28 Days Later: Bioterrorism and Societal Fear in Film

Introduction: Post-9/11 Fear and the Horror Genre

Director Danny Boyle's 2003 film 28 Days Later is an insightful reflection of societal fears of bioterrorism, terrorism, and catastrophic warfare. Boyle uses a variety of techniques — including plot, cinematography, theme, and characterization — to reveal society's deep uneasiness about these threats.

In recent years, the world has been rocked by a diverse set of growing threats to global political and economic stability and world health. The tragedy of September 11th brought the world into a new era of fear over terrorist acts. Since then, public uneasiness has only been heightened by the train bombings in Madrid, the Bali bombings, and continued governmental appeals for constant vigilance against terrorism. The fear of bioterrorism has also grown, with the release of sarin nerve gas on a Tokyo subway and the presence of anthrax in the U.S. mail. Adding to this climate of fear was President Bush's assertion that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, including biological weapons — an assertion that provided justification for the Bush administration's entry into Iraq. Societal fears of catastrophic warfare that took root during the Cold War era continue to escalate, as tensions in the Middle East deepen, the United States warns its citizens to avoid traveling to Israel (BBC News), concerns over nuclear arms dominate talks with North Korea, and the usually peaceful nation of Thailand is rocked by the deaths of over 100 suspected Islamic militants (CBC News).

In 28 Days Later, Danny Boyle masterfully manipulates these fears of catastrophic warfare, terrorism, and bioterrorism. Through his effective use of story structure, characterization, cinematography, and theme, Boyle creates a fictional world that plays to society's fears. The post-apocalyptic world of 28 Days Later is characterized by a brutality brought on by man's unthinking arrogance, playing out some of society's worst fears over warfare and terrorism.

Plot: Civilization's Fragility and the End-of-World Scenario

The plot of 28 Days Later is aggressive in addressing society's fears about catastrophic warfare. Clearly an end-of-the-world film, it tells the story of Jim (Cillian Murphy), who wakes from a coma in an empty hospital ward only to find society decimated by a viral plague. He wanders the eerie, deserted streets of London, only to be attacked by slavering, feral human survivors of the plague. Society has crumbled in less than a month since the plague struck, revealing the fragile and transient nature of civilization. Boyle depicts a world characterized by fear and paranoia, where characters must confront real dangers in an attempt to find safety after civilization has crumbled around them.

The Viral Plague as Bioterrorism Metaphor

In 28 Days Later, the end of the civilized world comes through the release of a killer viral plague, playing directly to society's uneasiness about bioterrorism. The apocalypse arrives through the unintentional release of a virus by misguided animal rights activists, who unknowingly free monkeys contaminated with a virulent "rage" virus. This accidental release of a genetically engineered pathogen speaks clearly to society's feelings about the dangers of tampering with nature and the risks of bioterrorism. This fear of "playing God" and the repercussions that can follow has appeared throughout literature and cinema, tracing back to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and continuing through similar films such as 12 Monkeys.

Despite the unintentional nature of the viral release in 28 Days Later, the viewer cannot help but draw the conclusion that such a horrific end could come deliberately. Here, Boyle plays on the audience's underlying fear of terrorism. In an America where orange and yellow terrorism alerts are a common occurrence, there is a strong underlying feeling that terrorist acts may be inevitable. Boyle clearly understands this fear, and while the end of the world in his film comes unintentionally, it nonetheless plays on the audience's uneasiness over the ever-present danger of terrorist acts.

Conclusion

Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later mirrors society's uneasiness about bioterrorism, terrorism, and catastrophic warfare. Through careful manipulation of plot, cinematography, theme, and characterization, Boyle reveals a great deal about society's deepest fears. He uses these devices to depict a post-apocalyptic world brought about by human arrogance — one in which humans struggle to retain their very humanity. It is in these struggles that Boyle reveals that the fate of a humankind which fails to curb the threats of catastrophic warfare and terrorism may be a descent into irreversible brutality.

Works Cited

28 Days Later. 2003. Director: Danny Boyle. Starring: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Noah Huntley, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, Christopher Eccleston. Cinematography: Anthony Dod Mantle. Music: John Murphy. Fox Searchlight.

BBC News. "U.S. Warns Against Travel to Israel." Last Updated: Thursday, 29 April 2004, 01:12 GMT.

CBC News. "More Than 100 Dead in Thai Violence." Last Updated: Wednesday, 29 April 2004. 28 April 2004.