The year of damned good horror movies continues with 28 Years Later, a second sequel to Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later, the zombie film that changed the genre forever.
Before 28 Days Later, the genre had been commanded by legendary director George Romero, whose zombies lurched around at a snail’s pace—and somehow still managed to catch up with you and eat your face.
Granted, the great Return of the Living Dead, a 1986 film outside of the Romero universe, had some zombies that could do a bit more of a gallop than a lurch. But Boyle’s zombies ran at top speed thanks to the Rage Virus, a nasty affliction that had your eyes turning red and blood spouting out of your mouth within seconds of getting bitten. There was no waiting around for people to “turn”—the transformation was almost instant.
This new installment, set 28 years later in the cinematic universe (even though the original came out 23 years ago), has the same zombies that can run at top speed. This time, they are mostly naked, because, let’s face it, zombies this violent and crazy are eventually going to tear their clothes off, with no need for wardrobe changes. They are also, in some cases, very obese, leading to a new breed of zombie that crawls along the ground and likes worms.
Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his son, Spike (Alfie Williams), are heading out for a father-son hunting trip. You can probably guess what they are hunting, and it’s Spike’s first time, his rite-of-passage moment. They live in a village that is devoid of technology with their wife/mother, Isla (Jodie Comer), who is suffering from a mysterious, undiagnosed illness.
Spike eventually encounters Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), a loner living outside of the walls of the village, rumored to be a crazy man. Yeah, his demeanor is a bit questionable. He bathes in iodine and has built a skull temple from hundreds of corpses he’s collected. While the first half of the film focuses more on father and son, the second half deals mostly with mother and son consulting with the doctor.
I point out the human relationships, because this movie is unusually beautiful and heartwarming for a zombie film. In fact, I will call it the most beautiful, deepest zombie film ever made. As soon as Fiennes shows up, the movie takes on a Shakespearean quality. Boyle, ever the talented director, has crafted a layered film with the help of screenwriter Alex Garland, who also penned the original. There are some nice, emotionally potent moments in the movie.
That’s not to say it doesn’t deliver with the zombie thrills—because it most certainly does. Besides the new crawling zombies, there are now “alpha” zombies, oversized beasts that are the usual rage-infected zombie times 10. If you are going to a zombie film for scares and gore, this one will surely satisfy you.
It is also one of the more beautiful, fully formed films Boyle has made. That’s high praise, because he also made Sunshine (if you haven’t seen that one, make plans to), 127 Hours and Trainspotting. Taylor-Johnson, Fiennes, Williams and, especially, Comer create characters that resonate. A review of this film cannot be written without giving major props to Young Fathers, who provide an amazing score.
This is the first part of a planned trilogy. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple has already been shot and is due for release next year. However, Boyle is not directing that one. He also didn’t direct the first sequel, 28 Weeks Later (2007), a movie that was fine but a step down from the original.
I find myself giving yet another horror-thriller film in 2025 my highest rating (after Companion and Bring Her Back, with Sinners not far behind), and the year isn’t even half over. We might be heading for some kind of record.