Today’s quick review: 28 Days Later. Twenty-eight days after a virus outbreak in Britain, Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from a coma to find the country overrun by the virus’ victims: aggressive, flesh-eating humans who can infect others with a single bite. Jim must join forces with fellow survivors Selena (Naomie Harris), Frank (Brendan Gleeson), and Hannah (Megan Burns) to search for a safe haven where they can wait for salvation.
28 Days Later is a zombie horror survival movie about a zombie outbreak that wipes out Britain in a matter of weeks. 28 Days Later is a modest, well-judged entry into the genre. The characters are credible, the tension is well-managed, and the direction is capable. The movie does show signs of a budget, namely in the size of its cast and the scale of its action, but some minor rough edges don’t stop the movie from telling a satisfying story.
28 Days Later has less action than other zombie movies. The zombie attacks are brief and infrequent, and they serve their purpose well. Jim and his allies are never quite safe, but the focus of the story remains on characters and situations rather than combat. The selective use of zombies lets the film develop a more human side to it than a pure action film would be able to. It also lets the film ramp up the action at key moments.
The end result is a solid execution of a formula that has become standard. 28 Days Later’s character-focused story and solid fundamentals make it a worthy entry into the genre at the very least, while connoisseurs will likely find even more to appreciate. Those hoping for pure action or a high degree of horror may want to temper their expectations.
For a more comedic take on the zombie formula, check out Zombieland. For a more action-oriented zombie movie, check out World War Z. For a moodier zombie movie with a bit more action, check out I Am Legend. For another dangerous trek across dystopian Britain, check out Children of Men.
7.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for a well-crafted story.