28 Weeks Later (2007)

As much as I hoped this would be a killer sequel, it wasn't. I really enjoyed the drama and layered themes of 28 Days Later, this one just recycled the same themes and dumbed down the story.

There were some parts that had me excited. The opening sequence was excellent and had me sold. Sadly, a great set-up and exhilarating chase scene turned sour. It seems the filmmakers wanted to go big and push the story to the outer reaches of unbelief. It's too bad because they missed some great chances to portray redemption and fear - instead it was cheap revenge and terror.

I must say too that the amazing were the 3 second sequence shots of an abandoned London. I remember reading about how they had to shoot the first movie and got permission to block streets for 15 seconds or so to shoot fast and get out; no second takes allowed. Part 2 milked the stunning images of an abandoned London and took it off the street level and we get shot after aerial shot of motionless streets with crooked cars dotting the pavement. After awhile, it became a bit over the top.

There were so many things that disappointed in this film. The shameless carrier/DNA plotline was so weak. The fact that the zombies could so easily track down the runners. The American presence in the film just to make it more appealing to a wider viewing audience. Even the strategies to resettle London rather than a more agrarian part of England or not resettle at all were just over-the-top terrible.

Finally, the Jurassic Park ending was brutal.

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