10 More Infectious Picks
28 Days Later is a modern classic when it comes to zombie films. While some may bemoan the illogical character decisions, there’s no denying that the suspense, horror and interesting reflection on humanity’s worst traits make this a really great movie.
If you’ve finished watching this one and are looking for alternatives – fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle with our top picks for alternate viewing.
So without further ado, we present 10 movies to check out when you’ve finished watching 28 Days Later!
Train To Busan
Between slick camera work, a relentless pace and overwhelming tension, Train To Busan is one of the best zombie films ever made. The claustrophobic setting of the train cars lends itself to a unique setting as the apocalypse grips Korea.
At the heart of this chaos lies Seok-Woo, a man obsessed with his work and with little time for his daughter Soo-an. Promising the girl he’ll get her to Busan to see her Mother, the two set out at the very beginning of the apocalypse as Korea begins to crumble around them. At first glance it seems like the train might be a safe haven but can they really be sure no one on the train is already infected?
Train To Busan is a very good thriller, doubling up as a suspenseful horror too. Not only is the pace relentless, the movie is gripping and well-shot throughout. This one’s a must-watch.
World War Z
World War Z has absolutely nothing in common with its book counterpart. Aside from the obvious name and the zombies, World War Z instead tells a very different story. Still, it’s undeniably a fun action-horror romp and has a lot of fast zombies too.
The story revolves around United Nations investigator Gerry Lane and his family. While driving in New York, the world is suddenly plagued by a mysterious infection that turns everyone into mindless zombies. After barely escaping the chaos, Lane is persuaded to head off on a mission to investigate the disease.
What follows is a perilous trek across the globe as Lane is forced to try and save humanity before it’s too late.
While the movie is more action-orientated rather than centering on the horror, there’s enough here to enjoy nonetheless.
28 Weeks Later
28 Weeks later features one of the best movie openings of all time. It’s a suffocating and tense 15 minute set piece, one that the rest of the movie can’t quite match up to.
Set six months after the initial outbreak that decimated England, 28 Weeks Later sees the US Army fly in and try to salvage the situation, occupying a small area in London to try to repopulate and take back control of the city.
With the infected all but eradicated thanks to starvation, our characters are thrust into a false sense of security. Things inevitably go awry and what transpires from here is a heart-stopping journey through the desolate streets of London as Don and his two children (Andy and Tammy) fight for their lives.
28 Weeks Later is a much more action-driven film than the first. Despite that, it still features some pretty suspenseful moments and an open ending for a possible follow-up.
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
One of the biggest complaints with old zombies movies comes from its slow, shuffling creatures. This is, of course, something that sets 28 Days Later out from the rest. Well, this 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead takes cues from that movie, revamping this class for a new generation.
The 2004 remake follows a ragtag group of survivors who band together and try to survive inside a mall. Together, they fight for their lives amidst a worldwide plague being unleashed. This unfortunately produces aggressive, flesh-eating zombies who can only be killed by a well-aimed shot to the head. The only trouble is, the zombies here are lightning quick so headshots are not easy to pull off.
This dread-inducing movie takes the same basic plot from the original Dawn of the Dead but shifts that slightly to produce something that’s both overly familiar and wholly original. This one’s definitely worth checking out.
The Crazies
Another remake, the 2010 adaptation of The Crazies is a well written horror that combines elements of what made the original so effective with something new and exciting.
In its simplest form, the movie revolves around a fictional Iowa town that becomes afflicted by a strange, biological agent that turns the infected into violent killers.
Smartly written and with a protagonist determined to try and stop things getting out of hand, The Crazies does a great job challenging horror tropes and producing a really enjoyable and well written movie in the process.
The Girl with All The Gifts
The Girl With All The Gifts takes place in a dystopian near future and skips out the usual viral outbreak for a fungal disease instead. With the afflicted robbed of all free will and turned into flesh-eating “Hungries”, humanity’s only hopes lies with a small group of hybrid children.
Set in rural Britain, the story begins at a special school where these hybrids are subjected to cruel experiments by Dr. Caroline Caldwell. However, one girl called Melanie (Test Subject Number 1) escapes and sets out to help guide mankind’s future survival.
With an equal amount of action and drama, The Gift with All The Gifts is another well written horror that’s certainly worth checking out.
The Signal (2007)
The Signal is an interesting horror, split into three distinct parts known simply as Transmissions. The Signal that the title is referring to happens to be a mysterious transmission that turns people into killers, invading every cell phone, radio and television in the process.
The movie itself opens in suitably dramatic fashion, as Mya is shown to be cheating on her husband Lewis with a man named Ben. After leaving the apartment, Mya notices that people in the parking lot are acting erratically. When she reaches her apartment, things continue to deteriorate. This essentially serves as the prologue for the subsequent three parts to follow.
Gruesome, funny and armed with some thought provoking questions about society as a whole, The Signal is a pretty good psychologically charged horror.
I Am Legend
28 Days Later’s eerie opening with Jim wandering about London is still one of the best film openings to grace the big screen. I Am Legend then, takes that idea and essentially spins an entire movie around it. This movie works incredibly well though, instilling an uneasy sense of dread and packed full of memorable moments.
The story takes place years after a plague has killed off most of humanity. Those who survive have been transformed into monsters… except for one man. Stuck in New York alone save for his trusty canine companion, Robert Neville presses on to find a cure to this disease that’s ravaged the world.
While the ending is left open to interpretation, I Am Legend is a compelling movie nonetheless..
The Night Eats The World
The Night Eats The World, (La nuit a dévoré le monde) is an interesting but ultimately divisive genre film about isolation and loneliness. While the zombie invasion is still an ever-present threat here, it’s pushed aside slightly in favour of a much slower film. In many ways, this movie bears some similarities to Castaway or Robinson Crusoe, playing on the mundanity of waiting for the inevitable.
The story begins with Sam, a young musician who falls asleep at a party waiting for his friend. When he wakes up the world has been ravaged by a virus that’s turned all of humanity into flesh-eating zombies. From here the narrative changes, becoming a much more thought-provoking film as Sam grapples with isolation, loneliness and the impending sense of doom.
Children of Men
Children Of Men features one of the greatest openings to any movie in history. This explosive start is followed by a solid screenplay and one of 2006’s best films.
The post apocalyptic story takes place in an alternate future in 2027. Women have somehow become infertile and to make matters worse, the world’s youngest person has just died. With humanity on the brink of extinction, it’s up to a former activist called Theo Faron to try and change humanity’s fortunes.
This fortune comes in the form of a miraculously pregnant woman whom he’s tasked with transporting to a sanctuary at sea, away from the chaos and anarchy gripping the streets.
Some gorgeous cinematography and a couple of incredibly tense sequences help make Children Of Men one of the more definitive post-apocalyptic stories.
So there we have it, our 10 Movie picks to keep you busy after watching 28 Days Later.
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!