Film Review: 28 Days Later (2002)

Few film scenes became as disturbing in light of recent events as the opening of 28 Days Later, 2002 British post-apocalyptic film directed by Danny Boyle. Research laboratory in Cambridge, which conducts all kinds of experiments on chimpanzees, is raided by group of radical animal rights activists. Despite one staff members begging them not to do it, they release one of the chimpanzees. The animals bites one of the activists who only twenty seconds later transforms into homicidal maniac. Twenty eight days later bicycle courier Jim (played by Cillian Murphy) wakes up from coma in London hospital where he was brought after traffic accident. Jim soon sees there isn’t living soul not only in hospital, but also in entire London and begins to realise that some kind of unimaginable disaster might be reason for it. The answer comes in form of crazy and violent people apparently infected with some kind of virus. Jim gets rescued by small band of survivors that later decides to head to Manchester when there is, allegedly, small military unit which could provide security. On the way they realise that hordes of the infected aren’t the only danger they should worry about.

Three years ago most people imagined global nightmare of COVID-19 to begin in a way very much like the fictional outbreak began in 28 Days Later. However, the basic concept behind the film isn’t too original and it can be viewed as combination of George A. Rohmero zombie apocalypse classics and The Omega Man. Although Boyle pays clear homage to those films, he and his scriptwriter Alex Garland take more original approach towards motive of zombie apocalypse. Instead of slow relentless zombies protagonists have to deal with agile, fast and strong human-like creatures that make all action scenes brutal and fast. This, on the other hand, allow more time for character and audience to get familiar with strange post-apocalyptic world. Boyle also very effectively creates doom-like atmosphere with DV cameras and minimalistic music soundtrack by John Murphy. Suspense in 28 Days Later is maintained by characters played by actors who weren’t big stars at the time of production, so their ultimate fate, unburdened by casting conventions, remains mystery till the end. The only names that were relatively well-known among cast at the time were Brendan Gleeson and Christopher Eccleston (who had worked with Boyle in Shallow Grave). Both actors improve film by giving their characters human and intellectual dimension. 28 Days Later would have been much better if not for the action-packed finale which was too conventional. Despite those flaws, 28 Days Later is very good and sometimes quite ingenious implementation of an idea which is today both overused and alarmingly closer to real life than it was two decades ago. Film was very successful at box office and in 2007 was released sequel under title 28 Weeks Later.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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