The third film from Neil Marshall, director of the under-rated DOG SOLDIERS (2002) and the unexpected success hit THE DESCENT (2005), he returns with this messy homage to such sci-fi/horror/fantasy films like THE ROAD WARRIOR, ALIEN, and MAD MAX.
Basically, the film is about Eden Sinclair, a flinty female cop (RHONA MITRA) who is tasked to go in and find the human survivors of a virus that decimated most of Scotland in 2008 and has now crossed the border into LONDON, 25 years later (2033). The virus renders those who are infected as undead zombies (DAMN, can we get off the undead zombie virus as a plot point. Um, HI, Danny Boyle wore this OUT in 28 Days Later (2003), and executive produced the solid, critically ravaged, yet profound 28 Weeks Later (2007). Why are folks copying? And copying BADLY?) and London government higher ups believe that the blood of these human survivors is the key to saving London.
Nothing to say about the film: The entire cast was wasted, the writing was poor, and the attempts at a self-indulgent, "edgy" sci-fi update of such classic sci-fi films fell FLAT.
Memo to Neil Marshall: regroup, and give us unrestrained brilliance in sci-fi/horror with the sequel to THE DESCENT you are executive producing (woo hoo! Allegedly, this one will start six weeks after the end of the first film and Sarah will be forced to go BACK to the caves to investigate the species of creatures she narrowly escaped from. The new cavers will find the creatures--and an unexpected survivor from the first film. WOO HOO! JUNO is coming back to kick Sarah's ASS for leaving her to die! LOVE THIS STORYLINE IF IT HAPPENS!) and the Hugh Jackman project (supposedly) post Wolverine called DRIVE (2009/2010)
Grade: C-/NE
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