SpringWidgets Fandango.com Boxoffice Top 10 Fandango?s Top 10 Box Office Movies!
SpringWidgets Spiritual Insight in Movies All other considerations aside, how spiritual is a movie? The scale rates from profoundly spiritual (5) to not at all spiritual (1). Courtesy of HollywoodJesus.com.
Cycle
courier Jim awakes from a coma in the deserted intensive care unit
of a London hospital. Mystified, he wanders the wards and corridors
in search of others and eventually heads into the city streets, calling
out for help. As the shadows lengthen Jim seeks shelter in a church
only to find dead bodies piled in heaps on the chapel floor.
28
DAYS LATER (2002) Film Review
This
page was created on June 26, 2003
This page was last updated on
May 21, 2005
Directed by Danny Boyle
Screenplay
by: Alex Garland
Alex Palmer .... Activist
Bindu De Stoppani .... Activist
Jukka Hiltunen .... Activist
David Schneider .... Scientist
Cillian Murphy .... Jim
Toby Sedgwick .... Infected Priest
Naomie Harris .... Selena
Noah Huntley .... Mark
Christopher Dunne .... Jim's Father
Emma Hitching .... Jim's Mother
Alexander Delamere .... Mr. Bridges
Kim McGarrity .... Mr. Bridges' Daughter
Brendan Gleeson .... Frank
Megan Burns .... Hannah
Produced
by
Greg Caplan .... executive producer
Simon Fallon .... executive producer
Robert How .... line producer
Andrew Macdonald .... producer
Original Music by John Murphy
Cinematography by Anthony Dod Mantle
Film Editing by Chris Gill
MPAA: Rated R for strong violence and gore, language
and nudity.
Runtime: 112 min
For rating reasons, go to FILMRATINGS.COM,
and MPAA.ORG.
Parents, please refer to PARENTALGUIDE.ORG
After
breaking into a primate research facility, a group of animal rights
activists discover caged chimps chained up before banks of screens
displaying horrifically violent images. Ignoring the warnings of
the terrified researcher who maintains the chimps are 'infected',
they begin to free the animals and are immediately subjected to
a bloody attack from the enraged creatures.
28
days later… Cycle courier Jim (Cillian Murphy) awakes from
a coma in the deserted intensive care unit of a London hospital.
Mystified, he wanders the wards and corridors in search of others
and eventually heads into the city streets, calling out for help.
As the shadows lengthen Jim seeks shelter in a church only to find
dead bodies piled in heaps on the chapel floor. A sudden noise alerts
him to the presence of a priest but his lightening speed, blood
stained eyes and murderous screams send Jim reeling into the street.
More "infected" are attracted by the noise and Jim runs
in panic and confusion as a growing flock sprint after him through
the dark streets.
A sudden
explosion from a makeshift bomb heralds the arrival of fellow "survivors"
Selena (NAOMIE HARRIS) and Mark (NOAH HUNTLEY). Following a daring
rescue they take Jim to safety and start to explain to him the nature
of the infection, that it is transmitted in the blood, is overwhelming
within seconds, that Britain has been overrun and that they have
no way of knowing if it has spread worldwide.
Selena
and Mark reluctantly agree to help the shell-shocked Jim return
home to Deptford to find his parents, with terrifying consequences.
Later, as they sneak through the darkened streets, Selena and Jim
spot a lone light in a tower block and investigate to see if there
are other survivors. The unlikely pair they find are father and
daughter Frank (BRENDAN GLEESON) and Hannah (MEGAN BURNS) whose
water supplies are running dangerously low and are desperate to
find alternative shelter.
As
the group takes shelter in the tower block, an automated radio broadcast
is picked up. A Manchester-based group of soldiers, led by Major
Henry West (CHRISTOPHER ECCLESTON), claim to have the 'answer' to
infection and invite any survivors to join them at their blockade.
Faced with no practical alternative, the group sets out northwards
in Frank's black cab unaware that the worst is yet to come.
REVIEW BY
DAVID BRUCE
Host of HollywoodJesus.com
BEING
ALONE AND DISORIENTED
Critics are thrilled with this film, not because of its originality,
but because of it's cinematic creativity. This film really underscores
the human predicament through a familiar apocalyptic theme that
it works in a unique fashion. This film is a winner.
After
a devastating virus, named Rage, wipes out most of the UK, cycle
courier Jim wakes up from a coma 28 days later and finds himself
alone and disoriented. In a sense, this is a portrayal of some
of the worst fear within all of us.
THE
CHURCH AS A PLACE FOR THE DEAD
The first place Jim turns to is a church. He walks inside looking
for answers and salvation, only to find it full of dead corpuses
and a priest that has turned into a zombie-like blood sucker. This
may be a reflection of the European view of the church --where only
about 2% of the population attend on a regular basis. The church
to many is historical and as such a thing of the past, or at best
a museum --a building of passing interest. Furthermore, European
churches are viewed as places for the dead, since many its historical
churches are surrounded by cemeteries. Society, sadly, no longer
views church as a place of safety, comfort and community. To bad,
since church, at its best, has just what so many are searching for.
