28 Weeks Later (R)

Apocalyptic zombie sequel isn't for the squeamish.

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Common Sense rates it
2
Seen the movie? Review it
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Movie details
  • Studio: Fox Atomic, Fox Atomic
  • Directed By: Juan Fresnadillo
  • Cast: Robert Carlyle, Catherine McCormack, Jeremy Renner
  • Running Time: 103 minutes
  • Release Date: 05/10/2007
  • Video/DVD Release Date: 10/09/2007
  • Genre: Horror
  • MPAA Rating: R
  • MPAA Explanation: strong violence and gore, language and some sexuality/nudity.

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this sequel to the zombie horror fest 28 Days Later is at least as scary and disturbing as the original. Extreme, graphic peril and violence are nonstop; sympathetic characters die, dysfunctional parents' love (or lack thereof) for each other and their children inspires ghastly death, and the ending removes any sense of optimism or hope that the right course has been taken. There are also sexual references and swearing -- if anyone's even paying attention to the dialogue in a movie like this.

Families can talk about the enduring appeal of apocalyptic horror stories. What's the fascination? Is it that they present moral choices in sharp relief? Families can also talk about how the different characters respond to the quarantine -- and why it goes so badly wrong. Is a zero-tolerance policy the only solution?

Message

Social Behavior:

The "good" guys are the ones who disobey military orders and sacrifice themselves in order to do the right thing -- namely avoid hurting innocent/uninfected people and preserve the only humans who might create the chance for a cure. But their altruistic actions result in more bloody death and ultimate horror. Characters lie and are selfishly motivated.

Consumerism:

Some British canned-goods labels shown; posters for assorted bands.

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

A couple prepares to drink a bottle of liquor, but they don't get around to it.

Violence

Savage, unrelenting bloody violence includes helicopter blades shredding through zombies like a giant lawnmower. A woman is beaten to death and her eyes gouged in horrific close-up. Bitings and poundings; rifle fire blows off human limbs. Huge explosions and fire bombings, with both the living and the dead set ablaze. Children are repeatedly threatened with death or injury.

Sex

A nude couple having sex is distantly glimpsed though a rifle scope. Un-erotic footage of a woman naked in a shower being scrubbed down in a decontamination process. Discussion of masturbation.

Language

Much profanity, with frequent uses of both "f--k" and "s--t."

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Charles Cassady, Jr.

In a major escalation of the first movie's theme, the American military has been brought in to clean up and re-settle Britain, where almost everyone died from a rabies-like contagion that turned people into maniacal (but mortal) zombie psychopaths. If you remember how Her Majesty's soldiers reacted to the "rage virus" plague in the first film -- they were fascistic survivalist types prone to rape -- you won't be surprised that this movie doesn't exactly support the troops either. In fact, it seems to be at least partially a Gulf War/Vietnam metaphor about overconfident U.S. occupiers committing atrocities when they can't tell the civilians from the hostile enemy. After showing husband and father Don (Robert Carlyle) treacherously abandoning his wife during a zombie attack to save himself in the worst days of the epidemic, the movie revisits the ghostly, abandoned London of the first film. The infected have all starved to death, and the U.S. Army is enforcing a high-tech quarantine, resettling the British capital with refugees who waited out the crisis safely across the English Channel. One of the Americans' key local people turns out to be Don, who reunites with his son and daughter -- and lies to them about what really happened to their mother. Don's duplicity sets in motion a chain of events that ends in another outbreak of the rage virus, this time in the heart of this quarantine stronghold.If there's any hope for a cure, it lies with Don's children -- whose blood may have an antidote. A few Americans disobey orders to try to keep the kids alive in the face of deadly American snipers, poison gas, and incendiaries.

Is it any good?

2
As in the first film, the message seems to be that while victims of the rage virus have no choice about turning into mindless zombies, the uninfected army commanders and soldiers should be more compassionate and human, since they still know right from wrong. Trouble is, it's becoming increasingly evident that in this world, no matter what you do, it only means one thing: more zombies, more murder, and more gore.

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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 17 reviews.

4


Posted on 07/24/08 by david02917 Kid contributor, age 13

A GREAT SEQUEL TO AN AWESOME MOVIE!

