FILM REVIEW: 28 Years Later (2025)
- Joseph
- 14 minutes ago
- 4 min read
28 Years Later - New Release Review
Director: Danny Boyle
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Alfie Williams
Written by: Alex Garland
Produced by: Bernard Bellew, Peter Rice, Danny Boyle, Alex Garland, Andrew Macdonald
Cinematography by: Anthony Dod Mantle
Original Score by: Young Fathers
Synopsis:
A group of survivors of the rage virus live on a small island. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors.
Thoughts:
In 2002, Danny Boyle released '28 Days Later' to both critical and commercial success. It completely rejuvenated the "infected" sub-genre as we followed an Irish bike courier called Jim who awakes from a coma in a post apocalyptic London where a virus has wiped out most of the population, turning them into mindless beings infected with rage. Through this lens it explored the fragile nature of social cohesion in a tumultuous world. Its sequel (28 Weeks Later, released in 2007) was not as big a success but it was still a worthy follow up that leaned heavily into post 9/11 criticisms of American Imperialism and the surveillance society. In the years since the sub-genre has grown a bit stale from over-saturation stemming from the huge success of 'The Walking Dead' and 'The Last Of Us' but now Boyle has returned to the director's chair for the third film (and first of a proposed trilogy) in the series with '28 Years Later'.
Isolated from the rest of the world, mainland Britain has been completely ravaged by the rage virus with small pockets of communities still existing across the land. One such community resides on Lindisfarne Island in the North-East of England which is protected by a tidal causeway. The story follows Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) who takes his son Spike (Alfie Williams) to the mainland as a coming of age initiation. Once there they discover how dark the world has truly become with an infected population that has evolved.
For a third part in a series Boyle does an incredible job behind the camera as director. The energy that was synonymous with so much of his early work (that has felt missing in recent years) is here on show. Visually he doesn't make a retread of the original as he moves forward with digital technology through his use of an iPhone camera. It affords him so much creativity and kineticism that he doesn't waste a second as he evokes so much stunning imagery that you would not expect to see in a film of this budget and scale. It is almost as feral as the infected he portrays on screen in the best way possible as there are so many moments it goes against the visual conventions that his contemporaries of the genre would not attempt. What is also striking are the rich colours that cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle draws from his lens as adding a real fullness to every frame of the film. Editor Jon Harris deserves massive praise too for his work on the film as his use of quick cuts to horrific imagery not only help pull you back into this world but add a layer of anxiety and tension to the film.
The best kinds of genre films (for lack of a better term) are the ones which address current events and 28 Years Later is no different. It is very much a post-Covid and post-Brexit film that deals with how people process such huge socio-political upheavals and how we process these through mythos and embellished storytelling. Here it is explored in a heavy handed way but not to the point of detraction as there is almost a feeling that in a wider context that there are no subtle ways of approaching these issues anymore. In the case of how it addresses Covid, it is done through the prism of isolation. Like the community in the film we tend to ignore the impact of the problem choosing to brush it aside quickly in an almost flippant manner that works really well.
As heavy handed as this thematic approach is through Alex Garland's script, the one thing he handles extremely well is the character's relationship to death, especially after the introduction of Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes). The pathos (and humour) he pours into his performance enhance the delicate beauty and sadness in his relationship to death which peaks in what is likely to be the most moving scene that you are likely to see in any horror film this year during the third act.
As terrific as Fiennes is in the film, Jodie Comer's performance as Spike's mother Isla is every bit as good (if not better). In lesser hands this kind of role could have been played in a trite and predictable manner but Comer's naturalistic approach to the performance evokes so much empathy that you connect with her in a deep way. Despite his young age, Williams is great in one of his first roles as he more than holds his own opposite such great actors. Much will be said about the ending of the film (with the introduction of a new character) as (whether it is intentional or not) will give the audience tonal whiplash that seems to be a commentary on the nature of modern blockbuster cinema. Ultimately it leaves you intrigued as to how Nia DaCosta is going to approach the series with her sequel (which is currently in post production).
In short, '28 Years Later' is an excellent legacy sequel. It carves its own path brimming with so many differing themes and ideas it is quite impressive that the film works as well as it does. Everyone in front of and behind the camera are on top form thanks to the energy and enthusiasm that Boyle brings to the project. It may not reinvent the wheel like the original did but the artistry and creativity on display here is quite something to behold.
Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-Joseph McElroy
'28 Years Later' is released in Irish/UK cinemas 19th June