49m ·
Published
29 Nov 05:00
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncFy1zRA9HM
28 DAYS LATER
Written by
Alex Garland
CLOSE ON A MONITOR SCREEN:
Images of stunning violence. Looped.
Soldiers in a foreign war shoot an unarmed civilian at point-
blank range; a man is set on by a frenzied crowd wielding
clubs and machetes; a woman is necklaced while her killers
cheer and howl.
Pull back to reveal that we are seeing one of many screens in
a bank of monitors, all showing similar images...
Then revealing that the monitors are in a...
INT. SURGICAL CHAMBER - NIGHT
...surgical chamber. And watching the screens is a...
...chimp, strapped to an operating table, with its skull
dissected open, webbed in wires and monitoring devices,
muzzled with a transparent guard. Alive.
Behind the surgical chamber, through the wide doorframe, we
can see a larger laboratory beyond.
INT. BRIGHT CORRIDOR - NIGHT
A group of black-clad ALF Activists, all wearing balaclavas,
move down a corridor. They carry various gear - bag, bolt
cutters.
As they move, one Activist reaches up to a security camera
and sprays it black with an aerosol paint can.
INT. LABORATORY - NIGHT
The Activists enter the laboratory.
CHIEF ACTIVIST
Fucking hell...
The Chief Activist takes his camera off his shoulder and
starts taking photos.
The room is huge and long, and darkened except for specific
pools of light. Partially illuminated are rows of cages with
clear perspex doors. They run down either side of the room.
In the cages are chimpanzees.
2.
Most are in a state of rabid agitation, banging and clawing
against the perspex, baring teeth through foam-flecked
mouths.
They reach the far end of the lab, where on a huge steel
operating table they see the dissected chimp.
FEMALE ACTIVIST
Oh God...
The dissected chimp's eyes flick to the Activists. Blood
wells from around the exposed brain tissue.
Tears starts to roll down the Female Activist's cheeks.
CHIEF ACTIVIST
(to Female Activist)
Keep your shit together. If we're
going to get them out of here...
The Finnish Activist is checking the perspex cages.
FINNISH ACTIVIST
I can pop these, no problem.
CHIEF ACTIVIST
So get to it.
The Finnish Activist raises his crowbar and sticks it around
the edge of one of the doors - about to prise it open.
At the moment, the doors to the laboratory bang open.
The Activists all turn. Standing at the entrance is the
Scientist.
A pause. The Scientist jumps to a telephone handset on the
wall and shouts into the receiver.
SCIENTIST
Security! We have a break-in! Get
to sector...
A hand slams down the disconnect button.
SCIENTIST
...nine.
The Chief Activist plucks the receiver from the Scientist's
hands, and then rips the telephone from the wall.
A beat.
3.
SCIENTIST
I know who you are, I know what you
think you're doing, but you have to
listen to me. You can't release
these animals.
CHIEF ACTIVIST
If you don't want to get hurt, shut
your mouth, and don't move a
fucking muscle.
SCIENTIST
(BLURTS)
The chimps are infected!
The Activists hesitate, exchanging a glance.
SCIENTIST
(continuing; stumbling,
FLUSTERED)
These animals are highly
contagious. They've been given an
inhibitor.
CHIEF ACTIVIST
Infected with what?
SCIENTIST
Chemically restricted, locked down
to a... a single impulse that...
CHIEF ACTIVIST
Infected with what?
The Scientist hesitates before answering.
SCIENTIST
Rage.
Behind the Activists, the bank of monitors show the faces of
the machete-wielding crowd.
SCIENTIST
(desperately trying to
EXPLAIN)
In order to cure, you must first
understand. Just imagine: to have
power over all the things we feel
we can't control. Anger,
violence...
FINNISH ACTIVIST
What the fuck is he talking about?
4.
CHIEF ACTIVIST
We don't have time for this shit!
Get the cages open!
SCIENTIST
No!
CHIEF ACTIVIST
We're going, you sick bastard, and
we're taking your torture victims
with us.
SCIENTIST
NO! You must listen! The animals
are contagious! The infection is in
their blood and saliva! One bite
and...
FEMALE ACTIVIST
They won't bite me.
The Female Activist crouches down to face the wild eyes of
the infected chimp behind the perspex.
SCIENTIST
STOP! You have no idea!
The Scientist makes a desperate lunge towards her, but the
Chief Activist grabs him.
FEMALE ACTIVIST
Good boy. You don't want to bite
me, do you?
The Female Activist gives a final benign smile, then the
Finnish Activist pops open the door.
SCIENTIST
NO!
Like a bullet from a gun, the infected chimp leaps out at the
Female Activist - and sinks its teeth into her neck. She
reels back as the chimp claws and bites with extraordinary
viciousness.
At the same moment, a deafening alarm begins to sound.
FEMALE ACTIVIST
(SHRIEKING)
Get it off! Get if off!
The Finnish Activist rips the ape off and throws it on to the
floor. The infected chimp immediately bites into the man's
leg. He yells with pain, and tries to kick it off.
5.
Behind him, the Female Activist has started to scream. She
doubles up, clutching the side of her head.
FEMALE ACTIVIST
I'm burning! Jesus! Help me!
SCIENTIST
We have to kill her!
FEMALE ACTIVIST
I'm burning! I'm burning!
CHIEF ACTIVIST
What's...
SCIENTIST
We have to kill her NOW!
Meanwhile, the Female Activist's cries have become an
unwavering howl of pain - and she is joined by the Finnish
Activist, whose hands have also flown to the side of his
head, gripping his temples as if trying to keep his skull
from exploding.
CHIEF ACTIVIST
What's wrong with them?
The Scientist grabs a desk-lamp base and starts runni