28 Weeks Later Movie Review streaming on Disney+
Even if it’s just for the helicopter-decapitation scene alone, I will always feel like I enjoy watching 28 Weeks Later slightly more than its predecessor (of which you can read Josh’s incredible review here!).
Bigger and bloodier, this sequel to the iconic Danny Boyle/Alex Garland/Cillian Murphy zombie-apocalypse thriller 28 Days Later sees Spanish director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo bring some of the gritty-natured visuals from the first film to a story set in a time after the Rage virus outbreak, where London has a sectioned-off, centralised area where people can live safely from the dangers of the outside world, under the protection of the American Army.
Inside this area is government worker Don (Robert Carlyle), who found safety in this quarantine zone after making the decision (whether smart or cowardly is up to the audience’s discretion) to leave his wife and other survivors behind when they’re isolated farm-home is over run in an opening scene that is such a frantic and heart-pounding way to open the film.
Others in London include a now star-studded cast of actors who were early in there careers, including a military sniper (Jeremy Renner), military leader (Idris Elba), a scientist looking for a cure (Rose Byrne), and Don’s daughter (Imogen Poots), who’s paths all collide when the Rage virus makes its way to the quarantine zone, causing chaos, panic, and brutal, bloody death for those confined in the walls of supposed safety.
” bigger and bloodier than it’s predecessor “
Whereas Garland and Boyle’s film delves into the more human themes of the film’s setting, 28 Weeks Later is the far more punk-rock, action-thriller cousin. It’s not that the story and themes aren’t interesting, exploring the tense family dynamics that arise when Don is forced to confront his decision from the opening scene, or how government interference with a potential cure is still dictated by control rather than assisting the population. But, those themes often take a backseat to some truly insane, high-intensity set pieces.
Fresnadillo shoots and edits the action in such a frantic, energetic style that feels so intentionally disorientating. Whether it’s attaching the camera to the shoulder of a zombie, giving a POV style shot of the carnage, or a terrifying night-vision scope scene, his style feels so raw and perfect for this tone of this story, and feels quite unique and fresh. The action is incredibly exciting, with epic-level carnage and chaos ramping the intensity to 11 in many moments.
At 99 minutes, 28 Weeks Later absolutely flies by. This is probably due to the high energy action set pieces, and the overstuffed narrative that’s full of different characters that the film asks you to follow, which obviously leaves a bit to be desired in the amount of substance to the story, but the momentum never lets up.
Carlyle is the protagonist for the first half of the film, driven by his overwhelming guilt and having to confront that when he is reunited with his children. Carlyle’s grounded, authentic approach to the role makes the emotional aspects of his arc easy to latch onto, even if you don’t empathise with his choices. The film becomes very action heavy in the second half, where characters you’ve been along with in the first half become the rage-filled killers feared by all, and watching the actors let loose in those moments leads to some brutal moments. This is also where Renner’s action-hero tendencies kick into gear as he is featured in some nail-biting action scenes.
The cherry on the top of this cake is the teaser that the film finishes on – the aftermath of a helicopter crash leading into a group of zombies sprinting towards the Eiffel Tower. And while 28 Years Later doesn’t necessarily seem to be following on from that set-up, it’s exciting that finally after almost 20 years, the story continues!
28 Weeks Later is available to stream on Disney Plus.
