28 Days Later... (2002)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Danny Boyle

Writer:

Alex Garland (written by)

Release Date:

27 June 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

His fear began when he woke up alone. His terror began when he realised he wasn't.

Plot:

Four weeks after a mysterious, incurable virus spreads throughout the UK, a handful of survivors try to find sanctuary.

Plot Keywords:

Virus | Survivor | Coma | Rage | Hospital

Awards:

7 wins & 21 nominations

Cast

Alex Palmer	...	Activist
Bindu De Stoppani	...	Activist
Jukka Hiltunen	...	Activist
David Schneider	...	Scientist
Cillian Murphy	...	Jim
Toby Sedgwick	...	Infected Priest
Naomie Harris	...	Selena
Noah Huntley	...	Mark
Christopher Dunne	...	Jim's Father
Emma Hitching	...	Jim's Mother
Alexander Delamere	...	Mr. Bridges
Kim McGarrity	...	Mr. Bridges' Daughter
Brendan Gleeson	...	Frank
Megan Burns	...	Hannah
Justin Hackney	...	Infected Kid

Also Known As:

28 Days Later (UK) (closing credits title)
29 Days Later (USA) (longer version)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and gore, language and nudity.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Spanish | Finnish | French | Korean Sign Language | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Malaysia:18SG | France:-16 | India:A | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Canada:16+ (Québec) | Canada:18A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-18 | Germany:18 (nf) | Hong Kong:IIB (cut) | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:16 | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:PG-12 | Mexico:C | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:18 | Peru:14 | Philippines:R-18 | Poland:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) | Singapore:NC-16 (edited for re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #38512)

Filming Locations:

Badminton House, Gloucestershire, England, UK

Company:

DNA Films

Trivia:

The 2008 video game Left 4 Dead (2008) (VG) is almost a direct homage to this movie. Some of the most noticeable points in common are:
- Referring to the "zombies" as "Infected".
- The fact that the "Infected" do not eat the people they kill, they simply attack them.
- The presence of apocalyptic graffiti in bold, black capital letters.
- The speed at which the decease spread (14 days on Left 4 Dead, 28 days on 28 Days Later).
- The general abandonment of all environments in both the movie and the game.
- The speed and relentlessness with which the "Infected" move.
- The presence of Molotovs and the Gas Station explosion (No Mercy campaign).
- The dead bodies in Jim's house appear almost verbatim in the No Mercy campaign.
- In the No Mercy campaign, the elevator at Mercy Hospital stops at the 28th floor.
- Survivors move in small groups.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: As Jim looks out the window of Frank's taxi a few seconds after they first leave the apartment, two cameramen are clearly visible standing atop a rooftop in the window's reflection.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Activist: Bingo.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Rage (2007)

Soundtrack:

A.M. 180

A Cracking Zombie style horror, with substance

28 Days Later successfully takes the zombie genre to a new level, this movie is far more than just a horror flick. There are some great characters, that you actually care about, some you'll like, some you'll be glad to see killed, but all solidly performed.

The story is well written and avoids the clichéd cheesy scripts that are too often attached to the horror genre. And I must add that the direction is exactly what you would expect from 'Danny Boyle' top class.

For me though the real difference between this movie and many others made in this genre is as follows - The infected (the zombie like folk) are more menacing, they turn instantly and they move fast, a combination that would instill fear in every one of us.

I don't mean to run down the zombie movie genre - I am a huge fan of most of these films, but lets be honest its been done to death, re-animated and done again, and this was the first movie to break the mould and transcend to a new level.

If you like your horror flicks, then this is certainly worthy of your attention.

9/10