History YMMV / TwentyEightWeeksLater

* InformedWrongness: The film constantly criticizes Don for being a coward who left his wife to die at the first opportunity and didn't care about anyone but himself. But given that the Infected are incredibly contagious and extremely dangerous in close combat, Don had a practically zero percent chance of saving his wife. Killing the crowds of infected attacking the cottage was impossible because he didn't have any effective weapon and the only sane choice at that point was to flee or join everyone in dying a horrible death. In fact, [[HiddenDepths we see Don bravely fighting a group of infected]] with a crowbar only moments previously, [[HeroicSacrifice holding off the Infected as everyone runs for their lives]]. This all makes the film's characterization of him as a selfish coward feel a bit off; compare this to Selena in the previous film, who brutally but efficiently killed [[spoiler:Mark]] when he was infected and was justifiably treated as an unambiguous (although brutally pragmatic, a character flaw that disappears vía development) hero.
* JustHereForGodzilla: Once the true nature of the film became well-known right before premiere, a whole lot of people came only to see in full the opening sequence, set during the original outbreak. Unlike the rest of the film that had mixed reception at best and mostly forgotten, the opening is still considered head and shoulders above the rest of the story. It even became a minor internet meme years after release.

** Imogen Poots is better known these days, but of course this is the film that helped get her more attention.

* TooBleakStoppedCaring: Part of the reason ''28 Weeks Later'' is so contested compared to ''Film/TwentyEightDaysLater'' is because the film focuses on characters that become increasingly less likable and eliminates those who could make a meaningful drama. Both Tammy and Andy are subject to multiple NiceJobBreakingItHero incidents that make it difficult to cheer them on. The film keeps treating Don like a huge DirtyCoward even though many viewers find him UnintentionallySympathetic, and despite being related to both protagonists, both him and Alice are unceremoniously removed from the plot in the second act. The rest is carried by generic survivors and the US military, none of which get impressive characterization. Thus, some audience found no stakes in the movie and ignored it.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical: The movie was in production during the war in Iraq. George W. Bush famously declared mission accomplished even though there was insurgency and all kinds of other unrest in the region making it anything but stable. Since the entire plot is driven by attempting to repopulate the island way too soon and horribly inadequate security measures it's hard not to draw some parallel. The fact that it's the American military makes it even more of a TakeThat.

* TooBleakStoppedCaring: Part of the reason ''28 Weeks Later'' is so contested compared to ''Film/TwentyEightDaysLater'' os because the film focuses on characters that become increasingly less likable and eliminates those who could make a meaningful drama. Both Tammy and Andy are subject to multiple NiceJobBreakingItHero incidents that make it difficult to cheer them on. The film keeps treating Don like a huge DirtyCoward even though many viewers find him UnintentionallySympathetic, and despite being related to both protagonists, both him and Alice are unceremoniously removed from the plot in the second act. The rest is carried by generic survivors and the US military, none of which get impressive characterization. Thus, some audience found no stakes in the movie and ignored it.

* HilariousInHindsight: [[FriendlySniper Doyle]], as played by Creator/JeremyRenner, assures the survivors that he won't miss. Nowadays, because he played the Hawkeye in Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, you're probably thinking that it's practically [[ImprobableAimingSkills nigh-impossible]] for him to miss.

* HilariousInHindsight: [[FriendlySniper Doyle]], as played by Creator/JeremyRenner, assures the survivors that he won't miss. Nowadays, you're probably thinking that it's practically ''[[ImprobableAimingSkills nigh-impossible]]'' [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse for him to miss]].

* TheWoobie

* InformedWrongness: The film constantly criticizes Don for being a coward who left his wife to die at the first opportunity and didn't care about anyone but himself. But given that the Infected are incredibly contagious and extremely dangerous in close combat, Don had a practically zero percent chance of saving his wife. Killing the crowds of infected attacking the cottage was impossible because he didn't have any effective weapon and the only sane choice at that point was to flee or join everyone in dying a horrible death. In fact, [[HiddenDepths we see Don bravely fighting a group of infected]] with a crowbar only moments previously, [[HeroicSacrifice holding off the Infected as everyone runs for their lives]]. This all makes the film's characterization of him as a selfish coward feel a bit off; compare this to Selena in the previous film, who brutally but efficiently killed [[spoiler:Mark]] when he was infected and was justifiably treated as an unambiguous (although brutally pragmatic, a character flaw that disappears over time) hero.

