It's easy to see why "28 Days Later" was such a surprise sleeper hit. It's the first really GOOD zombie film to come along in nearly twenty years, and it isn't simply a rip-off of George A. Romero's "Dead" trilogy (though it does make homage); the premise of those classic films serves as a springboard to fashion an exciting, apocalyptic and original tale of its own. The quality of the script, direction and performances are a LOT better than most movies in this genre usually receive (or deserve). This is a zombie film for those who think they are above watching zombie films, and until a somewhat disappointing final act, "28 Days Later" is a riveting and disturbing experience...easily the best horror film (so far) of 2003. Fox has put out a great disc, loaded with some terrific extras.

The story takes place in England, and through a brief set-up, we learn that a virus, dubbed Rage, is accidentally released and decimates the country's population. The virus moves swiftly... victims turn into murderous zombies 10-20 seconds after being exposed. Infection usually occurs when one is attacked and bitten by a zombie, or if even a drop of the ghoul's blood is ingested...through any orifice or cut. Twenty-eight days after the initial outbreak, Jim (Cillan Murphy), a wimpy bicycle courier who suffered an accident before the plague, awakens from a coma to find himself alone in London...but not for long. He's soon being chased by the undead, only to be rescued by Selina (Naome Harris), a nihilistic young woman who's single-minded in her quest to stay alive. Soon after, the two meet Frank (Brendan Gleesan) and his teenage daughter Brenda (Megan Burns), who've barricaded themselves in a high-rise to escape the zombies. While Jim (who mourns the deaths of his parents) feels empathy for their new acquaintances, Selina initially fears the two will hamper their chances for survival. Meanwhile, with a small transistor radio, Frank finds a recorded broadcast, which urges anyone receiving the message to head to Manchester, where a cure to the Rage is promised, as well as protection from the undead. Through some coercion from Frank, the four head north in a taxicab; this trek comprises the middle third of the film, and it's here that these characters undergo the most change; Jim grows stronger and more resilient as he adjusts to post-Rage England, Serina regains some of her humanity, while her motherly instincts surface, and Frank's waifish daughter turns out to be more of a survivor than her dad once assumed. As for Frank...he serves as the glue which holds these people together for a single-minded purpose (without giving too much away, he's so damned likable that later scenes are all-the-more emotionally wrenching). Eventually, they reach the source of the recorded broadcasts...a fortress populated by a dozen or so military men, led by Major West (Christopher Eccleston). But this band of soldiers has an agenda contrary to what they claim in the broadcast. Their purpose for coaxing other survivors is far more selfish and sinister. It's in this last act that "28 Days Later" loses some of its footing, opting for a more standard "Hollywood" climax, filled with action, guns and an uncharacteristically optimistic epilogue that contrasts the dark mood the filmmakers worked so hard to establish during the previous 100 minutes. Until then though, the movie is gritty, intense and disturbing, with a great screenplay by Alex Garland; he creates intriguing and smart characters who speak and behave the way you'd assume real people would in this situation. The acting is first rate, performed by a cast of little-known British actors (Gleeson is probably the most recognizable face in the film). There's also a lot of attention to detail; in addition to dealing with hordes of Rage-infected monsters, the folks in this film have to deal with the loss of things we take for granted...fresh water, electricity, exhaustion and real food - one great scene deals with a character crashing from a sugar-high, due to consuming nothing but cans of soda and chocolate taken from vending machines. The scenes in which the survivors try to cope are so interesting and well-done that we sometimes forget they're running from zombies. Actually, calling these creatures zombies isn't entirely accurate; once infected, they don't exactly die, nor to they crave human flesh. This virus literally consumes everything which makes them human, until all that's left is insatiable, psychotic and destructive rage. And when someone in the cast DOES become infected, it happens so quickly that you are practically counting down the seconds in your head before they turn murderous. It's a nice twist on Romero's formula. But what makes "28 Days Later" stand apart from similar films is the way it's shot. Director Danny Boyle ("Trainspotting") opts to shoot the film with digital video cameras. I've never been a huge fan of movies filmed in digital video, but Boyle uses the format to great advantage, much like the shoe-string production values of "Night of the Living Dead" made that picture more effective. The film looks gritty and immediate, while still retaining a sort of epic quality, despite its low budget (the scenes featuring the deserted streets of London are impressive and eerie).

The movie is presented in 1.85:1 Widescreen (a full frame version is also available, but who the hell's gonna want that?). For the most part, it's a typically great video transfer from Fox, though there are a few noticeable scratches present. Still, it nicely retains the surreal picture quality of this digitally-shot film. The audio transfer is also really good. I didn't notice any hissing or distortion, and the 5.1 Dolby Surround format is a good showcase for both the haunting film score and the creative directorial use of sound.

The most ballyhooed extras are three alternate endings. The first one, which was later included during the movie's American theatrical run, is actually better than the "official" ending; it's much more downbeat, but is at least consistent with the tone of the rest of the picture. Another ending is similar to the original, only without the Jim character. The last one included was never actually shot; it is apparently from an early draft of the script, and its read by Garland and Boyle with the aid of storyboards. Another feature is "Pure Rage: The Making of '28 Days Later." It's not too bad, though we have to sit through a lot of hokum about the real-life viruses before getting to any behind-the-scenes stuff. This one also features an audio commentary by Boyle and Garland; I enjoyed it quite a bit, and it's obvious this film was a bit of a struggle to make. It also helps cement my assertion that the best audio commentaries are usually from filmmakers who don't have a Hollywood Golden Ticket. Also included is a music video, photo galleries and trailers. All-in-all, a good batch of extras.

Similar movies: "Dawn of the Dead," "Day of the Dead," "The Stand" If you HAVE to make a zombie picture, and your name isn't George A. Romero, this is the way to do it. I don't think I'd go as far as to say "28 Days Later" is "the most frightening film since 'The Exorcist'" (quoted right off the back of the box, kids), but it IS tense, frightening and smart, with a great twist on the tried-and-true zombie apocalypse genre. This is a disc any true horror fan will want.