Greetings, and welcome back to October Horror Fest! After the nine pager I gave you all yesterday, I PROMISE I’ll try to make this one just a bit shorter. However, I do hope you all enjoyed Final Destination! Today, we find ourselves in a classic horror genre. However, this movie, and its following sequels, have twists and turns that even I wasn’t expecting. For a movie so iconic, I am so glad to be reviewing it firsthand with all of you. Hold on to your hats with this one, readers! Without further ado, sit back, relax, turn off the lights, grab some Candy and Popcorn, and let’s review…
28 Days Later
We begin our story in one of the most unsettling settings I have ever seen in a horror film, and I’m really not joking about that. We see multiple televisions broadcasting mass destruction and hysteria through them, as as we pan back, we see what these T.V. ‘s are broadcasting to. On the table, bound by chains, is a monkey. The monkey is struggling, but is unable to look away from the T.V.s. We see that we are in the “primate experimentation” laboratory of Cambridge University, and a group of highly armed animal right activists are infiltrating as we speak. The activists move swiftly, looking at the caged monkeys all around. This is, however, until a scientist enters the room. He knows who the activists are, and begs them not to let the monkeys out. The doctor says that the monkeys are infected…
The group panic and ask what the monkeys are infected by, and the scientist replies with one word. “Rage.” He says that the virus is highly contagious, and can be passed through blood, saliva, or just one bite. The activists don’t listen, and they let one of the monkeys out. This action will be there last. The monkey JUMPS from the cage, attacking one of the activists. She begs for help, but she receives none as she is bitten into. She stands back up, eyes blood red, and begins to attack everyone else in the room. The monkeys enter into a cacophony of noise, as we see our title card. “28 days later…”
(Before we continue, the entire film was shot on a shoestring budget. The camera quality is grainy, and the film can be harsh, especially in the more violent scenes, but to me, that just increases the realism. I LOVE the aesthetic choices made here!)
The camera cuts to the face of Jim (played by the legendary Cillian Murphy in one of his first starring roles!). Jim is waking from a coma, in a completely deserted hospital. We find out later that Jim is a bicycle courier, and was hit by a car, causing his coma. Jim wakes up, walks around, and utters his VERY famous first line. “Hello?!”
Our main man begins to walk around the hospital and the streets outside, showing a completely deserted and trash littered London in some INCREDIBLE camera shots. (No CGI was used, the camera crew waited until dusk, and simply asked Londoners to move away from shots as they were being filmed!) Jim wanders the deserted city, putting what few supplies he has into a bag. These shots continue, until Jim finds himself inside of a chapel in the city. Spray painted on the wall is the ALSO very famous quote, “Repent, for the end is EXTREMELY ******* nigh.” Jim continues walking, until he sees a scene that made my heart drop.
Littered across the pews of the chapel are bodies. Bodies EVERYWHERE. Jim, in his infinite wisdom, calls out to the murdered congregation. Two of the “infected” (this is what zombies are called in the “28” universe. The rage virus corrupts the brain, and those infected are not actually dead, just reduced to the most animalistic state imaginable. They still hold some intellect, and can run VERY fast) stand up, and begin to pursue our oblivious Jim. Jim encounters even more infected, and makes a BREAK for it. His mad dash is stopped by two survivors throwing molotovs at the zombies, and eventually BLOWING UP AN ENTIRE GAS STATION in another beautiful shot.
The two survivors are named Mark and Selena, and they bring him to their shelter in an abandoned underground store. Selena begins to explain more of the situation to Jim, saying that the exodus is here. The infection spread too fast for evacuation efforts, and both the British Government and military were overrun. All electricity is now gone, but before broadcasts ended, reports were issued of infection in both Paris and New York. Jim is baffled and horrified, but begs the pair to take him to the neighboring town to see his parents. Both Selena and Mark say that they are dead, but Jim won’t believe it.
The trio enter into the house, and in a heartbreaking scene, Selena’s intuition is revealed as correct. Jim’s parents lay side by side, their lives taken by suicide. Held in Jim’s mother’s hand is a photo of him, and a letter to their son. Jim covers his parents with a blanket, and breaks down. Selena and Mark try to comfort Jim, as Mark says that they died peacefully. He tells the story of his family, and they were killed far less peacefully than Jim’s parents. It’s heartbreaking.
