28 Weeks Later

It’s well made, the attack on the house at the beginning fills you with optimism, but then it gets bogged into a screenwriting quagmire. Have you noticed that whenever the American Army shows up in a horror film, nothing good happens? It’s no different here. The only cool thing is the helicopter mowing zombies. Technically speaking, there’s very little to reproach, and the music score is also worth praise, but even though it’s fairly good fun, it lags a bit behind its predecessor. The ending hints clearly at 28 Months Later… Yeah, why not? (11/17/2007)

Although 28 Weeks Later is several years younger than the first film, it doesn't even come close to it in terms of technical aspects. Where Boyle was not afraid to show aggressiveness and rawness, combined with precise handheld camera work, Fresnadillo is searching for which direction to actually take. Ninety percent of the action sequences are confusing, and instead of a naturalistic survival ride, we have ketchup-like exhibitions such as a helicopter in a field or shooting at civilians. The screenplay itself is shockingly full of holes, with several twists bordering on the stupid, and the fact that the characters are relatively unpredictable – meaning you have no idea who will pull the trigger – is nice, but in the flood of directorial incompetence, technical impotence, and script incompleteness, it is really not a solution. (05/02/2008)

Fresnadillo is not a bad director at all. It's just that the script sucks so badly and the director has obviously had to wipe his brow a lot trying to make a good movie out of this crap. In the end, it was pretty successful. Sure, many times the film contradicts its predecessor (the infected no longer mind the light, it's mentioned that the disease isn't interspecies though it spread from the apes) and Boyle's first film is occasionally unpleasantly visually robbed. However, it won me over right from the start with an absolutely awesome escape scene across a field and throughout the film it delighted with brutality, action, horror, and invention. For example, a steadycam attached to the body of an infected man is not a bad idea. It's just cool, but definitely not as psychotic as the first one. (09/15/2010)

For anyone who has ever wondered what a "pandemic after-party" would be like, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo provides us with a very (un)satisfying answer. This Spanish talent may not be able to perform miracles, but he is great at pumping up the film with dynamics, throwing out anything that even smacks of compromise, and spicing everything up with a good portion of a hopeless atmosphere. Accompanied by Murphy’s perfect music and with an ensemble of excellent actors (Jeremy Renner was born to wear the uniform on screen), it offers a high portion of adrenaline fun, culminating in several highlights. There are many criticisms that can be made about it, but the film is like a skilled chameleon, which you will admire all the more if you don't go see them in their pavilion three times a week. (08/05/2009)

The first half hour is just great. The beginning with the re-settlement of Britain, or more precisely, London, sets an amazing atmosphere and offers expectations for what will follow. Then the movie arrives at the part where the infection starts raging again (I hope that’s no spoiler ;-) and the massacre begins. The scene where the snipers can't tell the infected from the uninfected is particularly impressive, as is the bombing of the "first sector", mowing the grass by helicopter, and Wembley stadium (no more soccer games for the boys, tee-hee). In fact, even running blindly through the tunnel is brilliantly done. Unfortunately, this is really more or less a typical escape movie, which somewhat spoils the impression created by the great beginning. Even so, I’m sure you won't get bored. The acting performances are also very good (especially the Rose Byrne and Jeremy Renner duo). And the end? It might be a bit of a cliché, but I have a soft spot for this type of ending :-). Well, I'm going to look for zombies from the balcony. After all, it’s not that far away. See you 28 Months Later. (08/28/2007)