This film takes place 28 weeks after an infection started, and nearly wiped out all of England. London is rebuilding, but the virus is back and a boy and girl might have the cure.
4


Posted on 07/21/08 by xxhazyshadowsxx Kid contributor, age 14

Pretty good

First off, I have to disagree with the man claiming movies like this are responsible for acts of violence. Movies/Games arent the cause, its dumb parents who dont teach their children right from wrong. Let me also add that there was violence WAY before technology. As for the movie, its still the same concept we all know and love. I thought it was good, it just didnt induce the same type of fear/isolation that the first one achieved so greatly.
4


Posted on 01/19/08 by Curbspaget Kid contributor, age 17

Better Than Days, But Still Not Quite There.

I do not think sex/nudity was an issue here at all, on the other hand there was quite a bit of violence. Bloody corpses, close-ups of people being shot by snipers, and the like. Probably 16+ at the least. I think the only redeeming part of this movie was Jeremy Renner's role as Sergeant Doyle, a sure shot sniper.
4


Posted on 11/23/07 by Ryan567 Kid contributor, age 13

ok, yeah there's swearing but if i was being attacked by these kind of people I would be swearing but for the most part its not a big deal. And as for the "couple getting ready to drink liqur" it's a bottle of fricken wine, people drink that all of the time. I Think this movie is fine for ages 12 and up but only because its gorey and scary.
0


Posted on 11/20/07 by shortygirl 17 Kid contributor, age 17

okay a little boring

I like the story behind this movie ,but it wasn't the best I've seen. I mean I've seen better low-budget movies than this one ,but all in all I enjoyed watching it. my favorite part was when the dad turned into a vombie and ended ondying in the end.I think he deserved it. he shouldn't have left the woman he loved to die. even though she didn't til later.
5


Posted on 11/12/07 by tommysportsgirl Adult contributor

AN EXCELLENT MOVIE.......for ADULTS

This is really a great, exciting thriller. I've seen a lot of horror movies and it takes a lot to scare me....but this one did!! That being said, it's not for kids, at all. No way. It has a lot of language and tons of violence. There is one sex scene, but it's viewed through the window and is honestly no big deal. You can't see anything but a couple moving around in bed with a blanket over them. The violence is really disgusting at some points. Leave the kids at home.
4


Posted on 10/21/07 by everlast Adult contributor

I i i i "nuff said"

I would'nt take a date gross!
5


Posted on 10/11/07 by fedorahead Kid contributor, age 15

I loved it. You may not.

I'm a fifteen year old girl, and I loved this movie. It DEFINITELY isn't for the squeamish, and is chock-full of gore and violence (just how us teens like it :)), but if you can get past the first maybe ten or fifteen minutes, it is a totally awesome movie. If you are a parent, you should figure out your kid's likes and dislikes before passing judgement of this movie. Some kids (or teens, or adults) are very impressionable and not into fast-paced thrillers, but some of us live for this stuff.
4


Posted on 07/30/07 by tpainzbro Kid contributor, age 14

Good but not great

youcould not feel the same connection between characters like in first film
5


Posted on 06/08/07 by girlwithredshoes Adult contributor

See all 17 reviews >

Adult Reviews

There are 7 reviews.

5


Posted on 11/12/07 by tommysportsgirl Adult contributor

AN EXCELLENT MOVIE.......for ADULTS

This is really a great, exciting thriller. I've seen a lot of horror movies and it takes a lot to scare me....but this one did!! That being said, it's not for kids, at all. No way. It has a lot of language and tons of violence. There is one sex scene, but it's viewed through the window and is honestly no big deal. You can't see anything but a couple moving around in bed with a blanket over them. The violence is really disgusting at some points. Leave the kids at home.
4


Posted on 10/21/07 by everlast Adult contributor

I i i i "nuff said"

I would'nt take a date gross!
5


Posted on 06/08/07 by girlwithredshoes Adult contributor
1

Posted on 06/08/07 by Anonymous Adult contributor

what's the point?

What is the point of this movie except to show as much blood and guts and people being gunned down? When we have massacres such as Columbine and Virginia Tech, these kind of movies are inexcusable. There are deranged people out there who feed off these type movies and it angers me that they are produced.
4

Posted on 05/29/07 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Grimacingly Amazing Fun!