As the sun sets, Jim heads downstairs to watch a family video tape of his parents and him. Lit by candlelight, Jim smiles at the recording of a time before the world ended. However, the candlelight is too bright. In a JUMPSCARE, two infected JUMP through the window at Jim, and Mark and Selena rush down to kill them. The infected are eliminated, and Jim confirms that none of their blood got in his mouth. However, we pan to Mark, and we see something…
Mark has a massive cut on his arm, and his blood is mixing with the infection. He looks down, shock on his face, and begs for mercy. Selena, however, gives him none. She RUSHES him with her machete, and in another INSANE scene, hacks him dead. Jim is horrified and shaken, but the pair head out into the city.
In the city, Selena reveals her inner feelings, and she truly TRULY feels that life is pointless. Staying alive is as good as it gets. She tells Jim that if he was infected, she would kill him in a heartbeat. However, the moment after she reveals her feelings, the pair look up to see flashing string lights from an apartment building. The pair enter into the building, and begin their ascent. Jim, however, is hurting from a headache. In a surprising moment of empathy, Selena offers him medicine and soda, before they are interrupted by shrieks and howls from the hoard. The pair bolt up the steps, just barely making it to the locked and defended apartment of Frank, who is a cab driver, and his daughter Hannah. Frank shows up with a riot shield, and defends the pair whilst they enter into the apartment. (By the way, some of the most iconic zombie shrinking noises of all time are from this movie!)
The door is opened by Hannah, and the pair (including Frank) bolt into the apartment. Jim and Selena run into the apartment, and find themselves in a surprisingly calming room. Frosty the Snowman plays on the radio, in a room filled with string lights and warm furniture. Frank takes off his gear to reveal a British man with the biggest smile, immediately introducing himself and Hannah to the pair. The group has a drink together (even Hannah partakes), and we cut to later in the night.
Jim is trying to shave, but it is DIFFICULT after all running water has been shut off. Frank appears to Jim, telling him goodnight, and asking if he and Selena are a “thing”. Jim immediately shuts the idea down, and says that he can stay in the living room while Selena takes the spare room. That night, we see more of the differences between Selena and Jim. Selena says they’re desperate, and need the pair more than they need them. Jim thinks the opposite, saying that they are GOOD PEOPLE and that he would not leave them behind. In another sweet moment, Jim says he gets it, and he truly thanks Selena for saving his life, as he would be dead without her. The next morning, Frank shows the rough situation the group is in, as no rain is a MASSIVE problem. Frank fiddles with his radio in front of the group, and hears a broadcast from the military! They reveal their location as a blockade near Manchester, and although it is a recording, the soldiers say that “the answer to infection is here!” The group, (Selena is begrudging in this decision), decide to travel together to the blockade.
In some of the calmer and more “buddy cop” moments of this film (This movie is so diverse, and that’s why it is RISING the ranks in my favorites right now), the pair head into an underground tunnel and drive over all the broken down cars. Jim knows it’s a bad idea, and of course, the car gets a flat. Hannah begins to switch the tire, as a swarm of rats runs toward the group. Hannah is TERRIFIED, but the rats aren’t what truly scares the group. They are running from something…
A HOARD of infected bolt towards the group, and in one of the most intense scenes of the film, the group are BARELY able to change the tire in the knick of time, and speed away from the infected, laughing and hollering. And, ya know what? They deserve this one. On the drive, the group even finds a supermarket, and steals whiskey and chocolate. The group grows closer, even resembling a family. Frank leaves his credit card in the supermarket, and the group drives off once again. However, this is 28 days later. While siphoning fuel, Jim heads into a store, and sees a dead family. Rushing at him, however, is an infected young boy. Jim holds his breath, raises his bat, and ends the boy’s life. Jim rushes out of the store, brushing off his discomfort to Selena.
In (spoiler alert) one of our last cute scenes of the film, the group stops at some Roman ruins to have a picnic. Frank even notices some uninfected, healthy horses, saying they’re like a family. The group watch the horses frolic, and decide to stay the night at the ruins. We cut to Jim and Selena walking together, talking about their thoughts once again. Selena, however, has a change of heart. Selena says that she was wrong about staying alive being as good as it gets, and she says that Frank and Hannah, father and daughter, family, THAT is as good as it gets. Jim agrees with her, and Selena leans over and pecks his cheek. (We are two days in and already have two of the cutest horror couples ever.) As the group heads to sleep, Jim wakes up from a bad dream by Frank waking him up, and Jim, still in a daze, says “Thanks, Dad”.
