Jim (Cillian Murphy) is one of those kamikaze pushbike couriers in central London who wakes from a coma in a hospital bed after a collision with a car. This kind of thing happens all the time, but there?s something very strange going on this time. There are no other people around ? anywhere! Jim wanders around in search of life and tries to piece together what has happened. London appears deserted.

He meets up with Selena (Naomie Harris) who confirms that a viral outbreak in the last 28 days has turned most of London?s population into raging killers, and it?s definitely a case of kill or be killed. Jim?s earlier and frightening encounter with these transformed human ?creatures? has taught him that Selena isn?t kidding. The two team up and hope to find others who are not affected by the virus. They come across Frank (Brendan Gleeson) and his young daughter Hannah (Megan Burns). Frank informs them that one of the last things he heard before all radio transmissions ceased was a military broadcast calling all non-infected folk to gather at a safe haven just outside Manchester. Realising that they could make the trip only to find that the infected have infiltrated this promised stronghold, they decide to go. Frank is a taxicab driver, so they all pile into his cab, stock up on supplies, and set off on a dangerous cross-country trek to what they hope is salvation. I?m not giving any more away, but I will say that once they hit the outskirts of Manchester, things only get worse, and more complicated. A serious threat doesn?t always come from expected sources.

This film did make me consider ?what would happen IF?. It aims to be a serious film, despite certain schlock-horror elements that don?t stand up to intense scrutiny. If you suspend your disbelief in relation to the specifics of the virus and focus on the bigger picture, you?ll enjoy this more. The infected folk are basically ultra violent zombies, which is over-the-top dramatic, but they don?t overrun the plot, which gets more involved in the 2nd half of the film, and saves me from calling this just another mindless bloodbath. I will tell you how and why this infection came about, so you can see why this angle is the film?s main weakness. Ready? Ok, well, scientists are working on a ?cure? for rage using ? AS USUAL ? chimpanzees as research subjects. In order to work on this ?cure?, they have to firstly induce rage in them (don?t ask me how?), and one of these enraged chimps escapes his cage and attacks a researcher, thus infecting a human with a deadly rage which has somehow become a virus, transmitted through the blood. Hmmmmnn. Whatever. Primates get blamed for all sorts of viruses, don’t they?! Anyway ? the rest of the story is basically believable. Some of the scenes are really great. Deserted London looks fantastic, and the shot with the taxi driving along the M1 is brief, but an awesome image. Another highlight is a shopping spree the foursome has in order to stock up for the trip. Cool stuff ? loved the little touch with the credit card at the end of it, too! I?d LOVE to raid a deserted store knowing that money just doesn?t matter anymore. It?s a moody film with sweet little scenes sprinkled throughout. It?s different, in that trendy English way.

THE EXTRAS

Overall, this is a decent effort for extras, and I liked the fact that they don?t go for hours and hours. A bit of thought is evident in the way they?re put together ? especially the normally boring photo gallery.

The basics are scene selection and 2 x theatrical trailers. There is also an audio commentary by director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland. I don?t bother listening to these unless there are no other extras available, so I didn?t explore it.

The deleted scenes were worth seeing (7 in total, with optional commentary), as well as the alternate ending (14 mins, with optional commentary). I didn?t bother with the commentary on either of these, but nice to know it?s there if you want to. It was interesting to see which ending they went with in the final cut ? they went with the less ?bleak? option. A music video featuring scenes from the film, by Jacknife Lee, was an addition that actually supplemented the vibe of the film. I liked the track, which has a trendy techno edge i.e. no lyrics.

I normally yawn when I get to the photo gallery, but the running production stills gallery (18 mins with commentary) was, again, a good supplement to the film. Most of these stills are taken in the deserted streets and landmarks around central London, which creates an eerie effect. The premise of the film required the filmmakers to obtain permission to block all vehicle and pedestrian access to large areas of London, including a section of the M1 motorway. Great shots were taken as a result of this. The filmmakers made the most of this rare opportunity, and it is well reflected in these still photos, taken to help promote the film. Danny Boyle was narrator, and he had a refreshingly casual way of talking about things, and I picked up lots of trivia along the way.

The accompanying running Polaroid gallery (5 mins with commentary) was not so inspiring, but does remind you that ?continuity? is an important part of any film, and the reason why polaroids are taken on most film sets. It?s a necessary aid to memory!

There?s also a brief animated storyboard from the original UK web-site that is ok, but mainly for animation fans. Subtitles are provided in English and Italian. Not a great range, but there you go!

?Pure Rage?: The Making of 28 Days Later (24 mins). This was a good little effort, intended to make us think about the real possibility of global virus infection, and the implications for the future of the human race. Apart from talking to the main cast members on this subject, there were also a few brief interview segments with ?experts? in the field to add a serious edge. According to the overall vibe, it?s not a question of IF it will happen, but WHEN! Scary, huh?! And if it?s NOT scary to you, watch the film, then see how you feel!

CONCLUSION

The director of ?Trainspotting?, ?The Beach? and ?Shallow Grave? is back with a film that refuses to be easily classified. My best attempt calls it a sci-fi/horror/action flick, set mainly in London. I was not disappointed. If you like a decent, no-frills film with frequent changes of pace and a gritty edge (as only the Brits can do to my satisfaction!) then you will like this thoughtful, modern take on a post-apocalyptic theme. Imagine a country ravaged by a bizarre infection that turns people into ultra-violent killers. It?s better than it sounds?.really!