Zombie movies and the horror genre of film seemed to peak during the 1970s and 1980s, while a drop in interest occurred during the 1990s. It wasn’t until the late 90s that movie makers started to turn their attention back to producing scary flicks and thrillers. In this article, you will take a look at the more modern take on the zombie movie. A lot of the examples show characters that deal with unexplainable and all-too-real incidents that could actually happen in today’s society, which makes the possibilities all the more scary when watching it in the movie theater.
“28 Days Later” (2002)
Directed by Danny Boyle, this British post-apocalyptic horror/science fiction movie explores what would happen if a highly contagious virus ripped across the world. Of course, themes of a complete breakdown in society are discussed in the film. The movie focuses on the plight of four survivors, who must cope with the destruction of life that has taken place and the world they once lived in. The film starred Cillian Murphy (as Jim and Naomie Harris (as Selena).
Marketed as a horror, science fiction and thriller piece, the film centers on what occurs after animal activists raid a science lab in an attempt to release chimpanzees used for experiments. In the process, they become infected with a virus that causes rage. The movie follows the events that take place 28 days later. We find Jim (the protagonist in the film) waking up from a coma, where he is alone and left in an abandoned hospital. He starts to seek out others as he travels through London. He happens upon a church that is inhabited by zombie like humans that try to kill him. He flees and meets up with Selena and Mark, who rescue and educate him on the state of London.
“28 Weeks Later” (2007)
As the sequel to “28 Days Later,” movie-goers see what happens six months after the rage virus as swept through the population of Great Britain. The United States Army starts to get involved and assists in securing a small part of London, where survivors can repopulate and start over. However, the plan does not go as expected as the virus is unknowingly brought back to life. The movie featured the following actors and actresses: Rose Byrne as Scarlet, Jeremy Renner as Doyle, Harold Perrineau as Flynn, Catherine McCormack as Alice, and Idris Elba as Stone.
I Am Legend (2007)
Released in 2007, Will Smith stars as the sole survivor of a plague that wiped out New York City ”“ turning the residents into monsters. In vain, he attempts to find a cure. The movie was based on a science fiction/horror novel written by American writer Richard Matheson in 1954. Not only did this book influence zombies in the horror world, but it also highlighted vampires as characters. The plot took a look at what would happen if being a zombie or vampire was part of a disease that infected people.