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August 5, 2008

28 Weeks Later (2007)

Should I see it?
No.

Short Review: The characters in the film are turned into mind numbed vomiting zombies – so is the audience.

I found myself rooting for the zombies.

This is the unneeded follow up to the more successful 28 Days Later. The original was a refreshing take on the old zombie movie plot. It was inventive in its look, its handling of the end of the world (or at least the U.K.). To be honest, the first half was masterful, the second half absolutely falls apart and loses its focus faster than Michael Jackson driving past a Boy Scout camp. Regardless, the first half of the original film is probably the best piece of horror since The Exorcist.

This sequel couldn’t be more of a disappointment. It certainly appears to have promise, following the complete destruction of Britain by a horrid virus that causes its victims to become blood-vomiting zombies, people have finally returned home. Of course it is only a matter of time before the virus makes it return. What should be a tension filled movie turns out to be a dopey series of forced plot conveniences and paper-thin characters. Given how potent the first film was, this sequel being so patently bad is a disgrace. Where the first film can be likened to a slightly rebellious but likable and intelligent father who is interesting and fun to know, this film is more like his loser slack-jawed son who eats crayons and punctuates his jokes by farting. It’s hard to believe such a good film went on to produce such a dumb one.

The main problem with this film is its script. The concept itself is solid and the acting and design are fine. There really can’t be that many ways you can mess this thing up. Amazingly enough, screenwriters Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, Rowan Joffe and Jesús Olmo all manage to locate and execute every single way to screw up every scene. With three screenwriters on this thing that means there had to be a ton of ideas that were probably thrown out or rewritten. If this piece of trash is the end result of their editing, what possibly was not good enough for them to include? The plot is so horrid I was surprised to keep finding the characters running away from the zombies. If I were in the movie I’d embrace them so I’d be wiped out and wouldn’t have to be a part of this stupid movie anymore. For my example, I won’t go to deep into the plot to avoid spoiling the movie more than the writers already have done...you know what, forget it – I’m ruining it.

***Spoiler Alert***

The film focuses on a dad and his two kids. The dad gets infected and spends the remainder of the film chasing after the children. The plot is twisted into every possible direction to keep the father in the film despite the fact that it makes NO SENSE. The characters get in a car and drive through London. The father ON FOOT – WHILE STILL A ZOMBIE - manages to keep up to surprise them after they stop. Its stupid bits like this that make this an overly managed and unsatisfying heap of stewing cinematic waste. It KILLS me that they just have the virus show up and quickly wipe the population out instead of a slow building infection of the people which increases both tension and horror. With this dumb flick one minute everyone is fine and then five minutes later the whole place is overrun. There is no craft at work here.

I wanted to like this movie, I did. The truth be told, I have a soft spot for zombie movies. I was inclined to give this movie a few breaks I wouldn’t provide other productions and I still have to tell you to not bother watching it.

Related Reviews:
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Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)
Shaun of the Dead (2004)

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Labels: Catherine McCormack, film, horror, movie review, Robert Carlyle, zombie

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