Layton Bicanovsky
Dr Glenn D Jellenik
Film & Literature
16 January 2018
28 Days Later follows a group of misguided animal rights activists that free a caged
chimp infected with the “Rage” virus from a medical research lab. During this movie, they seek
refuge from this incurable virus. 28 days later uses mise-en–scene to convey feelings of
isolation, abandonment, and despair to the audience. This is evident in the framing,
composition and lighting of the movie.
Framing and composition have huge impact on the way the characters in 28 Days Later
are seen. In a series of scenes, characters are placed into positions of insignificance and
vulnerability, completely at the mercy of their surroundings. I find evidence of this in the
second scene of the film. Jim awakens in a hospital to find nothing but empty halls and rooms,
completely devoid of all forms of life. In a high-angle shot, we perceive Jim as helpless and
are introduced.