28 Weeks Later

The darkness never lets up. The future is bleak, angry, sinister, and full of bodies. This is the world of 28 Weeks Later. The film is the sequel to the 2002 film 28 Days Later. If you thought the first time around was dark, this second iteration in the series is far more ruthlessly sadistic. The film follows a group of survivors of the initial outbreak of the Rage virus. The Rage virus is similar to fictional zombies in that those affected by it are mindless and eat flesh. But this is where the similarities end, as most fiction as zombies as slow and tottering undead beings. Those affected with the virus here are frenetic and fast, often individualized as opposed to clumped and groups, and, most importantly, pretty darn smart.

Don and Alice Harris are married, and find refuge alongside a group of estranged survivors in a barricaded cottage. The film remains focused on this group for a lengthy duration, as they struggle to survive and ward off a group of infected "zombies." Eventually, the pseudo-undead overwhelm them, and the few that survive are forced to move to a new location.

The film then scales back. It shows us a more global viewpoint, where NATO forces are sent in to kill anyone in specified vicinities, and they gate down and close down areas. Any survivors remaining are left to fend for themselves. The film than focuses on Tammy and Andy, a brother/sister duo who are estranged from their mother and forced to venture this new dark world alone. Yet a new development occurs. Scarlet and Doyle, two new survivors who come across the children, make the discovery that the children may actually be immune to the disease, and could possibly hold a cure. This causes a domino effect of action and drama, as the disease spreads throughout the commune, and a few select survivors strive to protect the children and get them to a place to be studied.

The film is relentless and unforgiving. Characters die by the handful, and even the main protagonists are only shortly immune to the effects of death and the virus. The film may be too bleak for some, as the ending puts an immediate stamp on the true grimness of humanity. It is an exploration of humanity against all odds, with the Hollywood action staples to capstone the film with intensity.