28 Days Later

The film 28 Days Later is a personal favorite of mine. The directing style of Danny Boyle is quite particular and allows the viewer to vividly see everything around the characters. While not technically an “undead zombie” movie, Days still deals with the basic concept of loss of humanity and destruction of civilization. Yet while being initially depressing there is still a sense of hope because the infection has thus far been contained to the British Isles. The three survivors at the end of the film have also been able to create a new “family” and have maintained hope that there is either a cure or someway out of their present situation.
I really liked how the virus was first spread to humans. It gives a message that despite people’s best efforts they should not mess with things they don’t understand the basics of. While the animal rights activists wished to save the Chimpanzees they also disregard the scientist’s word that something is wrong. They choose to be ignorant and believe only what they think is right. After this initial tainting of the scientific world they are redeemed when we are introduced to Jim, who has been in a coma and was locked inside his hospital room by the staff with hopes that he would survive both his current state and the catastrophe outside.
Once Jim leaves the relative safety of the hospital he is introduced to his new world, a completely empty London, inhabited by those now infected with the rage virus. He stumbles upon some people and eventually has a group of four to travel north to a military base with. They are being very optimistic that those on the base will either have a cure or be able to help them but that is all they have to go by, their small human emotion of hope in the world. However, once on the base they are disappointed to find that the soldiers are only there to sustain themselves and their own well-being. One of the four dies en route and the soldiers take the two girls, Selena and Hannah, captive in a vicious attempt to rape them. Jim is taken to be killed but manages to escape. He then returns to the base and his own instincts take over as he destroys the soldiers and saves Hannah and Selena. Jim is vaguely aware that there is still a world and civilization outside of England when he sees a jet flying overhead. This small symbol allows the survivors to restore their own humanity and work towards a future.
Hope and loss of humanity play large roles in the film. The Rage virus destroys all human nature and the person infected is reduced to their animalistic roots. Yet, while the inability to control this side of a person turns them into the raging lunatic seen chasing the survivors, these basic human instincts are what allow Jim to save himself and for Selena and Hannah to outsmart the soldiers for what little time they have to before terror ensues. And while the world is being destroyed around them, the three survivors believe that there is a way out and they will continue living.
To me 28 Days Later is one of the more realistic “zombie” movies out there. It is not a story of the dead coming back to life, it is a story of a virus that gets out of control, something very real in today’s world where we don’t have cures for many thing such as Ebola and HIV. Also each character maintains their hope and humanity while their world is spiraling out of control. The movie ends on an upbeat note as Jim, Selena, and Hannah have made a home for themselves in the countryside and are trying to be seen by the military jets that frequently fly overhead.