28 Weeks Later - Utterly Miserable!
Discussion
youngsyr said:
Again, I didn't expect sunflowers and rainbows, but I don't watch films to undertake a test of how much distress (physical, emotional and other) that I can endure.
For example: the close ups of the kids' faces as they watch their saviour (US Special Ops guy) being burned to death by his own side whilst trying to help them escape. That's fine in a limited amount, but when pretty much every other scene is just as depressing, it stops being enjoyable.
Fair enough. It is intense at times and some of it is hard work to watch. It just absolutely clicked with me and it instantly became one of my favourite films. For example: the close ups of the kids' faces as they watch their saviour (US Special Ops guy) being burned to death by his own side whilst trying to help them escape. That's fine in a limited amount, but when pretty much every other scene is just as depressing, it stops being enjoyable.
Eric Mc said:
Yiz are all higorant then.
youngsyr said:
Again, I didn't expect sunflowers and rainbows, but I don't watch films to undertake a test of how much distress (physical, emotional and other) that I can endure.
For example: the close ups of the kids' faces as they watch their saviour (US Special Ops guy) being burned to death by his own side whilst trying to help them escape. That's fine in a limited amount, but when pretty much every other scene is just as depressing, it stops being enjoyable.
I can see where you're coming from regarding the cool special ops guy (the female members of my family quite liked him, too), as I too wished he hadn't died - I would have liked the helicoptor pilot, special ops guy, the woman and the two kids to have got away safe - this would not have had any detrimental effect on the overall film, and would have left the audience feeling a little better.For example: the close ups of the kids' faces as they watch their saviour (US Special Ops guy) being burned to death by his own side whilst trying to help them escape. That's fine in a limited amount, but when pretty much every other scene is just as depressing, it stops being enjoyable.
It does seem that, post 9/11, movie-makers seem to insist that their films must portray a sense of no hope and utter helplessness, when the main reason most of us go to the cinema is to see triumph over adversity. One of the worst films I have seen in recent years is The Strangers - I cannot see the point of that film - oh yes, and Skyline...
chris watton said:
I quite enjoyed it - most 'Zombie' movies end like this - even the ending in the hugely entertaining remake of Dawn of the Dead has a depressing ending (if you watch through the end credits)
If you want depressing, as others have said, there's the Road and 'that ending' from the Mist.
I list 11 other depressing events in the film, which pretty much make up the rest of the film. It's not about the ending (which isn't really an ending, but a segue into a sequel), it's about a thoroughly miserable film.If you want depressing, as others have said, there's the Road and 'that ending' from the Mist.
I just bought the 28 days/weeks pack for £5 and watched "days"... it was really quite good and nothing like I expected it (the ads show the rage-fueled "zombies" a lot and there are almost none in the film) but I have no expectations at all for "weeks". Is there really a third movie coming?
Eric Mc said:
I wonder do these uber-depressive storylines reflect a general sense of depression and lost optimism in Western Culture....
Have we lost the plot in the west?
I think this is what I was alluding to with my post 9/11 comment - there does seem to be quite a few films that are depresing for depressing's sake. After thinking about the OP's comments, I have relised that the 28 Days/28 Weeks films are my least re-watched zombie films, so he may have a valid point.Have we lost the plot in the west?
willisit said:
Is there really a third movie coming?
Not according to Wiki - the people who hold the rights have fallen out and aren't speaking. No script has been written, so it looks like it won't be coming out anytime soon, if ever. However, money is a powerful force and there is undoubtedly money in a third film, so I wouldn't bet against it.willisit said:
I just bought the 28 days/weeks pack for £5 and watched "days"... it was really quite good and nothing like I expected it (the ads show the rage-fueled "zombies" a lot and there are almost none in the film) but I have no expectations at all for "weeks". Is there really a third movie coming?
Just so you know, Weeks is a diffent kind of film to Days, almost a different genre. I think many people expected a continuation like the Bourne films, but aside from the brilliant soundtrack I think it's better to watch it on its own merits.
durbster said:
Just so you know, Weeks is a diffent kind of film to Days, almost a different genre. I think many people expected a continuation like the Bourne films, but aside from the brilliant soundtrack I think it's better to watch it on its own merits.
Like ALien and ALiens, they compliment each other very well.I hope there is a third film.
Has cinema become more pessimistic? I don't think so. The 70s were the heyday, I think, of dystopian endings, Parallax View, Don't Look Now, Body Snatchers etc. We're getting back to the nitty gritty!
youngsyr said:
I know I'm very late to the party on this one, but it was on C4 during the week so I finally caught it, but what an unrelentingly miserable film!
Spoilers:
Lots of depressing stuff
Did it star Hilary swank? Anything with her in makes me want to slit my wrists after about ten minutes.Spoilers:
Lots of depressing stuff
I loved 28 weeks later
Maybe because I am used to the genre, but if any a couple of people survive I count that as a happy ending in the film like this.
The first half is allot better than the second though, because if you think about it, it doesn't make sense for the father to be following them as he has become a mindless 'zombie' by that point.
Maybe because I am used to the genre, but if any a couple of people survive I count that as a happy ending in the film like this.
The first half is allot better than the second though, because if you think about it, it doesn't make sense for the father to be following them as he has become a mindless 'zombie' by that point.
Eric Mc said:
davido140 said:
I typically dont expect a happy ending from zombie films, and I'm a big fan.
Ending should typically be
everyone dead or "infected"
or
one or two survivors make it to the isolated island but that vast majority of the group die on the way, but probably get to the safe-haven only to find it overrun as well.
Alien films on the other hand should always be a Hollywood ending, where the plucky resistance fight off the attacking aliens after all hope seems to have faded. The main reason skyline was rubbish was the naff ending.
