28 Days Later

2002 Fox Searchlight Pictures

Rated: R

Length: 1 hr 53min

Drama ~ Horror ~ Post-Apocalyptic ~ Sci-Fi ~ Thriller

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Christopher Eccleston, Megan Burns, and Brendan Gleeson.

The Days Are Numbered….

28 Days Later throws viewers into a hauntingly familiar yet utterly transformed world where a devastating “Rage” virus outbreak has brought civilization to its knees. The story begins with Jim (Cillian Murphy), a bike courier who wakes up in an abandoned hospital after a coma, only to find London eerily deserted and plagued by violent infected creatures. As he steps out into this nightmarish reality, Jim embarks on a tense journey to survive and understand the chaos that has consumed the country, meeting other survivors along the way who each bring their own fears and agendas to the fragile group.

What drives the movie beyond standard zombie thrills is its focus on the evolving dynamics between characters who are pushed to their limits. Jim’s transformation from helpless wanderer to protective leader is matched by the struggles of those around him, exposing themes of trust, morality, and desperation in a world where society’s rules no longer apply. The film explores not just the physical horrors of the infected but also the psychological challenges of facing an uncertain future while grappling with loss, betrayal, and the instinct to survive at all costs.

Danny Boyle’s direction masterfully blends high-intensity action with quieter, emotionally resonant moments that capture the vulnerability and resilience of humanity. The chilling visuals of deserted London streets, punctuated by sudden bursts of violence, create an atmosphere of constant suspense. Alongside gripping performances, especially from Cillian Murphy as Jim, the film’s pacing keeps audiences on edge, delivering scares that feel earned rather than gratuitous.

As the first film in the 28 Days Later franchise, this entry sets a powerful tone that the sequels 28 Weeks Later and the upcoming 28 Years Later build upon, expanding the story of a society struggling to rebuild after collapse. For viewers planning to dive into the whole trilogy, this original remains a must-watch for its raw emotion, innovative take on the infected genre, and unrelenting suspense that still resonates years later.

Before I could watch 28 Years Later , which is streaming on Netflix, I had to go back and watch the original 28 Days Later last night on AMC+. Tonight I am watching the sequel 28 Weeks Later , also on AMC+, then Monday night I’ll watch 28 Years Later on Netflix. See you tomorrow with a review on 28 Weeks Later !

28 Weeks Later

28 Years Later

In The Heart Of The Sea

2015 Warner Brothers Pictures

Rated: PG-13

Length: 2 hr 1min

Action ~ Adventure ~ Drama ~ True Story

Directed by: Ron Howard

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy, Tom Holland, Ben Whishaw, and Brendan Gleeson.

“Since we have discovered that whale oil can light our cities, it has pushed man to venture deeper into the deep blue unknown. We know not it’s depths nor the creatures that live there.”

From the 17th to the early 20th century The Whaling Industry was a well organized worldwide business. Up to 80% of a whale’s weight is made up of oil, which was perfect for oil lamps and heat. It was also used for lubrication in machinery and making soaps. Whaling ships outfitted exclusively to hunt and harvest whales were plentiful, and being a Whaler was seen as an admirable occupation. They would head out to sea for a couple of years until their hold was filled with barrels of whale oil.

When the whaling ship would get close to a pod of Whales they would lower three smaller boats laden with men and harpoons with long ropes attached. They would maneuver the boats right up to the whales and then harpoon them. As the whale took off the men followed in the boat, being towed by the harpoon imbedded in the whale. They would ride it out until the whale bled out and died, then they would tow it back to the ship. There they would harvest it by cutting sections of the whale and boiling it down to oil, then storing it in barrels in the hold.

In 1820 in Nantucket Massachusetts, a whaling company outfitted The ESSEX for a whaling expedition. Captain George Pollard (Benjamin Walker) is brought on due to his family’s deep ties to the whaling industry although he has little experience as a Captain or a whaler. Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth) is hired on as First Mate and, having a rich history of being a whaler and a seaman, he and Captain Pollard clash from the start. The ESSEX has little luck in the first three months of their journey and at a stop in Ecuador a Spanish Captain tells them of a sweet spot 2000 miles to the west. He also warns them about a vengeful huge white sperm whale that destroyed his ship and killed six of his men.

