''28 Days Later'' (2002)

By Crusader1307

 Great Britain's 2002 foray into the ''modern'' Zombie Genre - ''28 Days Later'' is part Science-Fiction and part Horror Film. It was, according to it's Producers never to be seen a a strictly Zombie Film. The goal was to show how Humans would denigrate into anarchy and animal-like chaos as well as how ''rationale'' people would adapt in such a ''World''. As with most pieces made in these ''modern apocalyptic'' films – plagues or viral releases that produce Zombie (Walking Dead), are the key component to ''Humanities Downfall''. Well made and full of suspense, ''28 Days Later'' is often cited as a partial ''rip off'' of the popular American Television Zombie series ''The Walking Dead''.

But ''Purists'' cite that it should be seen as more of a ''companion piece'' as to what the ''rest of The World'' may go thru (although the causes of The ''Zombipocalypse'' are quite different). In the film, a young bicycle messenger is struck by a car in an accident and is admitted into a Hospital in a comatose state. He awakes (28 days later), to find that Hospital and indeed entire City of London – is vacant of people. Confused and scared, we know (from the film's prologue), that The Government was working on a biological contagion which was being tested on animals. The contagion, called ''Rage'', totally activates anger and violent tendencies. In this it is assumed that such a ''viral manipulation'' could be used against a future Enemy, causing ''Him'' to attack His own people. A Group of Animal-Rights Activists break into The Lab to free the ''poor creatures'', only to have one of them being bite. ''Rage'' is very fast acting in the Human body and is spread thru direct contact with an infected persons blood, saliva (via bite) or other fluid transfer. With a 99.9% contagion rate, Great Britain (and perhaps The World), quickly falls prey to anarchy and chaos, due to ''Rage''.

Our Hero knows nothing of this, and after running into several examples of ''Rage Zombies'', He meets several Survivors, who help Him and show Him both how to hide and how to kill the infected. But after hearing (on a radio), that British Military Authority has a ''Safe Zone'', He and His new found Group travel to safety (or so they think). A sad, but hopeful ending to ''28 Days Later'' would lead to a less that popular sequel ''28 Weeks Later'', which was more of a ''Resident Evil'' Franchise ''steal'' than a stand alone sequel which – bombed. Well worth a watch (if you haven't already), ''28 Days Later'' is a true classic and worthy addition to The Zombie Film Genre.