Six months on from events in Danny Boyle’s genre busting original, the Rage virus has died out and the Yanks decide it’s a good time to repopulate the UK.
Under the guidance of some heavily armed marines they set up a safe zone on the Isle of Dogs and prepare for the new arrivals. As the first wave of refugees return, a family is reunited - but one of them unwittingly carries a terrible secret. The virus is not yet dead and, this time, it's more dangerous than ever.
They say:
Empire: “Bigger action, more amazing deserted (and devastated) London sequences and biting contemporary relevance, if a touch less heart than the original.”
Total Film: “A frantic follow up that delivers jolts, claret and just enough character to make you care. Looks like these infected zombies still have legs...”
BBC Films: “As a pacy Saturday night shocker, though, it can't really be faulted, and the final twist is genuinely hilarious.”
We say:
Everyone knows that movie franchises are usually ruled by the law of diminishing returns so finding a sequel that is equal to, or perhaps even slightly superior to, the original is as rare as a Jose Mourinho apology.
But, amazingly, that is exactly what we have here thanks to Spanish writer / director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, whose last film, Intacto, was one of the best films of 2001.
Shot in the same handheld, mock horror documentary style, Weeks gets off to a heart pumping start with a ferocious chase scene that sees Robert Carlyle leaving his missus to fend for herself as their remote farm house is overrun by marauding zombies.
Carlyle provides an interesting twist on the traditional hero, while Brit newcomers Mackintosh Muggleton and Imogen Poots give fine support as his children, one of whom carries the key to halting the Rage virus.
Using the same trick as James Cameron did in Aliens, Fresnadillo makes everything bigger and louder by introducing a gang of heavily armed US marines to proceedings, wracking up the body count and injecting new energy into the zombie set pieces.
At 98 minutes long, the running time is also much more manageable than the slightly bloated original, haring along at a breakneck pace which is further enhanced by plenty of frenzied editing during the action sequences.
Fresnadillo shows a lighter touch in his depiction of London however, shooting early in the mornings so that we get to see locations such as Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square and Shaftsbury Avenue in all their glory, devoid of people except for the no doubt sleepy cast members.
On the negative side, Fresnadillo’s script lacks any memorable exchanges of dialogue, the American characters are two dimensional and the final showdown in an underground tunnel goes annoyingly off track.
Weeks is a worthy addition to the zombie hall of fame, and the inevitable 28 Months Later sequel is a mouth watering prospect.
CAST
Robert Carlyle
Catherine McCormack
Rose Byrne
Jeremy Renner
Mackintosh Muggleton
Imogen Poots
Harold Perrineau
DIRECTOR
Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
TIME
99 mins
POSTED...
Fri 11 May 2007 at 6:41am
