I went to see this by myself yesterday. It was an amazingly good film. I thought it would be fun, in a violent sort of way. But it turned out to be good as well, in every imaginable way. I think it's the first good living dead kind of film I've seen that wasn't funny. There wasn't a single joke in the whole thing. Totally serious, but totally engrossing without taking itself too seriously. The first 10 minutes were some of the best cinema I've seen full stop. It was like the beginning of Scream. It was very simple, but so effective.
The acting was great. The script wasn't corny. The violence was full on and quality. There were a couple of vaguely silly parts and some plot holes, but less silly than most films that aren't about people being turned into blood spitting, brain frothing zombies.
I like zombie movies where the zombies are fast. Most aren't that way, and it always feels a little bit lame. There were lots of good running scenes. And lots of good shooting scenes. And lots of good acting scenes. And lots of good helicopter scenes. The military weren't stupid, and mostly acted the way you might expect them to act. The pace was good. It wasn't too busy being dramatic to stop and focus on relationships and it didn't overdo the focus. And it was scary. Not constantly scary, but quite a few bits were scary just the way I like films to be scary. More about tension and people than loud music and jerky hand-held shots.
I really want to go and see the first one now.
As with many of the films I like a lot, I can't really think of many other people who would like it. Definitely Martin. Probably Laurence. Possibly David.
Well I kind of pretty much overall mostly liked it while also being freaked out and very disturbed by it. (Had to turn JJJ off the car radio on the way home because it was “Hour of Power” and I just needed some quiet time for my brain.)
I totally agree that the opening 10 minutes is probably the most unnverving and then genuinely frightening bit of film I’ve ever seen.
I really liked the first one, more so than this one. There’s less enough splatter to matter, but more tension. Very scary.
The script for both movies was pretty ordinary though. I couldn’t believe this one took 3 writers to knock off!
As for 28 Days later, it is great – if you liked 28 Weeks Later, I think you’ll really enjoy it – but I got a strong feeling that the writers all got together and said, “I know. How about we remake Day of the Triffids. Only with fast-moving, virus infected zombies, instead of shambling poisonous plants from space.”
ben / 7:35pm / 6 June 2007
I think you’re spot on about Day of the Triffids. No one else has really been able to do that better. I might go and get the first one now.
Ryan / 8:20pm / 6 June 2007
… but watch it with the lights on!
… and doors and windows heavily boarded up!
… and all your bodily orifices closed and sealed to prevent blood-borne virus infections!
(Remember, how all you used to have to do to protect yourself from pretty much any scary thing – especially daleks and other Doctor Who baddies – was just make sure your legs were lifted up on the couch, so nothing hiding under the sofa could reach out and grab you?)
ben / 11:04pm / 6 June 2007
Oh I want to watch it now. Because I love Day of the Triffids.
Tom / 1:47am / 7 June 2007
It’s a bit more violent than Day of the Triffids. But you should see it anyway.
Ryan / 12:49pm / 8 June 2007