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The U.S. military shows up to help rebuild a decimated London in "28 Weeks Later," a consistently creepy continuation of the zombie saga that began with the sleeper-hit horror film "28 Days Later."

None of the ill-fated characters from the original film return for the sequel, which centers around a few American soldiers and a British family directly impacted by the zombie virus. As a supposedly safe London begins to welcome back refugees, the arrival of two kids (newcomers Mackintosh Muggleton and Imogen Poots) triggers concern in lovely Army doctor Scarlet (Rose Byrne, "Troy").

The children reunite with their father (Robert Carlyle, "The Full Monty"), a survivor of the film's chaotic opening sequence: a relentless undead attack that claims his wife (Catherine McCormack, "Braveheart"). Also playing a key role in the drama, heroic soldier Doyle (Jeremy Renner, "S.W.A.T."), who watches over the kids.

The sequel greatly improves upon its predecessor's uneven balance of an aggressive military presence with the zombie threat, but though the story involves a military occupation don't expect thought-provoking parallels to current events. "28 Weeks" is best appreciated at face value, as an enjoyably well-crafted zombie movie.

Spanish director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (who also helmed the stylish foreign language thriller "Intacto") stages the terror in spastic bursts of rapid-fire editing and shaky camera work, complete with an abundance of gore. The result is disorienting and frequently nauseating—in other words, perfect for the material.

The capable cast does its best to make the characters more than simple zombie-bait, and they generally succeed, helping to make "28 Weeks Later" a rare horror film that's as good as it is gory.

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