TL;DR – A wildly fascinating film, filled with interesting creative choices. I am not sure that makes it a great movie, but it does make it a wildly engaging one.

Post-Credit Scene – There are snippets during the credits.

Disclosure – I paid to see this film.

Warning – Contains scenes that may cause distress.

Warning – Contains flashing lights.

28 Years Later Review –

In the last year or so, we have been inundated with sequels to old films with a significant gap since the previous movie. Think Beetlejuice Beetlejuice or Gladiator II. Well, today we are dipping into the Zombie genre with a sequel that is just as long, but probably works from an alliteration perspective [as long as we ignore months, and let’s be honest, who hasn’t done that at one point]

So, to set the scene, we open in the throughs of the first rage virus outbreak as carnage spreads across the Scottish Highlands. 28 Years Later, the rage virus has been stopped in Europe and now the British Iles are quarantined. No one can leave once they touch the ground. Settlements are few and far between, but on an island off the British coast, a community has survived on Holy Island. Where only a tidal causeway connects with the mainland. Spike (Alfie Williams) lives on the island with his mother Isla (Jodie Comer) who is profoundly sick, and Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) his father. Jamie desperately wants to take Spike out on his first killing trip, more than a few years before the town would like them to. But as they explore a fallen world they come across something they are not ready for, an Alpha (Chris Gregory/ Chi Lewis-Parry).

28 Years Later is such an interesting film from a cinematography and editing perspective. That trailer that came out was one of those rare pieces of promotion that perfectly captured the vibe of the film. Throughout the proceedings, there was a consistent drive to unsettle the audience so that they can never find their footing. There is the much-talked-about iPhone rig that was used to heighten every death in the film, as if you were playing Sniper Elite. We get interspersed with dream sequences, infrared scenes, and montage sequences that delve into the absurd. It is profoundly compelling, if downright unsettling.

Then we have the cast who are bringing their best to the proceedings. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is delving into the complexities of trauma and the impact it has on your life. Jodie Comer has the difficult job of depicting someone in the throws of a profound illness that is slowly sapping away at who she is as a person. Ralph Fiennes is giving this performance of someone who has profoundly lost their mind, yet is coming from a very logical perspective. However, I have to offer the most credit to Alfie Williams, for someone who is in his first starring role, he not only held his own against the rest of the cast with decades of experience, but he also stole most of his scenes. This is important because without that, the moments of emotion would not have landed, and I can tell you that they did.

This is also a film where the production is essential, because you have to believe in this world for it to work. That town was a perfect microcosm of a survivor ecosystem. One that desperately harkens to the past while trying to survive day to day. With a hint of cult added in for extra measure. We don’t see a lot of the collapsed world, but what we do see is a fascinating time capsule of the 2000s. The infected feel interesting, and the choice to have them mostly unclothed felt correct given the context, but goodness is it a lot. Trust me, you have probably heard how much nudity is in this film, but nothing quite prepares you for it. Also, shout out to the musical score for being weird but also wonderful, capturing that off-kilter vibe.

However, while I generally enjoyed the film, some frustrating elements held it back. The first was the haphazard way the narrative is deployed, which can lead to it being disjointed at times, and you just have to wait for it to come back together again. To get through the film you have to ignore distances, because they change between day 1 and day 2. Also, I need to talk about the very start and the very end of the film, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead. The film is bookended around the character of Jimmy (Jack O’Connell/ Rocco Haynes). While the opening sort of works in the context of the film. The ending is such a profound departure from the tone of the film; it feels like you have been hit with whiplash. I was trying to work out what it reminded me of, and my good friend was the one to point out it felt like that hover gang from Book of Boba Fett. Also, they are making a reference that only members of a certain generation of British would probably get, and if they do, they would be wondering what the hell is going on. I know it is meant to link to the next film, but goodness, what a sour note to end the movie on.

In the end, do we recommend 28 Years Later? Look, that is going to be a call that is different for each person. If you want to watch someone do something different in editing and presentation, then yep. Also, if you want to see a solid Zombie flick, then this is the one for you. If you are not one of those two groups, then this might not be for you. Have you watched 28 Years Later? Let us know what you thought in the comments below. If you liked 28 Years Later, we would recommend to you Cargo.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

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Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of 28 Years Later
Directed by – Danny Boyle
Written by – Alex Garland
Based on – 28 Days Later by Alex Garland
Music by – Young Fathers
Cinematography by – Anthony Dod Mantle
Edited by – Jon Harris
Production/Distribution Companies – Columbia Pictures & Sony Pictures
Starring – Alfie Williams, Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, Edvin Ryding, Chi Lewis-Parry, Christopher Fulford, Amy Cameron, Stella Gonet, Chris Gregory, Celi Crossland, Jack O’Connell, Rocco Haynes, Erin Kellyman & Emma Laird
Rating – Australia: MA15+; Canada: 18A; Germany: 18; New Zealand: R; United Kingdom: 15; United States: R