THE
WORLD AS AN UNSAFE PLACE
The next thing that we confront in this film is the zombie-like people
who are prowling around out side looking for uninfected people. The
walking dead is very descriptive of the world in which we live. A
couple of biblical texts come to mind: Col. 2:13 (NLT)
"You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature
was not yet cut away..." And 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT)
"Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great
enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim
to devour."
CAN
I TRUST MY FRIENDS
Some of the great life issues in this film are: Who are my friends?
Who can I trust? Where can I find a place to belong (community)? The
goal presented here is finding a safe place with good caring people.
After the film clearly identifies the zombies as dangerous, it then
explores regular people, who appear okay, but can be even more dangerous.
FRIENDSHIP
BEFORE INITMACY
The story places a high value on true and lasting friendship and down
plays sexual activity that dehumanizes and breaks down community.
Those who view women -and girls- as mere objects for sexual gratification
meet a hellish end. The story has a very clear and healthy idea of
what good human community could and should be.
A
QUESTION TO ASK
If you could begin the world again -from scratch, what would it be
like? What would you do different? What would you do about the potential
problem of evil, greed, and dehumanizing power? How would you build
a civilization on mutal respect and compassion.
REVIEW
BY
MIKE FURCHES
mike@furches.org Web
site www.furches.org
Mike is the Senior Pastor at United at the Cross Community Church
in Wichita Kansas. United at the Cross is a church made up of individuals
not often accepted in other churches. The church consists of former
gang members, drug addicts, prostitutes and others. Mike also speaks
nationally on various topics and is a freelance writer. To learn
more about Mike and his ministry link onto www.furches.org.
In the arts Mike has worked with top music artists such as Steppenwolf,
Marshall Tucker Band, Kansas and has an active interest in film.
Mike is pictured with his music band "Route 66."
"He's
coming to get you Barbara." This is a line from the ultimate George
Romero horror classic from 1968, Night of the Living Dead.
Any fan of Horror or Zombie fare will know this movie and the numerous
movies that were born out of its impact. Actually if you are reading
this review, you either are a fan of Romero or just happened to click
on with no intent of really seeing the newest Zombie film, 28
Days Later. The unfortunate truth is that there are many
who will critical of this movie for its style without ever understanding
the intent of the Director and Writers.
The Zombie genera actually had its boost in 1932 with the movie White
Zombie, the phenomena is not new and Director Danny Boyle
of Trainspotting and Shallow Grave
fame puts his twist on this often times social commentary format.
What we have in 28 Days Later is far from the hype
and uselessness of such recent movies as House of 1,000 Corpses.
Instead, we have a well thought out supernatural thriller that calls
into question the willingness of any of us to resort to evil actions
or change the surroundings to bring about a better world around us.
Screenwriter Alex Garland gives the viewer far more meat to chew on
than he did in his semi successful story of The
Beach. The concepts and themes are the same though, how
far will a seemingly innocent person go to change their behavior when
forced to address serious consequences in their lives. This theme
has been around for hundreds of years but probably more classically
told in The Lord of the Flies, than any other story.
Ultimately, this question is prevalent throughout this story from
its earliest scenes to the final closing scene of the movie.
28 Days Later starts out with a group of animal activist
working to free the captives of a laboratory in England. These individuals,
as is portrayed in the movie have a passionate heart for the animals
they are about to free but have little respect for the human life
that tries to provide salvation for them. Despite warning and effort,
they end up freeing a chimpanzee that happens to carry a virus that
will ultimately bring about the destruction of all of humankind if
given a chance.
28 Days after the infection begins a man awakens from a coma in a
London hospital soon realizing that he is the only person left alive.
Neither he nor the audience has much of an idea of what has happened
nor of what lies ahead. As he is walking about the deserted streets
of London, he happens upon an abandoned church. While in the balcony
of the church, he notices a number of people who are either dead or
asleep, he can't actually tell so he says one word that we hear over
and over again in this movie, "Hello." That word either has the potential
to save or kill as we find out. It is a point that Director Boyle
obviously has every intent of driving home. It is a word that opens
the door to not only good but also we quickly find out, evil, after
all, as we later see in a scene near the end of the movie for a quick
glimpse, the word hello can be an introduction
to the word "Hell."
Jim played wonderfully by Cillian Murphy, soon recognizes that the
persons sleeping in the pews at the church really have it out for
him, they are after all the walking dead. It isn't long that the priest
is attacking Jim from the balcony. We all know how so many churches
close down the balconies and try to keep people from sitting there,
well this priest must really be upset because all he can think of
is converting Jim to his way of life, you might say a, "dead man walking."
Jim doesn't realize the magnitude of his problem right away but soon
realizes that he needs to escape the church, after all the church
as he sees, and by now knows it to be, is full of death and is filled
with people who are wanting to promote death. As he takes off running
across the city he soon has two individuals come to his aid to fight
off the attackers with fire. It is almost as if the fires of hell
are the things that destroy the dead.