Our road trip reaches its final stages, as we see one of the most horrific scenes in the entire movie. As orchestral singing swells, the camera pans up to show the ENTIRETY of Manchester in a raging fire, smoke bellowing miles into the air. The cab finally arrives at its destination, only to see the military barracks deserted. Frank spirals, his happy nature fading, as he can’t believe that the soldiers are gone. He looks above him, and sees a crow eating a dead soldier. He shoos the crow away, and then, it happens…
A tiny drop of blood falls from the soldier, and hits Frank’s eye. In a scene that I was literally ALMOST brought to tears over, Frank realizes what is happening. Hannah walks over to her father, and he apologizes for losing his temper. He tells Hannah that he loves her very much, and that she needs to stay away from him. The confused girl walks over, but the infection is too much for Frank to fight. He fully turns, as Hannah cries out, and Jim prepares to kill Frank. However, before he can swing his bat, bullets FLY through the air, killing Frank. Jim is horrified and dazed, and Hannah calls out for her father once more.
The military FINALLY actually does something in a horror film, and brings the surviving trio to a heavily fortified country house. At the house, Major Henry West introduces himself to the group. He is professional, calm, and polite, and shakes Jim’s hand. However, Hannah still clings to Selena, quietly sobbing. In the house, after the military takes Frank’s cab for a joy ride, Selena and Jim have a heart to heart. Selena breaks down this time, saying that without Frank, everything is NOT okay. She doesn’t want Hannah to “cope”, she wants Hannah to be okay. As Selena continues to cry, Jim leans in and kisses her. Selena is surprised, then immediately kisses back. The two continue to kiss, until Selena jumps up and leaves the room, slamming the door.
We cut outside, with West showing Jim a tour of the house, and all of their fortifications. The true “Answer to Infection” was rebuilding civilization, according to West. However, the most horrific thing we see on this tour is Mailer. Mailer was one of the soldiers, who was infected two days ago. He is chained around the neck, as West wants to study him. At dinner, Hannah fights against West, saying she wants to bury her father. After the soldiers kill an approaching hoard, they enter back into the house and taunt and prod at Selena, stealing her machete. West comes down and stabilizes the men, but all is not well in paradise…
Jim is horrified by this, and heads upstairs to have a drink with West. Jim reveals he killed a boy, and West says he understands. However, his facade ends as quickly as it was put up. West reveals that the communication was just a ruse. He promised his men that they would have women. Women mean a future. Jim is DISGUSTED, and runs downstairs to get Hannah and Selena. However, he is too late. The plan is already underway. Jim is hit by a rifle butt to the face, and goes down hard. The other soldiers apprehend Hannah and Selena, and although Jim, and another soldier, Sergeant Farrell (a kind, wise soldier who studies philosophy), try to fight against the team of soldiers, they are no match.
Farrell and Jim are taken outside, chained to a gutter and being prepared for death by shooting. While out there, however, Farrell uses his brain and asks Jim to truly THINK about it. How could the infection spread across the Atlantic? There is no possible way. He says that the rest of the world is continuing as normal, and his logic, his logic makes sense… Farrell says that Britain, as a diseased island, was quarantined from the rest of the world. Jim begins to consider it, as the two men are marched out into the forest.
In the forest, in a final act of resilience, Farrell spits onto the attacking soldiers Mitch and Jones. Jones then opens fire, preventing the sadistic Mitch from stabbing Farrell to death. However, the death of Farrell provides our boy with just enough time to evade the soldiers. As Mitch argues with Jones, Jim DIVES into the pile of corpses that Farrell is now in, disguising himself, and makes a run for it. Mitch and Jones try to pursue, but Jim, now without a shirt and covered in blood and injuries, jumps over the wall in the forest. Mitch is sure he is dead.
Jim collapses to the ground in exhaustion. But, before he blacks out, we see something moving in the sky… above Jim, an airplane flies. Farrell was right…
Back at the house, in one of the hardest scenes to watch from the film, the soldiers terrorize Hannah and Selena, forcing them to wear dresses. Selena then tries to drug Hannah, trying to make her “not care” about what the soldiers are about to do. However, before their sick goals are realized, a siren is sounded from behind the barricade. Selena knows who it is…
The soldiers rush out into the pouring rain, as we see JIMMMM!!!! causing the siren to wail. West and another soldier go out into the rain to kill Jim, but he channels his inner Spider-Man and is somehow able to evade the soldiers. In another tense scene, he kills a soldier without mercy, taking West’s attention. West is then attacked by a hoard of infected, as Jim books it back to the house, dead set on saving Selena and Hannah. At the house, our final 20 minutes of the movie ensue, and oh my god, this is UP THERE for me in horror movie endings. Wow. (I’m linking here the music that swells throughout the entire ending. This is the 28 Days Later theme, and I’m sure you’ve all heard it before. I, however, had NO IDEA it was from this movie, and my excitement levels tripled during this ending.)
