Cinema Consults: 28 Days Later

This film, which can be rentedfrom your local video store, israted on a scale of 1 to 4 caducei:

28 DAYS LATER

Trainspotting

Lord of the Flies

(2002): A bicyclecourier, Jim (Cillian Murphy), wakes up from acoma in a London hospital to find that the building he is inis completely abandoned, as are the streets of the city. He wandersthrough the starkly desolate British capital until he stumbles upon thehorror of his situation. This whole opening segment is quiet, beautifullyshot, and contains some of the eeriest moments ever caught onfilm. As Jim soon discovers, 28 days prior to his recovery, a virus knownas rage infects the population and destroys all but a handful of them.Classified by some as a zombie movie, this horror film is too goodto be lumped into this category and forgotten. The cinematography iscarefully crafted and brilliantly executed. The director, Danny Boyle,has a talent for taking the grotesque and making it into art—wesaw him do this in his earlier film, (a favorite of mine).The cast is very talented and I expect to see them in other great films inthe future. This movie is not mindless blood and guts, but thoughtfuland probing in a kind of way. That being said, thisone is not for the squeamish. But for those brave enough to watch, it isdefinitely worth your time.

Rating: 3 1/2

Lisa A. Tomaszewski, managing editorof Physician's Money Digest, is currentlyworking on her PhD in literature atDrew University in New Jersey. She isan avid fan of film and has taught asummer film course at FairleighDickinson University. She welcomesquestions, comments, or suggestions forfuture film reviews at 732-656-1140ext 195 or ltomaszewski@mwc.com.