28 Days Later


Months and months later, I finally get to watch.

Watched this pseudo-zombie flick last night. I've heard good things about it, particularly the grittiness and the fact that it had at least one alternate ending. It basically tells the story of a plague that gets unleashed in England from a bunch of infected monkeys. The plague, transmuted by blood that gets into your eyes or any open wounds, doesn't really turn you into one of the undead. Instead, you are possessed of a terrible, murderous and permanent state of rage that drives these 'Infected' to bite, tear and rend any normal humans they find to bloody bits. Oh, and your eyes turn red.

Anyway, watched it. This certainly isn't one of the scarier zombie flicks, though the director's use of some odd camera tricks, like filming at lower speeds gives it a more grainy, gritty feel. But along with the scenes of mass carnage, there are some oddly comforting scenes; where survivors Jim (Cillian Murphy) and Selena (Naomie Harris) find temporary refuge with a hearty father and daughter (Brendan Gleeson and Megan Burns) in the middle of Infested-infested London. I was half-expecting the over-hospitable dad, Frank, to be evil or something, but he turned out to be just a nice English chap. In between dodging the red eyes, there are scenes of odd calm- driving through abandoned countrysides, grabbing food and supplies from a grocery, having a picnic in an open field.
However, this is still a horror film, but the real threat eventually comes from an unexpected source at the film's climax.

I found myself liking 28 Days Later. It wasn't scary at all, but it was a good story and I came from it more positive than the more hardcore Dawn of the Dead remake, regardless of which ending you'd subscribe to: SPOILERS AHEAD: The 'happy' theatrical ending where Jim survives and all three survivors make a home in the mountains while waiting for eventual rescue, or the Alternate 'grim' ending, where Jim dies and the girls go off by themselves to somehow survive. SPOILER END.

Again, I probably find myself watching these films in fascination thanks to the weirdness and unnatural feel of a world gone mad. It's a nightmare scenario we hope we will never see. But darn, it would be great to be able to ransack a grocery or two at least once in your life. Heh.