Warning: There may be some spoilers to the film 28 Days Later. So if you haven't seen it, crawl out from under your rock, go rent it, and then read this.
Just got done watching 28 Days Later. I've seen it before, but I feel like I've had a lot of new insights to the film. I think the first time you watch it you focus on plot, but since I've seen it before, I was able to think about it cinematically and in terms of theory. I really do believe it is the best zombie film out there. Granted, I'm not a huge fan of zombie movies, which is why I probably like this film so much. It's much more of a psychological movie than anything. I find it really facinating that really the scarriest part is the people, the men in the mannor, rather than the infected. I think it actually has a lot of ties to the themes of Full Metal Jacket. 28 Days Later seems to be examining the nature of humanity, the evil and the good. It shows examples of both, and doesn't hit you over the head with a moral. However, unlike FMJ, I think it does show that the good of humanity ultimatly triumphs. Because, reguardless of the ending (and I recomend you watch all the alt. endings) there is still a sense of hope, that someone will survive and does so with those who mean something important to them.
But I think a large part of the film, mainly the part that takes place in the mannor, focuses on the evil of humanity. My favorite part is the sequence where Jim is trying to get back into the Mannor and save the women. Not only is it shot fantastically with great use of light, sound, and camera angles, but it really makes a statement. See, for most of the film, Jim is this somewhat pacifist scared guy while Selina is the strong kick ass one of the group. But, there is a turning point for Jim. When he jumps over the fence (miracously losing his shirt), you see a new determination in his face. He becomes cold, hard, calculated. He kills without a moments hesitation. And although his motives are good (saving Selina and Hannah), for a while his becomes infected. Not with the Rage virus, but with the rage of humanity...something evil. This is illustrated perfectly when he drops into the room to save Selina. He beats the shit out of the army guy before he kills him by gouging his eyes out. There was a gun there the whole time, but he chose the grusume, dominearing, 'masculine' way. There is a shot of him, screaming, dripping with sweat and blood relishing his act of violence. It is the climax of the film, and the best symbol of the themes of the movie.
Like I said, I love this movie. I think it's a lot more than just another zombie flick. The entire film is just wonderfully shot, I do believe it is shot in digital. If you haven't seen it, I hope you do watch it even though I may have given some parts of it away.
