SciFiNow - 06.2020

W W W.SCI FI N OW.CO.U K |^091

RETRO CLASSIC

28 DAYS LATER

Speaking of sequels, 28 Days Later had

one of its own with 28 Weeks Later. Taking

place, unsurprisingly, 28 weeks after the initial

infection, the fi lm is yet again set in an empty

London, but this time the US army has secured

a small area for the survivors to repopulate

and start again. Though not quite as successful

as its predecessor, director Juan Carlos

Fresnadillo (who is reportedly set to direct

Disney’s rumoured Sword In The Stone live

action remake) continued Boyle’s tension-clad

claustrophobic horror. Staring a young Imogen

Poots (Vivarium, Black Christmas) as Tammy,

a girl who is determined to fi nd her mother in

the wreckage of London and Jeremy Renner

as part of the US force attempting to create

a safe zone, the fi lm doesn’t quite manage to

conjure the thrills of the original but it does

have one hell of an opening sequence.

The original fi lm also lead to a graphic

novel titled 28 Days Later: The Aftermath,

which expands on the timeline of the outbreak,

and a 2009 comic book series, also called 28

Days Later.

Excitingly, Boyle has recently discussed

the possibility of a third movie. Speaking to

The Independent last year, Boyle said: “Alex

Garland and I have a wonderful idea for the

third part. It’s properly good. The original

fi lm led to a bit of a resurgence in the zombie

drama and it doesn’t reference any of that. It

doesn’t feel stale at all. [Alex is] concentrating

on directing his own work at the moment, so

it’s stood in abeyance really, but it’s a you-

never-know.”

Indeed, as well as Annihilation and Devs,

Garland would go on to direct and write the

extremely successful AI sci-fi Ex Machina,

while Boyle would jump in and out of genre

work, with his most recent movie, Yesterday,

dipping its toes in sci-fi in that it depicts a man

who, after a bus hits him (watch out on those

roads in Boyle movies!) wakes up to fi nd no-

one’s ever heard of The Beatles.

Cillian would also go on to have some very

notable genre work on his CV, teaming up

with Boyle again for space drama Sunshine,

as well playing the terrifying Scarecrow in

Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight before

his upcoming role in A Quiet Place Part II.

28 Days Later is a movie that has withheld

the test of time and stands up against the slew

of brilliant zombie fi lms that came after. With

some exciting fi lms coming up for the zombie

genre, including a sequel to Yeon Sang-ho’s

amazing South Korean public transport horror,

Train To Busan, take the time to look back on

an incredible horror movie that’s still relevant

and bloody terrifying.

28 Days Later is available on DVD and Blu-ray

from Twentieth Century Fox.

YOUR TAKE

ON THE CLASSIC

“Loved it.” @doctorfodder

“On release it was ground-breaking being

shot on new digital cameras allowing a

loose style with sprinting zombies and iconic

ima g e r y.” @ParsonsFiction

“It was okay but not much more than that.”

@andyangel44

“Pretty much paved the way for most of the

zombie material we’re getting today. An

incredible fi lm and brilliantly directed. Can’t

wait for the third sequel.” @nickd_84

“It’s okay but I prefer the sequel and am

hoping for a third at some point.”

@BobHammond2

“I love 28 Days Later, the opening scenes

where Jim wanders round the empty streets of

London are brilliantly done. This and Shaun

Of The Dead are two of the fi lms I will watch

over and over.” @AmandaThelwell

“It’s a great movie, but the infected are not

zombies. They’re easy to kill and can, if

left alone, die on their own. I also liked the

se que l.” @Rob38382409

“Perfection.” @advocaatsmeets

“Not much to be honest. Can’t make up its

mind whether it wants to be The Omega Man

or Dawn Of The Dead. Very overrated.”

@kurtz_conrad

“Top three in best zombie movies of all time.

Wish there was a third.”

@teenagenickname

W W W.SCI FI N OW.CO.U K |^091

RETRO CLASSIC

28 DAYS LATER

Speaking of sequels, 28 Days Later had

one of its own with 28 Weeks Later. Taking

place, unsurprisingly, 28 weeks after the initial

infection, the fi lm is yet again set in an empty

London, but this time the US army has secured

a small area for the survivors to repopulate

and start again. Though not quite as successful

as its predecessor, director Juan Carlos

Fresnadillo (who is reportedly set to direct

Disney’s rumoured Sword In The Stone live

action remake) continued Boyle’s tension-clad

claustrophobic horror. Staring a young Imogen

Poots (Vivarium, Black Christmas) as Tammy,

a girl who is determined to fi nd her mother in

the wreckage of London and Jeremy Renner

as part of the US force attempting to create

a safe zone, the fi lm doesn’t quite manage to

conjure the thrills of the original but it does

have one hell of an opening sequence.

The original fi lm also lead to a graphic

novel titled 28 Days Later: The Aftermath,

which expands on the timeline of the outbreak,

and a 2009 comic book series, also called 28

Days Later.

Excitingly, Boyle has recently discussed

the possibility of a third movie. Speaking to

The Independent last year, Boyle said: “Alex

Garland and I have a wonderful idea for the

third part. It’s properly good. The original

fi lm led to a bit of a resurgence in the zombie

drama and it doesn’t reference any of that. It

doesn’t feel stale at all. [Alex is] concentrating

on directing his own work at the moment, so

it’s stood in abeyance really, but it’s a you-

never-know.”

Indeed, as well as Annihilation and Devs,

Garland would go on to direct and write the

extremely successful AI sci-fi Ex Machina,

while Boyle would jump in and out of genre

work, with his most recent movie, Yesterday,

dipping its toes in sci-fi in that it depicts a man

who, after a bus hits him (watch out on those

roads in Boyle movies!) wakes up to fi nd no-

one’s ever heard of The Beatles.

Cillian would also go on to have some very

notable genre work on his CV, teaming up

with Boyle again for space drama Sunshine,

as well playing the terrifying Scarecrow in

Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight before

his upcoming role in A Quiet Place Part II.

28 Days Later is a movie that has withheld

the test of time and stands up against the slew

of brilliant zombie fi lms that came after. With

some exciting fi lms coming up for the zombie

genre, including a sequel to Yeon Sang-ho’s

amazing South Korean public transport horror,

Train To Busan, take the time to look back on

an incredible horror movie that’s still relevant

and bloody terrifying.

28 Days Later is available on DVD and Blu-ray

from Twentieth Century Fox.

YOUR TAKE

ON THE CLASSIC

“Loved it.” @doctorfodder

“On release it was ground-breaking being

shot on new digital cameras allowing a

loose style with sprinting zombies and iconic

ima g e r y.” @ParsonsFiction

“It was okay but not much more than that.”

@andyangel44

“Pretty much paved the way for most of the

zombie material we’re getting today. An

incredible fi lm and brilliantly directed. Can’t

wait for the third sequel.” @nickd_84

“It’s okay but I prefer the sequel and am

hoping for a third at some point.”

@BobHammond2

“I love 28 Days Later, the opening scenes

where Jim wanders round the empty streets of

London are brilliantly done. This and Shaun

Of The Dead are two of the fi lms I will watch

over and over.” @AmandaThelwell

“It’s a great movie, but the infected are not

zombies. They’re easy to kill and can, if

left alone, die on their own. I also liked the

se que l.” @Rob38382409

“Perfection.” @advocaatsmeets

“Not much to be honest. Can’t make up its

mind whether it wants to be The Omega Man

or Dawn Of The Dead. Very overrated.”

@kurtz_conrad

“Top three in best zombie movies of all time.

Wish there was a third.”

@teenagenickname