* InformedWrongness: The film constantly criticizes Don for being a coward who left his wife to die at the first opportunity and didn't care about anyone but himself. But given that the Infected are incredibly contagious and extremely dangerous in close combat, Don had a practically zero percent chance of saving his wife. Killing the crowds of infected attacking the cottage was impossible because he didn't have any effective weapon and the only sane choice at that point was to flee or join everyone in dying a horrible death. In fact, [[HiddenDepths we see Don bravely fighting a group of infected]] with a crowbar only moments previously, [[HeroicSacrifice holding off the Infected as everyone runs for their lives]]. This all makes the film's characterization of him as a selfish coward feel a bit off; compare this to Selena in the previous film, who brutally but efficiently killed [[spoiler:Mark]] when he was infected and was justifiably treated as an unambiguous hero.

* InformedWrongness: The film constantly throws heavy shade at Don for being a cowardly bastard that left his wife to die at the first opportunity and didn't care about anyone but himself. But given that the Infected are incredibly contagious and extremely dangerous in close combat, Don had a practically zero percent chance of saving his wife. Killing the crowds of infected attacking the cottage was impossible because he didn't have any effective weapon and the only sane choice at that point was to flee or join everyone in dying a horrible death. In fact, [[HiddenDepths we see Don bravely fighting a group of infected]] with a crowbar only moments previously, [[HeroicSacrifice holding off the Infected as everyone runs for their lives]]. This all makes the film's characterisation of him feel a bit off; compare this to Selena in the previous film, who brutally but efficiently killed [[spoiler:Mark]] when he was infected and justifiably continued as a heroic protagonist.

* SignatureScene: Don having to abandon Alice and running for dear life in the beginning. Despite the flaws of the film, the chase perfectly captures the fight or flight complexities of a zombie apocalypse and has become a memorable [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVnz6hlC3pQ scene]].

* IdiotPlot:
** The basic premise of trying to repopulate Britain a mere 28 weeks after the virus was released. This is the most dangerous disease in human history, the island should have been quarantined for years if not centuries and probably given a nice [[KillItWithFire burning]] just to insure that the virus was no longer a potential threat.
** The so called "shelter", where people are crammed in at the first sign of trouble ''without first checking whether the zombie that started the trouble is inside or not!'' And then demonstrate how the doors to this impenetrable shelter can be breached by zombies and panicked humans alike from inside -- had no-one in the military heard the saying "don't put all your eggs in the same basket"?
** That's not even the start of it. For no reason whatsoever, they ''turn off the lights'' which not only lowers visibility and harder to see the (so far) lone infected coming, but greatly panics the civilians before it even shows up. Wouldn't it have been easier/safer to tell everyone to stay in their rooms? And what's more, the infection started because a man tried to see his wife (who was an [[TyphoidMary asymptomatic carrier]] of the virus) and was able to enter the room. The room was ''completely'' unguarded, despite the military being well aware that she had the virus. And, despite it supposed to be a quarantine room, it was possible to just walk out of it instead of needing someone on the outside to open the door after insuring that whomever wanted out wasn't infected.
** There's also when, after everyone in that shed gets infected, the soldiers have gotten orders to shoot everyone in sight. A somewhat reasonable precaution after discovering that there were asymptomatic carriers, but the kill zone was poorly illuminated and the snipers were using slow-firing guns that they had to aim rather than having machine guns that would have been useful against crowds of fast-moving infected. To say nothing of how one or two well-placed explosives, incendiaries, or claymores put there in anticipation of such a scenario could have dealt with the bulk of the infected with seconds if they weren't operating entirely on HollywoodTactics.

** Incinerating the infected area (and, KillEmAll) is, in fact, the '''only''' sane method for dealing with a highly infectious ''quickly lethal'' disease spreading through a population. Once a virus (or other biological weapon-like disease) breaks out of quarantine into any substantial population, there's simply no other way to contain it. Physical geographic barriers (such as Britain being an island) can limit the possible spread, but, inside those limits, it's simply impossible to stop via normal selective targeting. '''All''' militaries use the methods described in the movie when dealing with that sort of situation, and it's not only the only effective strategy, it's also the only ''moral'' one - [[TheNeedsOfTheMany sacrifice some to protect many]]. Of course, given the IdiotBall the US military had been holding up until then, it shouldn't have gotten to that point, but, once it did, ordering the soldiers to kill everyone (including uninfected) was the only good option left.

* HarsherInHindsight: The entire plot runs on the fact that civilians ignore the importance of quarantine and safety measures against a deadly virus for no other reason than own indifference and amusement, while the authorities are unwilling to take harsh, but effective measurements early on, along with trying to present the situation as far more stable than it really is. [[UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic Sounds oddly familiar in 2020]].