In the pouring rain, Jim gets back to the house, and shoots the chain preventing Mailer from moving. The infected man stares at Jim, then bolts into the house. Jim’s plan is set afoot. In the house, Hannah is VERY drugged, and keeps telling the soldiers that West and his partner are dead, and that this soldier will be next. Suddenly, MAILER APPEARS in the window, smashing it and DESTROYING the soldier, infecting him. Selena grabs Hannah and the two girls begin to run, Mailer infecting everyone. Mailer and the rest of the infected soldiers continue their rampage, as Selena and Hannah keep trying to run. Selena is held, as Hannah runs into a dark hallway. The music REALLY starts now, as we see Jim peering in through windows, covered in blood and rain. As Jones tries to run for it, JIM APPEARS, stabbing him. Jim looks demented, running in and out of hallways avoiding the infected. West appears back at the house, comforting Jones as he dies.
Hannah makes it back to her bedroom, falling to her knees and holding the picture of her, Frank, and her mother. Jim runs up the stairs, calling for Hannah. She hears his voice, and thanks to it, she is able to hide behind a mirror when an infected soldier appears. The infected takes a moment to look at itself in the mirror, almost realizing what it has become. Jim’s rampage continues, as he leaves soldiers for dead left and right, and keeps trying to reach Selena and Hannah. He enters back into the house from the ROOF, as Corporal Mitchell continues to hold Selena. Jim jumps from the rafters, and RUSHES Mitchell, bringing him down to the floor. He bangs his head mercilessly against the wall, and GOUGES HIS EYES OUT on the floor. Jim gets covered in blood, and the line between the infected and the non-infected continues to blur. Jim has RAGE, perhaps stronger than the Rage virus itself…
Jim stands up, covered in shadow, blood, and water. He stares at Selena, panting, and as Selena prepares to attack him with her machete, she hesitates. Jim re-enters the light, telling Selena, “that was longer than a heartbeat”. (AW.) The two embrace and kiss, Jim telling Selena that life is NOT all destroyed. They will be okay. Jim vows to tell her about the plane he saw, but their moment is interrupted by Hannah BREAKING A BOTTLE over Jim’s head, as he thinks he was biting her, and not kissing her. Jim, Hannah, and Selena BOLT to the cab, but West is in the back seat. He stares at Jim, says he killed his boys, and SHOOTS JIM in the stomach. Hannah JUMPS into action, driving the car in reverse. Mailer appears, and breaks open the back window as Hannah watches. West is dragged out of the car to be killed, his screams echoing as Hannah drives the group away…
Hannah sees the gates are locked, and drives through them anyway, Selena and Jim screaming in the back…
WE CUT TO ANOTHER TITLE CARD, this one reading, of course, “28 Days Later”. We see a FLASH montage of Selena performing immediate medical on Jim, as we see one of the most insane shots I have ever seen in a horror movie ever. In a blink and you’ll miss it shot, the following frame appears in the frantic, fever dream-like montage. This shot may have been taken from an alternate ending and put into the theatrical one, but I don’t even care. Just look. (I am inserting a picture of the frame underneath this. I NEVER do this with Horror Fest, but this shot is too incredible for me not to put here.)
Jim opens his eyes, his wound bandaged. He gets out of bed, as we see Selena sewing, and Hannah fiddling with giant pieces of cloth outside. In the streets, we see the infected, FINALLY beginning to die of starvation. The group are at a fully stocked, safe cabin. Hannah rushes into the cabin, bringing Jim and Selena outside, saying she “heard it”. The group rushed to put the cloth together, as an airplane enters their vision. It flies down, seeing the word “HELLO” in massive white cloths on the grass. “HELL” from earlier, but just without the “O”. The plane flies overheard, as radio chatter increases. The group jump and wave their arms with huge smiles, as hopeful music swells. Selena asks, “do you think he saw us this time?” with a smile on her face. We cut to the faces and smiles of all of our group, ending with Jim’s content face…
THERE WE HAVE IT!!! WOW. This movie was absolutely incredible. I recommend this one to literally anyone, because holy. It had it all. Amazing cinematography, this movie being FARRRR ahead of it’s time, emotional stakes, it literally had everything. Wow. I hope you all enjoyed it!!! But, before you go, remember this, dear readers. The answer to infection is here…