Sex- Very very brief breasts. Violence- Just as much as first, except for one scene with helicopter blades. Language- Often but said so quickly that it will fly over your head. Alcohol- No drinking or drug use at all. An amazing film good for 13 years and up. If you have seen the first, see this now! It will live up to your expectations! Grimacingly amazing fun!!!! Terrifyingly humorous!
2


Posted on 05/20/07 by rhinosaur1 Adult contributor

Very depressing

It started off good, then became too violent and depressing.(spoiler) Couldn't understand why the father chased the son all over the place. The scene with the father killing the mother was over kill.
0


Posted on 05/11/07 by eagle_wings2000 Adult contributor

YOU SICK PEOPLE

SICK SICK SICK YUK AND PARDON ME WHILE I BARF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
See all 7 adult reviews>

Kids Reviews

There are 10 reviews.

4


Posted on 07/24/08 by david02917 Kid contributor, age 13

A GREAT SEQUEL TO AN AWESOME MOVIE!

This film takes place 28 weeks after an infection started, and nearly wiped out all of England. London is rebuilding, but the virus is back and a boy and girl might have the cure.
4


Posted on 07/21/08 by xxhazyshadowsxx Kid contributor, age 14

Pretty good

First off, I have to disagree with the man claiming movies like this are responsible for acts of violence. Movies/Games arent the cause, its dumb parents who dont teach their children right from wrong. Let me also add that there was violence WAY before technology. As for the movie, its still the same concept we all know and love. I thought it was good, it just didnt induce the same type of fear/isolation that the first one achieved so greatly.
4


Posted on 01/19/08 by Curbspaget Kid contributor, age 17

Better Than Days, But Still Not Quite There.

I do not think sex/nudity was an issue here at all, on the other hand there was quite a bit of violence. Bloody corpses, close-ups of people being shot by snipers, and the like. Probably 16+ at the least. I think the only redeeming part of this movie was Jeremy Renner's role as Sergeant Doyle, a sure shot sniper.
4


Posted on 11/23/07 by Ryan567 Kid contributor, age 13

ok, yeah there's swearing but if i was being attacked by these kind of people I would be swearing but for the most part its not a big deal. And as for the "couple getting ready to drink liqur" it's a bottle of fricken wine, people drink that all of the time. I Think this movie is fine for ages 12 and up but only because its gorey and scary.
0


Posted on 11/20/07 by shortygirl 17 Kid contributor, age 17

okay a little boring

I like the story behind this movie ,but it wasn't the best I've seen. I mean I've seen better low-budget movies than this one ,but all in all I enjoyed watching it. my favorite part was when the dad turned into a vombie and ended ondying in the end.I think he deserved it. he shouldn't have left the woman he loved to die. even though she didn't til later.
5


Posted on 10/11/07 by fedorahead Kid contributor, age 15

I loved it. You may not.

I'm a fifteen year old girl, and I loved this movie. It DEFINITELY isn't for the squeamish, and is chock-full of gore and violence (just how us teens like it :)), but if you can get past the first maybe ten or fifteen minutes, it is a totally awesome movie. If you are a parent, you should figure out your kid's likes and dislikes before passing judgement of this movie. Some kids (or teens, or adults) are very impressionable and not into fast-paced thrillers, but some of us live for this stuff.
4


Posted on 07/30/07 by tpainzbro Kid contributor, age 14

Good but not great

youcould not feel the same connection between characters like in first film
5


Posted on 05/25/07 by leardi Kid contributor, age 15
5


Posted on 05/24/07 by finalfear45 Kid contributor, age 14

an amezing and terrifying film

Okay so this is the sequel to 28 days later (it should be obious) and the only thing I have to say it is absolutely amazing, and for you guys that may like scary movies this won't dissapoit you, but beware this film is very gory and very scary.
5


Posted on 05/12/07 by yjhntyh Kid contributor, age 13

I was So Scared

Im 13 and i thought this movie was great!!!MUST SEE.There is barely any nudity and a little bit of violence.
See all 10 kids reviews >
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53 votes