28 Days Later (spoilers)

One More Solo · 25 Jun 2007 at 01:36

Finally saw this film tonight after ages of not getting round to it. Really enjoyed it apart from the ending(s). Both were rubbish but it really is hard to end an apocalyptic style film effectively (only Fight Club has left me happy!). The actress that played Hannah was appalling too. Great concept though and well executed on the whole. What do you all think?

riddlermarc · 25 Jun 2007 at 09:10

It was on my list of films to watch for ages, only did so tonight also.

Yes the ending was pretty dire, didn't really wrap anything/much up (either ending) so there was obviously scope for a sequel.. cynical, moi?!

It's a bit like Dawn of The Dead, the film concentrates on immediate events and doesn't do the usual "wrap up nicely" at the end - 28 Weeks Later looks like a must-watch

brendy · 25 Jun 2007 at 09:14

One More Solo said:
Finally saw this film tonight after ages of not getting round to it. Really enjoyed it apart from the ending(s). Both were rubbish but it really is hard to end an apocalyptic style film effectively (only Fight Club has left me happy!). The actress that played Hannah was appalling too. Great concept though and well executed on the whole. What do you all think?

The imdb website has some facts on the film, apparently the desloated scenes wernt just asempty as they looked (ie stray people in view)
The bit of blood catching the girls dads eye was a little optomistic also.

One More Solo · 25 Jun 2007 at 10:46

The London scenes were fantastic though, I really enjoyed the way it was filmed and the silence throughout the film. The soundtrack they did use as well is great.

Scam · 25 Jun 2007 at 10:48

brendy said:
The imdb website has some facts on the film, apparently the desloated scenes wernt just asempty as they looked (ie stray people in view)

If you watch the DVD extras they have a lot of shots that were cut due to things in the background. You might be thinking some idiot walked into the shot, but for example there's one where they piled up cars at the side of a motorway bridge and had a shot of them. Well there was just traffic going past on the other side of the motorway

They said they couldnt be bothered to edit all the other cars out (plus the shot wasnt right anyway). So i expect there was a lot of things like that, that were edited out of the shots. Afterall they couldnt shut down London for particularly long.

brendy · 25 Jun 2007 at 12:13

Yea the logistics must have been difficult (bit like vanilla sky, deserted Time Square near the start)
The bit I dont understand is how the eyes turn red in the space of 15-20 secs and also how the chained up soldier can cough and barf up so much blood and not die.

edit: christ my spelling in that first post was awful, sack the keyboard!

Pigeon_Killer · 25 Jun 2007 at 15:31

I thought the first 20 minutes were pretty good but then it got really boring. Not a film I'll watch again in a hurry.

Samtheman1k · 25 Jun 2007 at 15:37

I thought it was great and a really gripping storyline! I only caught 'christopher ecclestone' in the credits name, was the Major actually Doctor Who? I didn't notice in-film!

Welshy · 25 Jun 2007 at 16:14

First half I thought was amazing, but the second half feels like a totally different film to me, and not a very good one.

I wouldn't bother seeing 28 Weeks Later if you havent already, it's much of the same.

MookJong · 25 Jun 2007 at 19:09

Once they get to the house the film falls apart for me, the rest is simply fantastic.

Pumpkinstew · 25 Jun 2007 at 19:22

Anyone who's read a few of James Herberts books will have felt very familiar with the plot.
I found it to be quite an unpleasant experience sitting through this (but that is the point I suppose). The points it makes on human nature are heavy handed, although some of the performances (Murphy and Gleeson) and cinematography is first class.
So I have very mixed feelings about this one. I'm glad I've seen it but I wouldn't watch it again.

One More Solo · 25 Jun 2007 at 19:26

MookJong said:
Once they get to the house the film falls apart for me, the rest is simply fantastic.

It does get a bit mindless at the point, as I said the ending is terrible but the ending could be the last half hour.

fini · 25 Jun 2007 at 19:30

Which ending did they show on channel 4?

I wish the DVD had more on it about quite how much of London they did and didn't get to shut down.

Jokester · 25 Jun 2007 at 19:34

fini said:
Which ending did they show on channel 4?

They showed the theatrical ending as part of the film proper, then the alternative ending after the credits where he dies.

Jokester

Samtheman1k · 26 Jun 2007 at 09:45

Jokester said:
They showed the theatrical ending as part of the film proper, then the alternative ending after the credits where he dies.

Jokester

Is that something Ch4 always do? It was the first time that I'd seen them do it.

Jokester · 26 Jun 2007 at 19:31

Samtheman1k said:
Is that something Ch4 always do? It was the first time that I'd seen them do it.

I think they did it the last time they showed it, but I can't think of any other films where they've done it.

Jokester

One More Solo · 26 Jun 2007 at 21:27

It's my understanding the alternate ending is shown after the credits as a "What if?" so is actually part of the film rather than C4 tacking it on.

THMRK · 26 Jun 2007 at 21:49

It was the original ending in the test screening but it was replaced at the say of the studio for being too bleak. There's actually two other endings too. One is unflimed, though.

That other ending was put onto the theatrical release after it had been out for a bit as a "What If...?".

brendy · 29 Jun 2007 at 15:52

the magic chicken took his place in one ending!

I agree that when they reach the big house with ecclestone, the main character goes off on a bender, a bit like beaches when dicaprio starts playing soldiers when hes outcast, whats wrong with using the oppertunity to show how human instinct takes over and a little cowardice creaps in and everything is softly softly, not just gung ho.