Structural Analysis for 28 Days Later

Structural Analysis for 28 Days Later

Part 1:

Sequence 1: The Birth of The Infection. Animal rights activists release captive monkeys infected with rage. The infection starts to spread, thus leading to 28 days of chaos and violence.

Sequence 2: The Infection Aftermath.  A hospital patient, Jim, wakes up naked and scared. He goes searching for people around London. He is chased by infected people and he is saved by Selena and Mark.

Sequence 3: The Start of Team Selena and Jim. After learning about the intensity of the infection, Jim insists on finding his family. While lighting a candle, Jim attracts the Infected to his home. Mark gets the infected blood into his bloodstream, and Selena immediately kills him.

Sequence 4: Introduction to Frank and Hannah. Selena and Jim seek refuge with a man named Frank and his daughter Hannah. They discover a recorded message over the radio about soldiers having the answer to infection. The realizes that they all need each other to survive.

Sequence 5: Journey to the Answer to the Cure. While driving through a sketchy tunnel, they get a flat tire. After they are set free, they stock up at the grocery store. They stop for gas, and Jim kills his first infected boy. Jim doesn’t tell Selena.

Sequence 6: Dreams in the Green. Jim has a bad dream that he was left alone. Selena kisses Jim. Selena apologizes and he tells her to keep his apology.

Sequence 7: The Destination of the Compound. The group makes it to the compound, and they discover that there is no one there. Frank walks about frustrated and the blood of an infected person gets into his eyes. The soldiers kill Frank, and they take the rest group to the compound.

Sequence 8: Introduction of Major Henry West and His soldiers. West gives Jim a tour of the compound, and West shows Jim the captive infected soldier. Selena wears the burden of keeping Hannah safe. Jim and Selena kiss again. West reveals to Jim that they have no cure.

Sequence 9: Dinner at the Compound. While everyone is eating, West explains that the infection is not a global epidemic. Instead, the infection is simply people killing people.

Sequence 10: It is Not What It Seems. Jim goes to West to tell him that he wants to leave the compound. West reveals to he can’t promise a future without a woman. Therefore, West decides to kill Jim and Sergeant Farrell. While captive, the Sergeant reveals to Jim that they might be quarantined. However, Jim is able to escape by blending in with the dead bodies.

Sequence 11: The Red Dresses. Selena forcibly kisses the soldier in order to allow for Selena and Hannah to be in the bathroom alone. Selena gives Hannah pills to allow her not care.

Sequence 12:  Rambo Jim. The combined forces of Jim and the infected soldier eliminate the soldiers. They escape the compound.

Sequence 13: RESCUED. Jim, Selena, and Hannah catch the attention of a government plane.  

Part 2:

This frame is a long two-shot image with Jim and Sergeant Farrell in a dungeon-like space with one barred window. Jim and Sergeant Farrell are both dressed in dark baggy clothes. Both characters appear to have been beaten up. Jim is huddled closer to the window. The dolly camera movement widens the shot by revealing Sergeant Farrell huddled on the opposite side of Jim. Once Sergeant Farrell starts to deliver his revelation, Jim turns his head to look at Farrell. As the camera moves backward, the focus is taken off of Jim and placed on Sergeant Farrell. We are able to focus in on Sergeant Farrell face as he delivers his revelation about their diseased island.

The only light in the frame comes from the sunlight through the one window. The key light is aimed at Jim’s body. The warm golden light is centered around Jim, however, Sergeant Farrell is still in darkness. There is a little light shining on half of Sergeant Farrell’s face. Even though the focus is on Sergeant Farrell’s face, Sergeant Farrell is still in darkness. Sergeant Farrell’s face is bloody and beaten up. The lighting highlight Farrell’s feelings of hopelessness thus alluding to his death.

This scene plays a crucial role in Jim’s survival. Initially, Jim and Sergeant Farrell were taken to the dungeon to later be killed by Major West’s soldiers. Both Jim and Sergeant Farrell could no longer comply with West’s agenda. Sergeant Farrell’s revelation stated that government has quarantined them. Sergeant Farrel asks himself why hasn’t the disease crossed the ocean. This scene unlocks the truth for Jim and allows him to accept the possibility of survival. I believe that this scene sparked the rage in Jim that allowed him to fight off all the soldiers and rescue Hannah and Selena. Therefore, the gold light alluded to Jim’s survival.

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