28 Days Later - Part 1

After watching the first half of 28 Days Later I noticed many similarities to George Romero's Night of the Living Dead. One such element is the flow of information, in both films a radio is the only lifeline to information and hope of other survivors. In both films radio broadcasts information and instructions are given by the military or government. This gives the sense that the source is reliable and that there is still some hope of stable civilization or protection from the zombies/infected. Another common element to both films is the idea of humanity vs. self preservation. The characters in the movies form makeshift family units partly out of necessity to survive and partially for the need of human contact. They look after each other and work toward a common goal of reaching safety, but when it really comes down to it everyone is on their own. Selena and Jim like having the company of Frank and his daughter, but the moment Frank is infected Jim hardly hesitates to take him out. As much as the characters want to care about each other and survive, they ultimately must put themselves first if they're going to survive. I've never seen this film before but if I had to guess I would say that this will lead to conflict between Selena and Jim over taking care of Frank's daughter. Selena is hesitant to care for others because she knows it makes her vulnerable, while Jim values human connection over his safety.