28 Days Later

Twenty Eight Days Later-directed by Danny Boyle and starring two British actors Cillian Murphy and Naomie Harris is a whirlwind film leaving you on the edge of your seat. The movie opens in a science lab in London, England where dozens of monkeys are caged up and being used as guinea pigs for a new drug being constructed. Apparently the experiment awry around the same time a group of animal activists show up to save them. A scientist was still in the building and tried to stop the activists from releasing the animals; he kept yelling "They are infected!". He claimed that the monkeys were infected with rage and it was in their blood and couldn't be cured. If released, they would kill anything in their path and infect everything that came in contact with their saliva or their blood within twenty seconds. It was a vicious chain that would eventually destroy mankind. The activists did not believe the man and one of them opened a nearby cage despite the desperate screams not to-big mistake. The chimp instantly flew out of his cage attacking to woman who set him free (a nice way to say thanks) ripping open her neck and infecting her with rage. Within seconds she began transforming into a zombie-like creature who's mind was on nothing else but killing those who were "still alive". These creatures vomit blood as a means to infect their victims easier, for if the blood enters any part of their body they will become infected. The lab erupts into chaos and fades out to the present, or twenty eight days after the incident at the lab-hence the name of the film.
The movie is based on a group of four people who are trying to make their way to a military base so they are safe from what they call "the infected". Their journey brings about adventure and tragedy with different twists throughout the film. Once the group arives at the base, it is only the beginning for them. I don't want to ruin the movie for those who want to watch it but I do recommend this movie to horror film lovers. It gives you a different kind of feeling, one I can't quite put my finger on. I was left with an uneasy feeling-kind of like what happened in the movie could really happen because it all started with humans. I can confidently say that this film has a fantastic-uncanny plot to it. You really can naturally explain the source of these monsters.
In the scene following the lab, the main character Cillian Murphy finds out that the city has been evacuated but he is far from being alone. "The infected" come after him and as he is bolting down the street in desperation of outrunning these monsters he used to call his neighbors, you see from out of nowhere jars full of karosene smashing at the feet of "the infected". This scene resembles the one in Night Of The Living Dead when they were trying to get the truck filled with gas. It was interesting for me to relate this modern day movie to one that was created half a century ago and actually understand why the director for 28 Days Later used this technique on these creatures.
I think this movie carries come characteristics that would satisfy both Carroll and Freeland. Carroll would like this movie because "the infected" qualify as monsters. They are disgusting and very threatening. They also evoke fear in the characters as well as the audience. Cynthia Freeland talks of art-dread and this movie is a perfect example of her definition. For example, there is a scene in the movie where the car gets a flat tire. In the middle of changing it, a mass of rats comes running out of a tunnel nearby as if fleeing from something. After a few seconds of staring in the direction the rats came from, you can hear the screeching sounds of "the infected" making their way through the tunnel toward their victims. They are trying to hurry and get the tire changed and back into the car so they can escape their death before these monsters arrive and all of this happens in a matter of a minute at the most. So, during this time, you are on the edge of your seat screaming at the television for them to hurry and get away while being filled with this overwhelming anxiety that this can't possible turn out good. I won't tell you what happens but that was a good scene to fill you with that art-dread. You know something isn't right and something bad is bound to happen but you have no idea when they are going to come flying out of that tunnel. I really enjoyed this movie and even though I think sequels ruin the original for most horror films, I am planning on making my way to the theater as soon as I post this blog. :)