28 Days Later... (2002)

So I finally saw this movie, after years of thinking about doing it. And it's good! 28 Days Later begins with a British animal rights group infiltrating a medical facility and freeing a chimpanzee who has been infected with a mysterious new disease. It immediately attacks its liberators, infecting them with what is known only as "rage". 28 days later, Jim (Cillian Murphy) awakes from a coma naked in a hospital bed, only to find the entire city of London seemingly devoid of people. Rubbish fills the sidewalks, deserted cars clog the streets. He enters a church full of dead bodies, and a small number of living, bloody, disfigured people move in to attack him. He's eventually saved by Selena (Naomie Harris) and Mark (Noah Huntley), who explain the epidemic that rapidly swept through England a month previous. It's spread through blood entering any orifice. The entire country is without a government or support system (no electricity or running water, etc), and though some escaped at the beginning, there's now no way out of the country.

Those that are left are just trying to survive day to day. Jim insists on visiting his parents' home, but of course finds them dead. Zombies (they're not really zombies but it's so much easier to just say that) attack the three there and Selena is forced to kill Mark when he is infected. Selena and Jim meet up with Frank (James Gleason) and his teenage daughter Hannah (Megan Burns), who have barricaded themselves in a towering apartment complex with the help of riot gear. They've received a radio signal released by military survivors outside of Manchester, and decide to attempt a drive there along with their new friends. It's incredibly dangerous and naturally laced with death, and it is unknown whether the soldiers are even still alive. Or what kind of help they can give them if they manage to make it.

This isn't an especially scary movie when you watch it, but the concept is terrifying. It seems so much more real to replace "zombies raised from the dead" with "incurable, rapidly-spreading rage disease". How would the government handle it? How would the rest of the world respond? How would the public react? 28 Days Later suddenly seems realistic and that is what makes it so frightening.

The pacing is excellent- it starts off slow and gradual, with Jim wandering around abandoned London and trying to get his bearings with the help of Selena and Mark. It's all sinking in. Once they meet up with Frank and Hannah, they have a mission, a goal. It picks up but doesn't move too fast- these characters are still getting to know one another and Jim is still acclimating to his situation. Then in the third act all hell breaks loose, everything is turned upside down, and everyone must come to terms with themselves. It's a really intense and well-executed climax. I completely didn't expect the story to escalate the way it did, given the slower first act. But my goodness.

Without giving too much away, can I just say that Cillian Murphy is so unexpectedly badass in this film? Because he really is. He gives an excellent performance throughout, and handles the character's desperation and transformation very well. Plus we get to see him totally naked, so everyone is happy. I also really liked Naomie Harris as Selena. She is a strong, formidable, and pragmatic character but still very sympathetic and relatable. She wields her huge knife (machete? I forget) very well, too. I like the way their relationship is portrayed. At first I was like, oh man here is a pretty lady and a young dude in an action/horror movie, I guess they'll form some sort of superficial sexual bond due to their high adrenaline situation. But for most of the movie they're getting to know each other and sort of clinging because they have no one else. It's just a necessary partnership. By the end they genuinely like each other and have been through so much together it'd be uncomfortable for them to be apart. It's an interesting dynamic- not the focus of the movie of course, but still paid enough attention for me to think about it.

All in all this is a very well-made, engaging horror-thriller shot in a gritty, deliberate style. The imagery of the infected is especially memorable, captured in a jumpy, anxious manner that horrifies much more than overcomplicated special effects. It both pays tribute to various zombie films that came before it, as well as modifying the concept for a contemporary audience. It preys on the all-too-real fear of disease outbreak and social chaos, making it all the more affecting. Congratulations, Danny Boyle. I now have an unprecedented fear of catching ebola. Review of the sequel forthcoming.

4.5/5