28 Days Later
[netflix] [IMDb] [Official site]
Actors: Cillian Murphy, Naomi Harris
Dir.: Danny Boyle; Writer: Alex Garland
Some animal rights activists break into a research lab and release some chimps infected with the “rage” virus which turns its infected victims into homicidal maniacs in seconds. Jim (Cillian Murphey), a bicycle courier awakens in hospital 28 days after the virus has infected or killed most of the British population. After walking about a bit in a deserted London, he is set upon by some of the “infected” but is saved by Selena (Naomie Harris) and Mark (Noah Huntley) who take him to their hideout and explan what has happened since Jim has been out of it.
Later, (after Mark has been killed), Naomi and Jim spot some lights in a tower block and find Frank (Brendan Gleeson) and Hannah (Megan Burns), a father and daughter who have survived baracaded in their apartment. Hearing a radio broadcast promising a cure (or at least other survivors) they set out for Manchester in Jim’s taxi. They arrive to find a small platoon of nearly insane army troops who sent the broadcast to attract women and thereby repopulate the earth.
That may not be the best summary, but quite a bit happens in the film and you can find more complete summaries elsewhere. That said, this is quite a good film. Very good in fact. It has some stylistic elements that set it apart from just a blood and gore fest which it could easily become. The love story, while expected, is well done, as is the megalomaniac army major (Christopher Eccleston) and his insane troops.
Some of it is formulaic, but it’s done in a way that you really don’t care. You can’t see it without thinking of Romero’s Dead movies, but I saw other things in here as well. Much of the story seemed lifted from Day of the Triffids (the book, not the movie). But I guess after the apocalypse, there’s only so much that can happen, eh?
It’s a good story, very well told. I was a bit nonplussed by the somewhat happy ending as this isn’t a movie where I’d really expect a happy ending. Then I read on Wikipedia (if you can believe them) that there was an alternative ending preferred by the director and writer, but when tested was too bleak. I think that ending would have been better, so I docked it one star.
Update: The DVD has the alternate endings on it and I really do think the original one would have been much better. Also, Cillian Murphy must be a long lost Tracy brother.