The ESSEX and her crew head for the spot in the Pacific and find the spot full of whales. They also find the huge white scarred sperm whale the Spanish Captain had warned them about. What happened to the ESSEX and her crew after encountering the massive white whale became a worldwide story after what remained of the crew returned. Thirty years later it was this story that Herman Melville wanted, felt compelled, to write his next novel MOBY DICK about. As the movie opens we see Herman Melville (Ben Whishaw) travelling to the home of Thomas Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson), who was a 14 year old cabin boy on the ESSEX‘s doomed journey thirty years earlier, to get his firsthand account of the tragedy.

As Thomas Nickerson recounts the true tale of The ESSEX and the encounter with The Great White Whale, we watch it unfold on the big screen. It is a fantastic True Story told in 3-d directed by Ron Howard, beautifully filmed in The Canary Islands of Spain. The movie is based on the 2000 book by Nathaniel Philbrick titled In The Heart Of The Sea. I have seen this several times since it was first released, and I just watched it again on Netflix. I think it is a classic. Obviously a classic tale but I think Ron Howard did a great job at bringing the story to life. The lengths that Ron and the cast went to for realism was above and beyond, to the point of having the crew go on a strict diet to mimic the starving crew of the ESSEX.

It is a classic true story brought to life and I think it is well worth a watch.

Two Thumbs Up!

Edge Of Tomorrow

2014 Warner Bros. Pictures

Rated: PG-13

Length: 1 hr 53min

Action ~ Adventure ~ Sci-Fi

Directed by: Doug Liman

Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton and Brendan Gleeson.

“What I am about to tell you sounds crazy, but you have to listen to me. Your very lives depend on it. You see, this isn’t the first time we’ve met.”

Tom Cruise star as Major William Cage, an Advertising Agent now working for the US Military PR Department. He is sent to London to help promote the UDF in getting recruits for the war effort. The UDF (United Defense Force) is comprised of 17 Nations and was created to combat the Mimic invasion. Five years earlier an Alien species known as The Mimics landed in Germany and has been spreading across Europe killing hundreds of thousands of people. They are nicknamed “Mimics” because they have the ability to mimic our actions in battle and anticipate our moves. When “Bill” Cage meets General Brigham (Brendan Gleeson) in London to discuss The PR campaign, he is told by the General, “Tomorrow we will throw everything we have at the front lines and you will be right there leading the charge….PR in person.” Bill tries to object saying he’s no soldier, but the General won’t here of it and has him arrested and escorted to the staging camp.

He comes to at the staging camp where he is given a uniform, assigned to the misfit J-Squad, and the next morning shuttled out to the front lines. Outfitted with an AI assisted weapons Exo-Suit he has no idea how to operate, he is forced to drop into the frontline fighting and scrambles to survive. He is quickly killed and finds himself back at the staging camp going through the exact same routine 24 hours later. Once again he is outfitted with the weapons suit and J-Squad head out to the frontlines where once again he is killed, but not before taking a few evasive steps to survive based on his memory of the day before. And over and over again, each time remembering a little more, getting better at operating his suit and remembering the evasive steps he has learned to survive. Each day advancing a little further on the battlefield until one day he encounters……..

Emily Blunt who stars as Rita Vrataski, a female soldier who earned the nickname “The Angel of Verdun” for her slaughter of hundreds of Mimics in The Battle of Verdun. He saves her life on the battlefield right before he dies, and after he goes back again and again, she eventually tells him to find her tomorrow when he comes to. He does and they discuss the “Time Loop” he is stuck in. Rita tells Bill that the same thing had happened to her when she had killed an Alpha (A bigger class of the Aliens) and the blue blood from it entered her body. She explains that the Alpha he killed covered him with the blue blood and now he has the ability to reset every time he dies and live the day over again. Enabling him to see further into the future each time and get closer to the The Omega, The Alien that controls the rest of The Mimics.

They spend countless days training, learning and planning to get closer to The Omega. Killing it is the only way to stop the invasion and destroy the Aliens. Every day being a repeat of the day before, only each time armed with more and better knowledge they need to accomplish their task and win the war for Humanity. It is a fascinating story and glimpse into what an Alien Invasion might look like. It is non stop action and the graphics are nicely done. The Mimics and the Alphas are crazy fast, scary killing machines that seem to pop out of nowhere and anticipate your every move. Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt are excellent together and make a dynamite fighting team. Two of my favorites going at it side by side.

I don’t know how I never saw this before. Completely missed it somehow.

I liked it and thought it was a great Action Sci-Fi Adventure complete with an Alien Invasion.

Lots of action and some humor.

Yes, if you haven’t seen it I recommend it.

Two Thumbs up!