28 Days Later [Blu-ray]

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Animal rights activists free a group of infected chimpanzees to horrifying results in this speculative sci-fi horror effort from Trainspotting director Danny Boyle. Waking from a coma in a deserted London hospital 28 days later, bicycle courier Jim (Cillian Murphy) takes to the deserted city streets in a state of mystified confusion. Joining forces with another group of survivors following a terrifying encounter in a seemingly abandoned church, Jim soon learns the truth behind the deserted streets and the menacing creatures that lurk in the shadows. It's soon revealed that the chimpanzees had been harboring a deadly virus that sends its victims into a furious, murderous rage, and in the days following the initial exposure, the entire population was nearly wiped out due to the resulting homicidal rampage. Is there still a glimmer of hope for humanity -- or has the deadly "rage" virus found its way to foreign shores and infected the entire planet? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: A
• Number of Discs: 1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Theatre Wide Screen)
• Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV, Color
• Subtitle: Spanish, English, Cantonese, Korean
• Features:
  • Commentary by director Danny Boyle and screenwriter alex Garland
  • Deleted scenes and alternate endings with optional commentary
  • Pure Rage: the making of 28 Days Later featurette
  • Jackknife Lee music video
  • Still photo galleries
  • Animated storybaords
  • Theatrical teaser and trailer

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Cillian Murphy - Jim
       Naomie Harris - Selena
       Brendan Gleeson - Frank
       Megan Burns - Hannah
       Christopher Eccleston - Maj. Henry West

• Director:

  Danny Boyle

• Producer:

  Andrew Macdonald

• Screenwriter:

  Alex Garland

• Cinematographer:

  Anthony Dod Mantle

• Composer (Music Score):

  John Murphy

• Editor:

  Chris Gill

• Production Designer:

  Mark Tildesley

• Art Director:

  Patrick Rolfe, Dennis Schnegg

• Supervising Art Director:

  Mark Digby

REVIEWS:

• Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland (and Boyle's longtime collaborator, producer Andrew Macdonald) bounce back from the relatively big-budget debacle of The Beach with 28 Days Later, a kinetic low-budget horror film. The filmmakers gratefully acknowledge their debt to a bunch of classic horror and science fiction movies, especially George Romero's Living Dead films. There's even a kickass black woman (Naomie Harris) who saves the hero's neck like in The Omega Man. But 28 Days Later has its own style. Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (The Celebration) uses digital video surprisingly effectively, adding to the film's gritty immediacy, with a few nice surreal touches (e.g. the painted flowers along the road) thrown in. The dark inflections of John Murphy's bass-driven score help moves things along, too. The story is simple and lends itself to allegorical readings, with its somewhat pro forma anti-authoritarian slant. There are a few nicely played shocks, and some amazing, haunting images of a deserted, "Rage"-ravaged London. The recently comatose main character, Jim (Cillian Murphy), begins as a cipher, but gradually comes into focus thanks to Murphy's soulful performance, and his chemistry with the fierce Harris. Brendan Gleeson (Gangs of New York) maintains his excellent track record as a lovably gruff father vainly trying to keep some sense of normalcy in his young daughter's life. Things get a little ham-fisted in the last third of the film, bogging down a bit when the ragtag group reaches a military outpost in northern England and predictably finds something even worse than the diseased lunatics they're fleeing. But for the most part, 28 Days Later is a good, scary horror film, and a worthy successor to the forebears it references in nearly every frame. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
• {$Danny Boyle} and screenwriter {$Alex Garland} (and {$Boyle}'s longtime collaborator, producer {$Andrew Macdonald}) bounce back from the relatively big-budget debacle of {#The Beach} with {#28 Days Later}, a kinetic low-budget {\horror} film. The filmmakers gratefully acknowledge their debt to a bunch of classic {\horror} and {\science fiction} movies, especially {$George Romero}'s {#Living Dead} films. There's even a kickass black woman ({$Naomie Harris}) who saves the hero's neck like in {#The Omega Man}. But {#28 Days Later} has its own style. Cinematographer {$Anthony Dod Mantle} ({#The Celebration}) uses digital video surprisingly effectively, adding to the film's gritty immediacy, with a few nice surreal touches (e.g. the painted flowers along the road) thrown in. The dark inflections of {$John Murphy}'s bass-driven score help moves things along, too. The story is simple and lends itself to allegorical readings, with its somewhat pro forma anti-authoritarian slant. There are a few nicely played shocks, and some amazing, haunting images of a deserted, "Rage"-ravaged London. The recently comatose main character, {%Jim} ({$Cillian Murphy}), begins as a cipher, but gradually comes into focus thanks to {$Murphy}'s soulful performance, and his chemistry with the fierce {$Harris}. {$Brendan Gleeson} ({#Gangs of New York}) maintains his excellent track record as a lovably gruff father vainly trying to keep some sense of normalcy in his young daughter's life. Things get a little ham-fisted in the last third of the film, bogging down a bit when the ragtag group reaches a military outpost in northern England and predictably finds something even worse than the diseased lunatics they're fleeing. But for the most part, {#28 Days Later} is a good, scary {\horror} film, and a worthy successor to the forebears it references in nearly every frame. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

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