Zombie Politics: 28 Weeks Later and Euro-American History

Juan Carlos Fresnadillo‘s 28 Weeks Later is a run-of-the-mill science fiction horror film set in a post-zombie apocalypse. The film tells the tale of two siblings and how their curiosity causes the destruction of a nation.

The movie begins in the ruined city of London, overrun and torn asunder by hordes of relentless infected. Don Harris (Robert Carlyle) is seen fleeing his house from pursuing runners, with his wife Alice (Catherine McCormack) still trapped inside. London is then reopened to the world seven months later, after all the infected have died of starvation. As visitors and ex-citizens pour in, a surviving Don greets his two children, Tammy (Imogen Poots) and Andy (Mackintosh Muggleton). Fearing they would forget their mother’s face, the two kids sneak out into the derelict ruins on the outskirts of the walled city, subsequently allowing the dreaded Rage Virus back into London.

28 Weeks Later and all the events that happened within its timeframe were par for the course. Much like Evil Dead, at first glance, there seemed to be little to no overarching themes or motifs that prompted the furthering of the plot. The film was riddled with raving mad “zombies” who ran and clawed more than they bit, as they should have, as well as the trope of a failed military. Externally, 28 Weeks Later is yet another film equivalent of Left 4 Dead. However, when we peer into its very core, 28 Weeks Later becomes some sort of political and cultural drama that just so happens to have “zombies.” Fresnadillo’s film, like its predecessor, may be a commonplace zombie flick with all the stereotypical characters and situations you’d expect to find in a zombie movie, but it is in truth a narrative that is founded upon and differentiates two of the most influential cultures in the world.

You see, most films of the horror genre pose questions regarding sexuality and the human person, or other existential problems about being, whereas Fresnadillo’s film differentiates American and British horror. When we watch films of the American horror sub-genre, most of where these movies take place evoke a sense of isolation. Evil Dead plays upon the generic “cabin in the woods” trope and all its characters have been forcibly possessed when they were physically alone, Deadgirl is set deep beneath an old, abandoned mental institute, and May tackles the inner loneliness with which a pariah of society struggles.

28 Weeks Later, as with most zombie films, is founded upon a sense of “collective and communal helplessness” that a number of characters all feel at the same time, regardless of their individual differences as fictional characters. Fresnadillo even sets this sequel within a cold, derelict metropolitan area, which is, in essence, the symbol of a fallen society. These themes are more so evident within ancient works of literary horror such as Dr. Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, where the setting is cold and riddled with dark alleyways, and there is an obvious discrepancy between the social classes and who controls who; Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the origin of pop culture’s first undead zombie, where the sense of communal helplessness and fear is manifested in the torch and rake-wielding angry mob; and Edgar Allan Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death, where even Prince Prospero’s walled castle provides no protection against the plague. Does this mean the concepts we all know and love, such as the “zombie apocalypse” and the “zombie virus” are deeply rooted in English culture? Most probably.

Indeed, British horror is more atmospheric than its American counterpart, where showcases of bloodshed and gore splatter rule supreme. Any and all works of horror in general are different from country to country because they are more often than not based on shared cultural experiences. In his essay “The Problem of British Horror”, Peter Hutchings emphasizes that these elements and themes relate to certain psycho-pathological aspects of the English temperament, and much has to do with England’s political history. Sophisticated it may be, much of English history has been tainted and rife with traumatic events and internally shady dealings that happened within the confines of an urban location, to the point that, unlike the Americans who see a walled city and technological advancements as a protective haven and the key to victory over the monster respectively, the British see the city as the perfect example for horror to emerge, and having technology does not mean having a significant advantage in a horror situation.

For instance, Tammy and Andy’s escape from the walled city and bringing with them their infected mother, only for everything all Hell to break loose, is representative of a historical, nightmarish event—the Black Plague, and how rats brought with them the Yersinia Pestis bacteria from the outside in. The sheer amount of people within the cities of England only contributed to the swift spread of the disease, much like how the civilians were herded into bunkers only for an infected Don to transmit the Rage Virus quicker than any pop culture zombie virus.

Also, as the instigators of the Industrial Revolution, those in England have laid the foundation for their mastery over contemporary technology. Throughout history, England has been at the forefront of technological advancements, only sharing their information with the world whenever they’re ahead of everyone else. American horror films are set within dark forests, abandoned places, or far into the countryside to stress America’s excessive dependence on technology, whereas in 28 Weeks Later, the threat of the infected barges in almost abruptly, and even those who are armed to the teeth with lethal weapons and literal killing machines are brought to their knees. To the British, anything that can overcome even the most advanced weapons and technology is fearful in the eyes of those who have introduced technology to the world.

From real life events such as selling British orphans into slavery and throwing loving parents into debtors’ prison, to shadowy urban legends such Jack the Ripper, most of what scares the modern day Englishman have all either forcibly entered or emerged from within the city—this proves that no amount of technological advancements or fortifications can ever help England, and this is where Fresnadillo draws inspiration from, effectively capturing the zeitgeist of early English history within 28 Weeks Later.

While the infected represent the British and English horror, it is in the military faction, the secondary antagonists in the film, that we see the threat that is solely American. Led by Brigadier General Stone (Idris Elba), the American military is representative of the United States and its filmic brand—invasion and control, or its failure and lack thereof. These two themes also tell us why American horror takes place, as stated earlier, in isolated locations.

You see, American horror characters believe that, when entering into an unknown place, they are automatically in control and that no threat can ever come upon them. The reason why this is so is also because of history. Unlike England, many of America’s morally evil undertakings were done beyond its territory, such as the mass murder of Native Americans and the invasion of Middle Eastern countries for their natural resources. The United States is also notorious for racial discrimination, which is apparent in their intolerance of anyone who is “un-American.” Directors of American horror films utilize this historically accurate reality and turn the table on their own protagonists by punishing them with demonic books and masked hillbilly psycho-killers, if not labeling them first as one-dimensional and trigger-happy.

In the context of 28 Weeks Later, America’s militaristic occupation, prosperous and progressive as it may have been, still highlighted its unwillingness to understand the infection and forming a cure. If Don hadn’t kissed Alice, she would still be dead at the hands of Stone. In the end, the American soldiers were forced to indiscriminately shoot and kill with extreme prejudice, targeting anyone different from them in the name of “safety,” and were thusly punished with the failure to save London, death by betrayal, and infection.

The film itself is good, with above average acting and effects. The cinematography was condemnable, being either too shaky or slowing down scenes that didn’t need any slow-mo. I myself am not a fan of the Rage Virus, seeing as it’s nothing but a glorified form of rabies, which is not scary. 28 Weeks Later portrays the infected as feral, animalistic homicidal maniacs, which is synonymous to giving an average murderer encouragement and more motivation to kill. All in all, however, the film was okay.

I give it a 2/5.