Top Horror Films – #11 – 28 Days Later

October 21st, 2010 | POSTED BY Brandi Sperry

28 Days Later
2002; directed by Danny Boyle; written by Alex Garland

Mark: For me, the peculiar power that lies behind a zombie film (and its offshoots) is the waiting game that’s induced. I often think to allow a zombie to run is to ruin the potential of the genre. It’s the slowness that’s agonizing. Here though, in a picture about those affected with a rage virus, despite their ability to sprint, a similar notion is acted out. The terror comes less from those infected—though they and their aggression are terrifying—than the interactions between those that remain. What do we do, the film asks, when pushed to our limits?

Brandi: 28 Days Later is among the most well-crafted and well-acted horror films I’ve ever seen. As a picture of a post-apocalyptic mess of a world, it is incredibly effective. And while the zombies in play are great monsters, Mark is right in pointing out that the real terror comes from what people are willing to do to each other in such an environment. Imagining yourself in the circumstances of the characters is usually half the fun of a horror film, because we can tell ourselves “That could never happen.” It’s not so fun here. Sure, monsters aren’t real…but what if some kind of disaster did happen, and we all ended up fighting for survival? When I picture myself in the circumstances of these characters, it makes me want to buy a gun. And not for potential use on zombies.

Team Rankings:
Chad – #3
Brandi – #6
Mark – #13
Spencer – #13
Mike – #28

28 Days Later, Alex Garland, Cillian Murphy, Danny Boyle, Horror