 Tagline: Are you safe? When days turn to weeks...the horror returns. In this heart-stopping sequel to 28 Days Later, the U.S. Army steps in to help repatriate mainland Britain after the Rage virus has finally been eliminated. But one of the returning refugees carries a terrible secret that threatens to reignite the deadly explosion of bloodlust, carnage and chaos. Storyline: 28 Weeks Later picks up six months after the Rage Virus has decimated the city of London. The US Army has restored order and is repopulating the quarantined city, when a carrier of the Rage Virus enters London and unknowingly re-ignites the spread of the deadly infection and the nightmare begins... again. Written by Anonymous Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Martin Liebman, October 18, 2007 -- Step one: kill the infected. Step two: containment. If containment fails, step three: extermination. They won't stop until everyone is dead. 28 Weeks Later is a more straightforward, mainstream film than its predecessor, 28 Days Later, but it is still just as incredibly effective. Shot with a bigger budget and more sophisticated equipment (all the while maintaining the general feeling of the first film), Weeks delivers on several levels-- it's scary and gruesome, but it also humanizes the rage victims in the film, all the while giving the viewer hope for the future of this world and at the same time letting us know that this disaster is far from over. While not quite as good as the original, this film stays true to the story and moves it forward in a logical manner. The story is set 28 weeks after the outbreak of Rage across England, a viral infection that almost instantaneously transforms its victims into blood-spitting, crazed "monsters" that are driven by the need to devour human flesh. In the 28 weeks since the outbreak, we learn that the virus has been all but eradicated. The infected have died of starvation (presumably with no more victims to devour) and a U.S. led NATO force has been put in place to begin the repatriation process. Our protagonists are siblings, Andy and Tammy (Mackintosh Muggleton and Imogen Poots), who are returning to London to meet their father, played by the ever dependable Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty, Trainspotting). I hesitate to say more about the plot because each of these characters' motivations and the consequences of their actions are very integral to the unfolding of the story. One aspect of the film I truly enjoyed was watching the dynamics of this family being thrust into the middle of such a horrific situation. I felt that there was really no plot contrivances at all in this film. These characters behave like I imagine I or most normal people would respond to such circumstances. Every action leading up to the eventual re-introduction of the virus into society seems so innocent that, even though you know it is coming, you never jump out of your seat and shout for this character or that to not do what they are about to do. They are driven by real emotions and fears, not by some dumbed down script to get the action from point A to point B. One problem I did have with the plot dealt with the U.S. Military's use of what they termed "Code Red." I'm not going to divulge any details, but needless to say I have reservations that the military would resort to implementing this plan as early on as it did. I understand the rationale behind it to be sure and I certainly could not imagine having to be in charge with such an order looming in a situation such as that depicted in the film. I would just like to think that there would be another solution available before resorting to your last option so quickly. Director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo has proven himself here not merely to be a competent filmmaker but a remarkable one. With only a handful of films under his belt (including the critically acclaimed Intacto) Juan Carlos should start popping up on many Hollywood short lists alongside other A-list directors. I was very, very impressed with his work here. His ability to stay true to the first film and make a sequel that in almost every way lives up to what has become a classic horror film is incredibly impressive. Much of this film's visual style is reminiscent of a Michael Bay film, but in this case that's not a bad thing. Fresnadillo handles the quick edits and fast paced action with grace and leaves the viewer feeling like part of the action and not feeling a headache from the way Bay handles quick cuts and rapid camera movements. I believe we will see many good things from Juan Carlos Fresnadillo in the future. The second (and hopefully not the last) installment of the 28 Days series is a solid follow-up effort to the first film. It's fast paced, scary, at times unpredictable, gory, and a darn good presentation on Blu-ray. The visual and audio aspects of the disc are top notch as we have come to expect from Fox's releases. Unfortunately, the extras on the disc are not quite what I was hoping for and I have to mark down the overall score as a result. Cast Notes: Robert Carlyle (Don), Catherine McCormack (Alice), Rose Byrne (Scarlet), Jeremy Renner (Doyle), Harold Perrineau (Flynn), Idris Elba (Stone), Imogen Poots (Tammy), Mackintosh Muggleton (Andy), Amanda Walker (Sally), Shahid Ahmed (Jacob), Garfield Morgan (Geoff), Emily Beecham (Karen), Beans El-Balawi (Boy in Cottage [as Beans Balawi]), Meghan Popiel (DLR Soldier), Stewart Alexander (Military Officer). IMDb Rating (03/14/15): 7.0/10 from 187,702 users IMDb Rating (10/23/09): 7.1/10 from 61,805 users
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