28 Days Later

A horrible rage-inducing virus sweeps the British Isles, infecting millions and driving them to murder millions more; meanwhile, a group of survivors (Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson and Megan Burns) strikes out from deserted London for the promised safety in the north. Every gasp, shock and stomach heave of writer Alex Garland and director Danny Boyle’s movie comes with a warm glow of nostalgia. Apocalyptic nightmare fantasies used to be a Hollywood mainstay, and it’s a paradoxical pleasure to be this scared—if only because it feels so good when it stops. Garland’s script is taut and gritty but not airtight; to compensate, Boyle bombards us with an adrenaline rush of grainy, high-def video images that keep us off-balance and unaware of the plot holes until after the film is over.