Macintosh Muggleton (Andy) shows a nice curiousity on stuff as a mischievieous little kid plus knows how to act full of life while running in the deserted streets. Plus he shows good nervous emotions in certain parts of the story in which this all looked quite natural and he shows a nice focus on all of this. He also does a nice job hollering in pain quarter way into the story as well as showing terrific intense energy by running away and rolling with the insanity of all this. This film is a nice start for his acting career.
Catherine McCormack (Alice) was perfect in her part playing a soldier in the flick as she has a good seriousness to her appeal as well as coming across as believeably sympathetic too. She does well showing great energy with her loud speaking while trying to do her duty in an emergency situation which looked pretty impressive here.

Many people are being eaten alive
Tons of blood slattering as well as blood splurts
Lots of neck bites
A helicopter slaughters a bunch of infected people

Tons of bloodied gunshots

Nice tingling sounds as well as some thumping effects too with the keyboard and guitar playing that's rolling along with the action happening outside. Also we hear alot of guitar and bass playing for when the gun shooting starts or when the infected people are attacking as it gives the film a real depressing feel to it all. Also we hear some windy sound effects for the real dark scenes. There's great adventureous music with the violin playing as well as the low sounding keyboard music which sounds terrifically done for the high suspense involved such as a helicopter chase. Also we hear echoey piano playing and air hissing for the closing credits which also works in well. All of this was put together by John Murphy.

Donald Harris: What are you going to cook? 
Alice: Your favorite. 
Donald Harris: What, again? 

Flynn: Where's Doyle? 
Tammy: It's... just us. 

Andy: Tam, am I one of them? 
Tammy: No. 

Rooftop Soldier: Doyle! I got 2 fuckers on me! DOYLE! 

Stone: Abandon selective targeting. Shoot everything. Targets are now free. We've lost control.