Film review: 28 Weeks Later

28 Weeks Later @ IMDB

So. Danny Boyle takes a digital film camera, shoots some bits of London when it was quiet and suddenly zombies are cool again.

Before anyone says anything, I know there are no zombies in this film. They are Infected. Talking zombies to me is like getting your Grandmother to suck the dead flesh of the arm of a family member. I am Mr Zombie. In fact, neither are there zombies in the Evil Dead films, in those you have people possessed by Deadites.

Anyway. Off topic. But it's worth mentioning as the original film was the first film in the wave of modern zombie films, despite the previously mentioned undead disparity.

So, six months following the outbreak in the original 28 Days Later, the Infected have now died out. The US army has moved into London to start the repopulating the country. Another plane load of people arrives. Two kids are reunited with their Father.

And then all Hell breaks loose.

The sequel manages to retain all of the intensity of the first film. While the purists among us like the shambling inevitability of the usual zombie, having a gang of rampaging Infected running about the place does make for great cinema. Examples being the opening chase across a field and the scene when the outbreak gets out of control. Yes, it gets a bit too jumpy and shaky in places but the energy of the film is amazing.

You can read some political stuff into the film (US troops in a green zone? Smells a bit Middle East to me) but, let's be honest, all we need to know is how much gore you get for your money. Let me just say this:

1) Helicopter.
2) Rotor blades.
3) Infected.

Oh yes.

The empty streets of London, so iconic in the first film, seems a bit forced this time. A bit like "we've seen this before, let's get on with it". But when the film does get on with it, fantastic. Just don't think too much about the plot or the route the characters take across London because it can fall apart if you think about it too much.

And the best thing about this film? One of the main characters, the bad ass US Sniper, is called Doyle. Like me. Oh yes. There is one issue with this which so as not to spoil anything I will hide. So if you want to know highlight the following, otherwise skip on.

They set fire to him. With a flamethrower. And he doesn't even get infected. He just gets set on fire. On a related note, walking out of the cinema I said to my good friend Ryan, "I can't believe they set Doyle on fire."

To which Ryan replied, "They set him on fire because he had a gay name."

Cheers buddy.

Oh, and great ending. Bit like the ending to the Dawn of The Dead remake.

This film gets a great big sword that you can use to kill a lot of people with.