More unsettling than many obviously dead zombies are The Infected’s fast-loping run, distorted speech, and spurting blood (which can spread the illness with just a drop). This is because there is still a slim chance of a cure. But when this optimism is abused, 28 Days Later presents viewers with a sight that’s scarier than any Infected scene. Christopher Eccleston’s character, Major West, admits that his broadcast offering “the answer to infection” is a ruse to entice desperate women to his military retreat so they can serve as his men’s 𝑠e𝑥ual slaves. The authenticity of this scene is very unsettling.

Major West and his men are more of a threat than the Infected. However, the slow buildup introduces comedy over a terrible dinner of rotten eggs, giving the viewer a false sense of security while showing the characters’ understandable lack of food. The reveal scene discusses the concept of PTSD, and Major West is a more plausible villain than those in other zombie movies. The scene is terrifying for its desperation and bleakness, but sets up 28 Days Later’s surprisingly optimistic ending.