What soon transpires is that Jim and his two new colleagues realize
that there may be additional life left in the city so they start on
a journey to discover if there are others who survived. They eventually
come upon a man and his daughter that have made it, but not before
going to visit the old homestead where Jim grew up. He wants to know
if his mother and father made it or not, despite being convinced that
they did not, he still goes to see. During one scene, you will remember
one of the opening scenes that the director, Boyle, seems to play
tribute to Romero's classic Night of the Living Dead.
We see him traverse up a flight of stairs, never knowing what waits
behind the corner. For the Romero fans when you see this scene you
will grimace with joy, excitement and fondness for the fact that Boyle
seems to pay tribute to the great Zombie Myster himself, Romero.
Shortly after a horrifying night in the house with the surprise at
the end of the stairs, remember NOTLD, the three
survivors happen to come across a man and his daughter, played again
wonderfully by Alexander Delamere and Kim McGarrity. They live in
a high rise in London complete with some of the necessities to survive.
They have a well-fortified apartment complex that is able to provide
protection for the new friends that they have discovered. Unfortunately,
the journey to the apartment is not without tragedy. It is here that
we learn that certain members of the team are willing to take another
out at the drop of a pin. They have recognized what they need to do
to survive and are willing to do it in a heartbeat. They will do this
within 20 or 30 seconds, even if it is someone who they love and care
for.
It is while in the apartment that they discover the transmissions
of a small army just 27 miles north of Manchester where they can find
solitude and protection. They decide to get in an abandoned taxi and
make the trip. They don't know if the rescuers are alive or dead but
they know that certain death awaits them if they stay where they are
at. It is here that the real horror in this film and social commentary
starts to hit home. I won't give a spoiler any further and have probably
already given more than I need be but what we discover is that our
enemies, the one's who would take life are not always those that we
perceive.
The truth is that all individuals are confronted with the need to
become someone other than who they are at times. The characters because
of the inherent dangers that are around them do this. This is in part
a call to action for those living in society as well. Are we willing
to make the sacrifices that we need to make to correct the injustices
of society, even when those injustices seem to come about by those
who are our protectors and leaders? The truth is that we cannot confront
the things that will bring about death unless we are willing to change
ourselves. We may become things that we never dreamed, going from
gentle to aggressive or from hatred to loving. This movie addresses
those things under the surface. Sure there will be many who will go
that will want to just see the horror portrayed, but rest assured
that Boyle as do many of the great masters of this genera have much
more to say than, "Boo, I scared you didn't I." They are making a
commentary on society and in part this film in particular the church.
Is the church full of a bunch of dead people who only want to convert
others over to their form of life? On the other hand, does the church
provide life, hope, and ultimate protection from death? Only individuals
within the churches can answer that. What we see here is in some ways
similar to the searching and questions that we see in the movie House
of 1,000 Corpses. Unfortunately, if
the church is offering the answers the world around us does not seem
to see them. Is it because they are blind to the truth or could
it possibly be because the church is not doing a good job of showing
them the hope that they so desperately need?
As stated earlier there is a fleeing glimpse towards the end of this
movie, which has tremendous impact if you think of it. Usually one
of the first things heard at an invitation, anywhere on this planet
is Hello. The question is, is that hello an
invitation to salvation? On the other hand, is it an invitation to
Hell? There is only one small thing that separates and changes
the consequences of the two actions, in the movie it is the letter
o, in life, it could be the person of Jesus. Many will question if
the movies director, Boyle, is intending to make this statement, the
truth of it is that it is so obvious in the movie that he may not
be specifically pointing people to Jesus but he does recognize that
there is only a small difference between salvation
and Hell. We see that illustrated all so well in this movie,
and just as Christ will return from the air, we see the ultimate salvation
provided in this movie, also from the air.
I enjoyed this movie for the thought provoking components of it. There
are some movies I have to think about for a while before deciding
if I want to go back and see it again. This is one of those movies,
I probably will but it will be a little while. It is rated 'R' for
a reason, it is definitely not for any small kiddies, and as the rating
suggest no one under 18 should go without a parent or guardian. Even
then, I would encourage you to talk about the themes of this movie
with the younger viewer. If looking at the intent those themes are
well worth discussing, this is after all far more than a slasher,
zombie eating brains horror flick. There is nudity offensive language
in the film but the themes are well worth discussing and if you know
people who see the movie, even though you do not you will now have
enough information to adequately address some of the spiritual issues
brought up in the movie.
On a scale of 1 - 10 a good tale with some scary moments brings about
a thought provoking 7
Your
Private Comments. I will not post these comments.
What are your personal thoughts? I also welcome your spiritual
concerns and prayer needs. I will correspond with you, usually
within two weeks.
Click here
After
breaking into a primate research facility, a group of animal rights
activists discover caged chimps chained up before banks of screens
displaying horrifically violent images. Ignoring the warnings of
the terrified researcher who maintains the chimps are 'infected',
they begin to free the animals and are immediately subjected to
a bloody attack from the enraged creatures.
REVIEW
BY 
