May 7, 2009

#026: 28 Weeks Later

If you don't already know, I am a wimp when it comes to horror movies.  I have avoided 28 Weeks Later because I knew it was a scary movie, but I have heard a lot of good things about it.  I noticed it was on our movie channel, so I decided to go ahead and DVR it, thinking one day I might get up the balls to watch it.  I was feeling brave the other night so I decided to go ahead and start it up.  From the beginning I could tell I was going to like this movie. It was scary enough to get me amped up, but it wasn't so bad that I wanted to turn it off. The movie kept me entertained the whole way through, and the gore never got too bad. There were a couple scenes that made me cringe, but it was an enjoyable disgust. The thing I liked most about this film is how it contrasted the character's actions throughout the movie. It starts out with a couple trapped in a house that is being invaded by the baddies. The husband makes the tough decision to make a run for it and leave his wife to fend for herself. You can't help but think what a dick he is at the time. However, the rest of the movie people aren't willing to make that sacrificial decision, and it leads to continued pain and death for millions of others. When I think about it, this movies had a lot of deeper themes, and it is probably worth another viewing.

 I really enjoyed it, even though I am not a fan of scary movies. Most of the tension wasn't created because I was waiting for a zombie to jump out at me. It really made me consider how I would react in this extreme situation. Would I even have the composure, or foot speed, to stay alive for more than 5 minutes? The scenes where the military is first trying to contain the re-emerging threat were great. It was compelling to watch, and crazy to think about how the good guys suddenly became the bad guys, but were really still the good guys. There were so many shades of gray in this movie, which you wouldn't think possible in a zombie movie. Most people have probably already seen it, the film has been out for a couple years. If you haven't seen it, I would recommend it. It is a well done horror film that offers more content than just a few scares. If you have seen it let me know what you thought. I would be interested to know what your reaction was, or if you even thought about it as much as I did.
-deric

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