28 Days Later... (2002)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Danny Boyle

Writer:

Alex Garland (written by)

Release Date:

27 June 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

His fear began when he woke up alone. His terror began when he realised he wasn't.

Plot:

Four weeks after a mysterious, incurable virus spreads throughout the UK, a handful of survivors try to find sanctuary.

Plot Keywords:

Virus | Coma | London | Survivor | Hospital

Awards:

7 wins & 21 nominations

Cast

Alex Palmer	...	Activist
Bindu De Stoppani	...	Activist
Jukka Hiltunen	...	Activist
David Schneider	...	Scientist
Cillian Murphy	...	Jim
Toby Sedgwick	...	Infected Priest
Naomie Harris	...	Selena
Noah Huntley	...	Mark
Christopher Dunne	...	Jim's Father
Emma Hitching	...	Jim's Mother
Alexander Delamere	...	Mr. Bridges
Kim McGarrity	...	Mr. Bridges' Daughter
Brendan Gleeson	...	Frank
Megan Burns	...	Hannah
Justin Hackney	...	Infected Kid

Also Known As:

28 Days Later (UK) (closing credits title)
29 Days Later (USA) (longer version)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and gore, language and nudity.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Spanish | Finnish | French | Korean Sign Language | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Malaysia:18SG | France:-16 | India:A | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Canada:16+ (Québec) | Canada:18A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-18 | Germany:18 (nf) | Hong Kong:IIB (cut) | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:16 | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:PG-12 | Mexico:C | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:18 | Peru:14 | Philippines:R-18 | Poland:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) | Singapore:NC-16 (edited for re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #38512)

Filming Locations:

Badminton House, Gloucestershire, England, UK

Company:

DNA Films

Trivia:

Danny Boyle explains on the DVD commentary that he shot all the scenes of the Infected in a particular style - using a type of slow motion feature on the Canon XL1 DV cameras with which the film was shot. Boyle explains that the cameras allow filming at up to 1600fps (normal speed is 24/25fps), but that shooting at such a high speed on a DV camera doesn't produce the same effect as it would on a 35mm camera. Shooting at that speed on a film camera gives basic slow motion, but doing so on a DV camera produces the kind of staccato effect seen in scenes involving the Infected. As Boyle explains it, it almost looks as if every third or fourth frame is trimmed insofar as the image has a 'jumpy' quality. Boyle also explains that during the climax of the film, as Jim runs around the mansion, all the scenes involving Cillian Murphy were shot in the same way - thus setting up for the audience a psychological parallel between Jim and the Infected.

Goofs:

Continuity: While waiting for the jet to fly over at the farmhouse, Selena has on a green sweater with very long sleeves. Then, as as she looks back at Jim, her sweater is now brown.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Activist: Bingo.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Anatomy of a Scene: 28 Days Later" (????)

Soundtrack:

Ave Maria

the one thing

The one thing that made this movie effective... well, let me back up. Ever have a nightmare where you're being stalked, or otherwise threatened, and you could die, and it's scary as hell? I mean, the absolute worst? Now, think: have you ever had a nightmare where someone you love was already dead, and you knew it, you saw it?

It's infinitely worse.

This movie recognizes that. There is some action, yes, mostly towards the end, but what makes this movie one of the scariest I've seen is its method of accessing the deepest fears in all of us -- not fear for ourselves, of our own deaths, but for others, our families and loved ones, and the utter, complete loneliness if they were to simply be gone forever. This is a post-apocalyptic movie that really drives in the impact of the idea, to devastating effect. It makes everything more engaging: the characters feel more real (though this is also due to the excellent script), the danger more immediate. But this is not a things-pop-out-and-scare-you horror movie. It's a film that will haunt you.