Zombies in film: 28 Days Later

"Be Thankful For Everything, For Soon There Will Be Nothing..."

Director: Danny Boyle

Writer: Alex Garland

Produced: DNA Films, British Film Council

Story: A virus known as "Rage" is unleashed on the people of England by animal rights activists. 28 days later Jim wakes up from a coma in the end times. He bands together with a small group of survivors who grow and dwindle as the movie progresses. The survivors go to a military brigade which has managed to survive... by taking advantage of other survivors. As Jim attempts to save his fellow survivors he becomes just as brutal and terrifying as the infected they have all been running from.

Zombies: The infected in this film are often argued about as not being zombies because they can run and because they are not undead. To those people must be brought up, no one knows how the virus will spread or in what form. The zombies which have tormented mankind throughout history could very well change as the virus evolves into something even more terrifying. And terror is what these creature invoke. Heartless, relentless, brutal monsters, the pinicle of ravenous killing power within the human body tapped into and released. these infected are not traditional but they are no less possible and far more threatening.

Survival Lessons:

• Brutality is essential in some circumstances.
• Be careful of birds and other creatures which may carry the infection.
• The human need to protect others is sometimes more powerful (and self destructive) then any other emotion.
• Wear protective gear at all times, even when assumed to be safe.
• Do not trust every tale you hear about safety and supplies.
• Some survivors exist by feeding of other survivors. Be aware that any human could turn out to be one of these leaches.
• Choose your party members wisely.

Warnings: This is one of the few actually scary zombie movies. The film also has some very disturbing scenes of violence and sexual aggression (not involving zombies don't worry.)

This film is possibly the greatest zombie movie of all time even if the infected are not the standard undead fair and even though it wasn't one of the classics. It has everything, all the characters play their parts and enough die and survive to represent the real threats and how to over come them. It also shows how power currupts and why not all humans can be trusted after the fall, esspecially those with athority and the "big guns." The movie also runs a couple of social commentaries to surpass even those in Romaros origanal "Of the Dead" films. The animal activists who destroy a country and turn everyone into crazed animals in an effort to demonstrate human cruelty to animals. As well as the more obvious and beautifully done look at how a human not infected by the virus is just as -if not more- capible of the greatest feats of violence and brutality.

Stay vigilent, may the infection never reach you, and those close to you have the resolve to do what is needed should you be so unfortunate,
Mike D.