I wonder do these uber-depressive storylines reflect a general sense of depression and lost optimism in Western Culture. Ending should typically be
everyone dead or "infected"
or
one or two survivors make it to the isolated island but that vast majority of the group die on the way, but probably get to the safe-haven only to find it overrun as well.
Alien films on the other hand should always be a Hollywood ending, where the plucky resistance fight off the attacking aliens after all hope seems to have faded. The main reason skyline was rubbish was the naff ending.
I don't tend to watch TV or films like this but I am quite a fan of Stephen Baxter's Sci-Fi writing. People often refer to him as the new Arthur C Clarke as his fiction is very much nuts and bolts sci-fi in the Clarkian tradition. However, the major difference is that Clarke was an essential optimist about the future of humanity and Baxter comes across as a bit of a doom laden pessimist.
Have we lost the plot in the west?
I like films with explosions and boobs.
Eric Mc said:
I wonder do these uber-depressive storylines reflect a general sense of depression and lost optimism in Western Culture.
I don't tend to watch TV or films like this but I am quite a fan of Stephen Baxter's Sci-Fi writing. People often refer to him as the new Arthur C Clarke as his fiction is very much nuts and bolts sci-fi in the Clarkian tradition. However, the major difference is that Clarke was an essential optimist about the future of humanity and Baxter comes across as a bit of a doom laden pessimist.
Have we lost the plot in the west?
Have you read Clarke's Childhoods End? That is a depressing ending - everyone blows themselves up with nukes as their children are the future and will kill them all anyway. Weird!I don't tend to watch TV or films like this but I am quite a fan of Stephen Baxter's Sci-Fi writing. People often refer to him as the new Arthur C Clarke as his fiction is very much nuts and bolts sci-fi in the Clarkian tradition. However, the major difference is that Clarke was an essential optimist about the future of humanity and Baxter comes across as a bit of a doom laden pessimist.
Have we lost the plot in the west?
Eric Mc said:
Never studied Latin obviously
The word is "DECIMATED" coming from the word "Decem", which means "10" in Latin. If a Roman Legion transgressed orders or mutinied, 1 in 10 of the soldiers were taken out of the line and executed.
We use the word "decimated" incorrectly all the time. If something is decimated, it doesn't mean that it was almost wiped out. It actually means 1/10 of it was destroyed, which is not that bad, actually.
Almost verbatim from the episode of QI I watched. The word is "DECIMATED" coming from the word "Decem", which means "10" in Latin. If a Roman Legion transgressed orders or mutinied, 1 in 10 of the soldiers were taken out of the line and executed.
We use the word "decimated" incorrectly all the time. If something is decimated, it doesn't mean that it was almost wiped out. It actually means 1/10 of it was destroyed, which is not that bad, actually.
Halb said:
Like ALien and ALiens, they compliment each other very well.
I hope there is a third film.
Has cinema become more pessimistic? I don't think so. The 70s were the heyday, I think, of dystopian endings, Parallax View, Don't Look Now, Body Snatchers etc. We're getting back to the nitty gritty!
'In creepy voice'I hope there is a third film.
Has cinema become more pessimistic? I don't think so. The 70s were the heyday, I think, of dystopian endings, Parallax View, Don't Look Now, Body Snatchers etc. We're getting back to the nitty gritty!
"Where you gonna go, where you gonna run, where you gonna hide? Nowhere... 'cause there's no one like you left"
Oakey said:
Halb said:
Like ALien and ALiens, they compliment each other very well.
I hope there is a third film.
Has cinema become more pessimistic? I don't think so. The 70s were the heyday, I think, of dystopian endings, Parallax View, Don't Look Now, Body Snatchers etc. We're getting back to the nitty gritty!
'In creepy voice'I hope there is a third film.
Has cinema become more pessimistic? I don't think so. The 70s were the heyday, I think, of dystopian endings, Parallax View, Don't Look Now, Body Snatchers etc. We're getting back to the nitty gritty!
"Where you gonna go, where you gonna run, where you gonna hide? Nowhere... 'cause there's no one like you left"
youngsyr said:
I couldn't care less if a film doesn't have a happy ending, what annoys me is that I sat through 2 hours of one miserable situation after another, with a focus on the how the characters experience them, until finally the film ended. I watch films to enjoy them, this one I didn't enjoy at all.
Any one of the situations in my post above would put a downer on a film, but this film was just one depressing situation after another until it finally ended.
Despite not being a fan of "zombie movies" (though as I like Shaun of the Dead too, perhaps I can no longer say that!), I really liked both "28" films precisely for the reasons you don't (I think).Any one of the situations in my post above would put a downer on a film, but this film was just one depressing situation after another until it finally ended.
Watching films about events like these are meant to portray with shiny ends is just rubbish (and a cop out). There are happy bits in the film (when the kids are reunited with their dad etc), but at the end of the day it's about an apocalyptic event. It's going to be grim. Lassie's not going to come home and people will do bloody horrible things. I liked that it didn't dodge the bullet.
I wouldn't want to be watching this sort of film all the time, but I liked them both enough to buy the DVD.
Thinking about it, I also liked Cloverfield too. I think having the odd "anit-film" in your collection is good for you. Let's face it, the very vast majority of films all have nice endings...or maybe I'm just a miserable fqer
Halb said:
shakotan said:
Almost verbatim from the episode of QI I watched.
I think FVry also mentions that is a word is used by the majority to mean something else then it it does sort of mean that thing.The deomocracy of the idiotic.
As for "Childhood's End", yes, it is fairly negative. But it is one of the few negative type Clarke stories.
I also think that "V" (the original series) borrowed heavilly in some aspects from this book.
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