Zombie Nation

There is a cinematic voice that has relegated to caricature until recently.

They have been typecast to roles marked by stereotypical behaviors that are simply unfounded, unwarranted and, quite frankly, downright bigoted.

It is only in the past few years that these individuals, no doubt fueled by some politically charged union lobbying in their favor, have seen roles for them flourish into more broader, richly textured characters that capture their subtler shades, their wit, their hopes, their dreams, and their pain.

I am speaking, of course, about the undead.

Carelessly branded “zombies” by a thoughtless, uncaring world, these legions of cinematic legacies have for years brought so much to our moviegoing experience, yet have typically asked for so little – perhaps just the brain of the living here or there.

“28 Days Later” broke the mold of typical undead parable, introducing us to a side of zombies seldom seen in motion pictures. Where before they were only viewed as slowly lumbering beasts, obsessed only with murder, decomposition and matters of the flesh, they were depicted (after being infected with the Rage Virus) in a different light – a more limber, agile entity and gave them a heretofore unseen breadth.

“28 Months Later” takes up the tale, well, 28 months later. The “rage virus” that mutated the masses throughout Britain in the first film has now apparently been contained.

America has sent its military might to contain the viral insurgency, establish a “green zone” of safety and restore democracy to the nation. All that was missing was a behemoth “Mission: Accomplished” banner hanging off ol’ Big Ben.

Of course, just like our current real-world occupation, things just aren’t that simple.

The virus has been living in a host who has shown a surprising immunity to its typical side effects (side effects of Rage Virus may include: blood-stained eyes, heightened sensitivity to just about everything, uncontrollable fits of fury, insatiable hunger for human destruction, vomiting blood and minor cramping. Please consult your doctor.).

The host (played by Catherine McCormack) is taken to the military hospital for observation. She will also be reunited with her husband (played by the weasel-featured Robert Carlyle of ‘Trainspotting”). Of course, the reunion may be bittersweet, as hubby high-tailed it out of the house when he thought his wife was being ripped apart by zombies (I’m pretty sure Hallmark has not invented a card line to apologize for that just yet).

Their two children (played by unfortunately named newcomers Imogen Poots and Mackintosh Muggleton) were on a school trip in Spain during the initial breakout and are not just being allowed back home to merry old England.

Meanwhile, even though the general public was being told that they were in the “last throes” of the virus, it seems to have struck again and this new strand is pretty pissed.

The kids, with the help of a an Army doctor (played by Rose Byrne) and a sympathetic sniper (played by Jeremy Renner), may just hold the key to stop the virus and therefore must make it out of the contained city before the military attempts a shock-and-awe bombing in an attempt to eradicate the diseased minions.

The 2002 original, “28 Days” was a nihilistic romp that played on fears of Ebola, AIDS, Mad Cow and other pandemics that threatened quality of life.

The sequel takes on the current U.S. occupation in Iraq as its target and gets more mileage out of metaphor than thought possible.
Danny Boyle, the talented writer/director of the original stepped aside to executive producer status, letting Juan Carols Fresnadillo take the wheel as both director and co-writer.

His taste as director may leave many with motion sickness (or just plain sickness, as appropriate for any film that focuses on a Rage Virus), and others with hearing loss.

But this is not a typical hyper-edited, wall-shaking bit of summer fluff. Fresnadillo was responsible for the intriguing oddity “Intacto” a few years ago, and he sharpens his sensibilities with “28 Weeks.”

The chaotic camerawork is purposeful (capturing the virus’ ferocity and the utter confusion it creates for those trying to establish order as it spreads) and is spliced with lucid moments of loss, betrayal, determination and primal fear.

Also, the film should be credited for its call to arms for the undead – to prove that they can be productive members of society. As we’ve seen in more recent zombie films, they are capable of love (“Braindead”) humor (“Shaun of the Dead”) and empathy (“Fido”).

Can it be too far off until we see some decaying corpse saunter up to a stage some awards night, hands trembling as he holds his statuette for his dramatic work, a tear running down his blood-stained cheek? That is, before he leaps into the audience and tears the flesh off a few other guests.

Tell me that would not be an Oscar Night ratings booster.