28 Weeks Later, the sequel to you know what, is not exactly indefensible, but it is largely incomprehensible. Watch it if you like this sort of thing—it will pass the time. But be aware that almost no effort has been spared to eliminate anything that might make sense; not so much at the level of the story, which is workmanlike in the way council workers are, but moment by moment, shot by shot, action by action. One is not so much expected to suspend one’s disbelief as one’s understanding of the law of cause and effect.
There is little point in trying to list the many holes, as it is not so much a case of holes as one continuous gap, as though all the mortar had been removed from a brick wall. A single example of unintentional fun will suffice. It is made clear from the early going that the rage-infected zombies move relentlessly and at lightning speed. Yet, in a show of tension-building contrivance during the final chase, they can’t catch up to a young girl, a child and a woman with a limp. (The Bishop says 'final chase', but this is really one long chase, between film and audience.)
The direction and its partner in disinformation, the editing, leave no cut unjumped in proving that Juan Carlos Fresnadillo is exceptionally clever and has not a clue how to do his job. In essence, this is a ninety-something minute rock video in the nu metal, emo or some other over-painted vein, or would be, but that most rock video directors know to point their cameras at more than the ground, the foggy middle distance, and the bottom right hand corner of an actor’s face.
The performances are essentially harmless, but spongy, failing to hold water under even the slightest pressure. The Bishop had heard of Rose Byrne, but had never seen her before. Hopefully he will not again. Her army medical officer is supposed to be the film’s moral centre, which this self-important brunette interprets as an opportunity to pout and fawn. Imogen Poots is psychotically stunning, but something ungainly happens in the gap between her thinking words and actually saying them. Mackintosh Muggleton—cast, the Bishop assumes, primarily for his dome-headed pretty girl looks—is not a child actor to look forward to. Even Robert Carlyle can’t help much. He is engaging, as he often is, but his performance is so out of synch with the rest that it seems to be a hangover from an earlier, different and almost certainly more interesting version of the film.
1 Comments:
I totally agree with your statement!
28 Weeks Later is how long it felt once I finally made it through the film.
High Speed Zombies who cannot catch up to the Limp Crew did seem rather ridiculous.
A film portraying the US Military as 'idiots' and normally in these situations, would there not be a UN Mission, Salvation Army, Mchale's Navy?
Perhaps some audio commentary from The Two Ronnies would make this flick far more enjoyable!!
The ending, the story had me bored to tears. Angry and irritated.
Some street scenes depicting a devestated London, was actually no different from what some parts of London look like today, well, in 2004 anwyay.
I'm not suggesting here, that Mel Gibson or Bruce Willis, type hero be in this flick, but what I would say, is fill the holes, make it, more fucked up, more brutal, more devestating, more believable.
Paris be damned.
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