Scratch
Here you will find older scratches, musings and other detritus that once were located on the front pages, but have now faded.
Filed away here to collect dust and cobwwwebs in perpetuity, links may break, facts may change and data may corrupt.
On occasion I may come down here to tidy, but for the most, I prefer to leave the past where it lies.
Have just got back from a preview screening of 28 Weeks Later, and I feel emotionally, if not physically exhausted.
Sequels have a lot to live up to. Very few sequels are on a par with the originals and fewer (Empire, The Godfather Part II) exceed. 28 Days Later was a good movie I enjoyed. IMHO, it helped re-energise the horror scene and put a much needed new spin on the zombie-flick. When I heard they were making a sequel I was skeptical. Would it be as good as the original? Would it stick to the tried and tested and risk being labeled as unimaginative? Or by changing direction, would it make it so different as to be unconnected and loose everything good about the first film.
Although the cast is totally different, Danny Boyle who directed the first movie, acted as both producer and Second Unit Director and that helps maintain the style and feel that made the first film. This is enhanced by the score from the first movie being updated and reused. Once again however, what truly adds the touch and makes it all the more realistic and enthralling for me is the eerily deserted streets of London, the streets I walk everyday. True, some of the journey taken is a bit roundabout to say the least, and the view from Regents Park is actually that from Hampstead Heath, but I can suspend my disbelief that far.
Some will say it suffers the plight of many sequels in that the heart and soul of the first movie are replaced by bigger bangs and more enemies, almost like a cut and paste of the original but without the flow, but I don't believe this to be the case. In this instance I think they have struck a reasonable balance, condensing the best parts of the first film and adding to it. True, gone is perhaps some of the subtlety but the suspense, action, visual effects and pure unadulterated emotion are worthy replacements. The change isn't as great as between say Alien and Aliens, but it is noticeable. The action is bigger and louder, the pace is quicker, almost bordering on frantic and the brief respite between the action is interspersed with shock moments that had my heart racing.
Oh and the blood, there is a lot of blood. There is one particular scene, you'll know it when you see it, that is one of the more innovative uses for.. no I won't spoil it.
It feels less like a sequel, more like a continuation and as such I see it as the natural second half, just with a cast change half way through, and for that reason its a worthy successor.
The cast is strong, with none feeling sterotypical, Robert Carlyle is worryingly good, Oh, and not wishing to detract from Imogen Pott's acting (which is superb) I was mesmerised by her eyes. Stunning. Absolutely stunning.
Go watch it. Possibly during the daytime if you have a walk or tube journey back.
8 May 2007 21:47 | (0) comments | Movies
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