I assumed this was because the rage virus has mutated or something
Completely agreed, said as much in this thread when I saw it. Think this film’s internal logic is fine, it’s just standard trite post-apocalypse film logic. But weird for it to be a 28 … Later film when the first makes a point of showing the infected mindlessly starve to death to the extent rescue arrives, and the second is clear mainland Europe gets hit. Boyle and Garland just fancied another crack and weren’t getting financed without a franchise label to slap on it, imo.
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The “it was driven back from mainland europe” in the opening titles was so funny.
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It does seem to matter still. When mum gets infected splatter on her head Spike panics and tells her not to blink while he wipes it off. Even in the first one they get completely splattered in Jim’s house but are ok because it didn’t get in them.
If they didn’t have the happy ending coda in the first film which shows the infected starving it would make more sense for this film (although I think that’s why we often saw them eating deer and worms).
In the dvd of Days it shows an alternative ending where Jim gets infected and they try and save him I think with a blood transfusion or something but it doesn’t work and the last shot would have been Naomie Harris and the girl still in their ballgowns walking out of the hospital with assault rifles which would’ve been a cool ending.
Just remembered that when we finally got a close up shot of the doctor dude and it turned out to be Ralph Fines everyone in the cinema laughed. Cos like what the fuck is he doing in this film (I had no idea he was in it)
There was another moment that made everyone laugh that was meant to be sincere but I can’t remember it now. Least favourite moment of the film was when Jodie starts talking like one of those urban poets in a McDonald’s advert about the Angel of the North
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Well I quite liked that 
The ending was not good though, I can’t imagine the sequel being good in any way.
The Good: The surreality of it all. It’s hazy and nonsensical in the best way, little trippy edits and flourishes, flashes of red-drenched savagery contrasting with the extreme lushness of a North East that’s returned to the wild. The massive roaming herds of deer, no longer culled beyond what the infected can catch. The infected themselves, sunburned, blood-encrusted, naked, feral. The Ossuary forest. The Young Fathers soundtrack; really enjoyed that, quite different and refreshing.
The bad: Aaron Taylor Johnson being out-acted by a 12 year old and mangling a North East accent. Lack of actual meaningful exposition (how the infected are still going, especially the fat ones - also, what is this, Left 4 Dead? There are types now?) and the ridiculous addition of completely unnecessary exposition. The Parkour Jimmies.*
The ugly: The Alpha’s comedy dong. Hard to be frightened while running away from something that’s either going to trip itself up or knock itself out. Erik, literally existing to be an asshole and die. Pointless character. Kelson giving Spike his mum’s skull like “There you go, lad. Pop it on mantlepiece!”. Reckon he’s still a nutter, just a compassionate one..
Very, very Alex Garland. Maybe a little too Alex Garland; it’s like all his foibles, good and bad, manifest. Probably say the same for Boyle, too. It’s clear the visuals Garland used in Annihilation were a touchstone for this one, though.
I enjoyed it. It’s fucking daft, but it’s better than the 2nd one.
*Was pleased to see Jack O’Connell as lead Jimmy, though. He was fucking excellent in Sinners.
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