Movie Review

28 Days Later

For a little over an hour, I was gripped to my seat, unable to remove my eyes from the screen; I was on the verge of claiming 28 Days Later as one of the closest attempts at reaching Texas Chainsaw Massacre in emotional impact.

That was until the third act got into gear, as the impact lightened up a bit, leading up to the finale of which I had some complaints with. If it weren?t for that rather disappointing later end, it wouldn?t have been too hard to claim 28 Days Later as a potential cult classic.
Writer/director Danny Boyle has performed a very commendable thing, and that is making a zombie movie that is not only good (a rarity these days), but one of which the zombie subject takes backseat to human drama and story. Typically in Hollywood these days, filmmakers are so intent on pleasing the teen demographics by bombarding the screen with jolt moments of which serve as the only shock and terrifying notes, and oozing blood on the screen for additional impact.

Boyle, who?s mostly notable for making Trainspotting, understands that this common and classic formula only goes so far. By telling a story that actually rings a bit realistic (even if there are touches of the science fiction genre), as well as building real characters with personalities and letting the spooky scenery speak for itself, 28 Days Later is a truly eerie and provocative film. And that?s even without the zombie subplot attached.

This film not only proves the lack of sincere intelligence in the world when it comes to filmmaking (in this genre), but it also proves how rewarding experiences like these can be after you?ve witnessed so many attempts that have fallen completely flat, attempting to be this in comparison. Movies like these are hard to configure, because they?re, well, smart. Writing them, let alone directing them skillfully enough, is a challenging landmark; thank God for someone like Danny Boyle.

28 Days Later is a very strange film, but that?s what makes it so addicting and powerful; it?s unlike the norm, and when we our presented with something so different and unique, it?s quite a satisfying experience. The film opens as Jim (Cillian Murphy), our protagonist, awakens in a deserted hospital after being in a coma. He is situated in London, where a deadly virus has spread across the area (after an evacuation procedure), infecting those in its path and turning them into furious creatures intent on eating one another; it sounds a bit cheesy, but color me surprised, it?s quite effective.

Jim starts to wander about, looking for any presence among the civilization throughout the deserted London streets; the sight of all this is simply stunning, and through Boyle?s steady soundtrack that carries the audience along Jim?s path, the filmmaker allows our imaginations to run wild with deep intrigue. Like great horror, much of the time it?s our minds that forces the ride to be terrifying or uneasy, not necessarily what the director is shoving into our brains.

Luck may have it, Jim eventually stumbles upon the victims of the virus, who chase after him and force him to seek refuge with a group of uninfected people, searching for anyway possible to escape the perimeters. Their journey ensues, which transitions onto a road trip across lands, avoiding all possible contact with the said-to-be zombies; we know there?ll be run-ins, but that?s the precise point.

Running on such recycled horror movie elements (in its basic ideas), Danny Boyle surprises and creates a film that feels real, which adds another dimension of impact. The filmmaker applies beautiful cinematography and a gritty look that adds to the tone of the ride, almost making the illusion that the film is taking place in the era of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The silence that is used throughout is often times breathtaking, creating a mood as if the world is literally soulless, which is a nightmare of its own. The shots of the uninfected group riding across empty terrain, with the incredibly subtle yet powerful music score lingered with me long after the show let out.

It was as if I was watching the ideal midnight horror movie, and being just 8:00 at night and establishing this reaction, I was thoroughly impressed. But 28 Days Later didn?t come without flaws, or at least, disappointments. While I was indeed blown away by the execution of the journey throughout the first two acts, the lack of originality nearing the conclusion let me down. Noting details would be a matter of spoiling, so I won?t go there; but let me say that this flick goes along for a bright distance as one hell of a diversion and a relief after all the endless horror efforts of which filmmakers continue to roll out.

For those who have not seen The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (which is one of my all time favorite films of this genre), you probably should take a look at it if you enjoyed 28 Days Later or are tempted to see this Danny Boyle released at some time or another. Both flicks have filmmaking ingredients in common, yet both have different stories to tell. With Massacre constantly leaving me with the fear of the unknown every step of its ride, let alone offering one of the most terribly frightening conclusions I?ve ever seen, 28 Days didn?t exactly live up, but for a great distance it comes (somewhat) close.

It?s nice to see a film (especially during summer) that can creep out an audience as well as involve our imaginations to create the startling effect. There are a couple jolt moments in 28 Days Later, but they are not the center focus as like many Hollywood releases. Often times it?s what we don?t see that?s scary; and like life itself, it?s generally the unknown factor that sparks the fear. And because this movie dives into a nightmare that could be truly terrifying in a reality situation, 28 Days Later is quite a treat.

Lee's Grade: B
Ranked #6 of 132 between Swimming Pool (#5) and In America (#7) for 2003 movies.

A	0.4%
B	30.0%
C	61.7%
D	8.0%
F	0.0%