28 Years Later Review

Runtime: 1h 55m  Genre: Horror/Thriller Release Date: 20th June 2025

Plot: 12-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams) and his dad, Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), leave their survivor colony and head to the infected English mainland as Spike embarks on a rite of passage.

Thoughts

There's no denying that we've been bombarded with zombie (or infected) films in the past decade, thanks to Call of Duty Zombies' hype and the nibbling corpses being an ever-present part of the horror genre. 28 Days Later reignited the genre in 2002 with the blood-spewing infected spreading the rage virus with plenty of gore and fear-inducing speed. Now,18 years on, the infection is back, but does it still have a gripping bite?

28 Years Later begins as a survivor story, with the father-son duo, Spike (Alfie Williams) and his dad, Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), leaving their established survivor colony on Holy Island to experience the outside world and encounter the infected residents as they embark on a rite-of-passage journey. The infected threat escalates, and around the midway point, the plot pivots from what you may expect but still clings to its coming-of-age tale in a (mostly) satisfying way within this decimated world.

The overall journey is enjoyable and tense, although the fear factor never truly ramped up as much as I expected. The movie showcases various infected, with small but distinct differences, each getting their moments in the fear spotlight. But it's the hulking Alphas that bring the true fear, towering with an intimidating presence and ripping heads off their victims in full predator style.

The cast does a tremendous job, with Alfie Williams leading the film capably, and supported by excellent performances from Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and even Ralph Fiennes. Each one is connected to Spike, shaping his journey, and ultimately keeping you invested in their fate within this depraved world.

Almost all of 28 Years Later was shot with the iPhone 15, and it looks great. The action resembles much of the speed and immediacy of the first film, with quick-moving camera and some snapshot-like action shots as the infected are impaled with arrows. It all looks great and helps give the film a gritty feel. That's all backed by Young Fathers' uneasy tension-building score, which helps drive home the tone and atmosphere of the film.

In a Nutshell

28 Years Later is a good film. It takes some risks, and the ending minutes feel like a wild fever dream that sets up the upcoming sequel in some unexpected ways. It doesn't surpass the original, but it does a good job bringing the Rage Virus back with enough fear and tension to keep you excited for the franchise's future.

3/5