Blood Lust

Went to see 28 Weeks Later last night - the sequel to 28 Days Later. Fuck!!! What an incredible movie. Yes, I'm a horror/thriller buff and for those that aren't, I suggest you do not watch the clips on this post! If you're a tad confused, let me clarify a common misconception of those who aren't into horrors - 28 Days Later has no inkling of commonality with the Sandra Bullock movie 28 Days. Think happy thoughts and go see what Disney has on offer, this post is not for you. Here's the trailer:



In my humble opinion, the sequel is much better than the original - a rare thing in the horror genre. The trailer does not do this movie justice - it is far more graphic and intense than the trailer lets on. From the get-go, director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo has you on the edge of your seat, building the tension then scaring you shitless before letting all hell break loose. In between he weaves a fairly average story line with reasonable acting, clever visual effects and enough blood to make the faint-hearted puke. This time the infected seem much faster and way more insane than in the original and they throw up blood by the bucket load. The camera is kept right in the middle of the action, making you feel like you are there as the infected rampage through the deserted streets of London. Here's a small clip of the opening scene:



What sets this movie above a standard horror is the statement it makes on warfare. Many people have the misconception that the infected in 28 Days/Weeks Later are zombies - they are wrong wrong wrong. These movies are an extreme look at chemical warfare, using a virus which turns people into savage animals with an insatiable blood-lust for the non-infected. In 28 Weeks Later, the all mighty, all conquering US Army is deployed to decontaminate London and make it a habitable environment. The parallel to Iraq is striking with comments such as "we are here to look after you" spouting from the soldiers. Being a British film, Tony Blair's announcement to withdraw British troops from Iraq lets the producers of 28 Weeks Later get away with it, but only just. Perhaps they need to film the 3rd installment (yes, it's left open for one) here in Australia to nudge Little Johnny in the right direction.....

Without doubt, one of the best movies I have seen in a long time - 5 buckets of blood out of 5.


Songs played while writing this entry:
"Forever Young" Interactive
"Even Flow" Pearl Jam
"Work That Mutha" Steve Pondexter
"Secret Silence" Forth
"Marrakech" Madely
"Black Girls" Violent Femmes
"Garden" Pearl Jam
"Another Body Murdered" Faith No More & Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E
"Sweetness And Light" Itch-E and Scratch-E