TRAINSPOTTING director Danny Boyle returns to edgy form and reinvents the science-fiction/horror genre with this apocalyptic tale of viral infection and Darwinian survival. A fatal virus is unleashed on the British public following the liberation of infected chimps from a research laboratory by animal rights activists. The .. Read more
| Starring | Cillian Murphy, Megan Burns, Noah Huntley, Christopher Eccleston |
|---|---|
| Director | Danny Boyle |
| Genres | Horror |
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TRAINSPOTTING director Danny Boyle returns to edgy form and reinvents the science-fiction/horror genre with this apocalyptic tale of viral infection and Darwinian survival. A fatal virus is unleashed on the British public following the liberation of infected chimps from a research laboratory by animal rights activists. The virus can be transmitted in one drop of blood and manifests itself within seconds, infecting its victims with a zombie-like state of murderous rage. Within 28 days the country's population is devastated, and the streets of London and Manchester are apocalyptically deserted save for a handful of healthy survivors who attempt to salvage what is left of civilization. Led by a bike messenger called Jim (Cillian Murphy), the survivors must contend with not only the hordes of plague-carrying zombies, but also with each other, as they manouevre toward a supposedly better future. Shooting on digital video and making excellent use of the bleak English landscapes, Boyle crafts a tale of societal and spiritual devastation reminiscent of horror classics like NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and SHIVERS.
| Starring | Cillian Murphy, Megan Burns, Noah Huntley, Christopher Eccleston, Marvin Campbell, Brendan Gleeson |
|---|---|
| Director | Danny Boyle |
| Studio | 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 53 mins Blu-ray: 1 hr 53 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Collections | 100 Horror Films |
| Genres | Horror |
| Language | English |
| Hearing-impaired | English |
| Subtitles | Swedish, English |
| Released | DVD: 19 May 2003 Blu-ray: 06 Oct 2008 Production year: 2002 |
| Format | DVD |
From eerie vistas of deserted London to unnerving views of Manchester reduced to burning rubble, this Dogme-driven apocalyptic nightmare from director Danny Boyle is a tense, exciting and terrifying zombie horror. As a highly contagious virus spreads across the country, locking its victims into a permanent state of homicidal rampage, four individuals who have so far escaped infection have to fight off the deranged hordes. A powerfully iconoclastic Dawn-meets-Day of the Dead hybrid (written by Alex Garland, author of The Beach), this triumphantly executed piece of contemporary horror generates genuine shock value with its down-and-dirty violence and disturbing authenticity. Shot on digital video for a documentary feel that is tempered with occasional, unexpected flashes of surreal artfulness, Garland's compelling story grips on every level as Boyle's visual concept dovetails perfectly with the atmospheric narrative to produce an engrossing assault on the senses.
A zombie movie with a little twist Ð these ones are athletic Ð and a certain tension; nothing original otherwise, but very watchable.
I love a good post apocalyptic zombie flick me, and for the first half of this movie this exactly what it is. A great mix of excellent camera work, interesting and tense London set pieces and even a bit of humour thrown in for good measure. But then we reach Manchester and it all goes down hill. It's as though the film was shot in a linear fashion and they ran out money halfway through. From wondering what's coming next you suddenly find yourself realising that you're going to be stuck in this final location. Everything becomes very Dr Who'ish and I mean that in a bad way. Hammy acting, crappy effects cliched characters and you begin to wonder where the film you had started watching disappeared to. Having said that it's worth a watch and if you prepare for disappointment towards the end then you may be pleasantly surprised...
While the basic idae behind the film is a good one and would present the film makers with lots of possibilities. However, I found the final result really disappointing. In fact it bordered on the ridiculous. For example, why don't those infected with rage turn on each other?
It would have made much more sense for the disease to be something realistic - The film then would have been far more believeable and therefore more frightening. As it turned out I found it quite funny, which I am sure was not the intention of the film makers.
Having seen both this and The Beach recently, I think we have to ask ourselves a question - were Trainspotting and Shallow Grave a case of beginner's luck?
Hordes of infected may yet again scramble through London, it has been revealed. A sequel to the highly successful horror movie "28 Days Later" is being lined up. Costing less than £5 million to make, the iconic zombie movie grossed five times that in the US alone. So it has surprised few that a sequel is being looked at closely. Provisionally titled "28 Weeks Later", studio bosses at Fox Searchlight are in talks with Rowan Joffe, who penned "Last Resort", to... Read more