Movies

28 Years Later”: A Gripping Zombie Thriller with Plot Holes and a Bonkers Cliffhanger

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As a devoted cinephile, I can’t help but express my excitement about Danny Boyle and Alex Garland reuniting after 18 years to bring us “28 Years Later”, a sequel to Boyle’s groundbreaking horror masterpiece “28 Days Later”. While the 2007 sequel, “28 Weeks Later”, may not have been as universally praised as its predecessor, it was a film I found equally compelling. With their creative minds combined once more, I am eagerly anticipating this fresh take on the zombie genre by these talented artists.

The movie “28 Years Later” largely lives up to the tense and grisly atmosphere suggested in its previews. Boyle masterfully crafts a haunting, grimy, and ominous world where optimism seems precariously perched. The film benefits greatly from standout performances by Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and young Alfie Williams. However, the narrative suffers due to inconsistencies, unanswered questions, and a bizarrely abrupt ending that feels more like it belongs in another movie entirely.

28 years following a second Rage Virus outbreak in the Scottish Highlands, we delve into a world where the virus transforms victims into rabid zombies instantly. Remarkably, Europe has managed to contain the virus in many areas, but England remains under strict lockdown due to its devastation. Close by the mainland, survivors have established a community on a tiny island, connected solely through a heavily guarded causeway that’s accessible only during low tide.

In this role, Taylor-Johnson portrays Jamie, a father who’s training his 12-year-old son Spike for an important tradition in their community. This tradition involves a father taking his child to the mainland for the first time, teaching them about potential dangers and showing them how to make their first “kill”. For Spike, who is two years younger than usual for this ritual, it’s particularly challenging not just due to the risks he’ll encounter, but because he deeply misses his ailing mother, Isla (played by Comer).

Upon reaching the mainland, Jamie guides Spike further inward, demonstrating how his skills can help navigate through the dangerous terrains. Eventually, Spike manages to take down his first prey, but not long after, they are compelled to escape swiftly as a vicious horde of zombies emerge. They find sanctuary in the loft of a rundown dwelling, escaping the zombie onslaught. However, this shelter also causes them to overlook their chance to retrace their steps home by crossing the causeway.

While they stay overnight in the loft, Spike spots a big fire burning far off in the distance. Jamie informs him that it’s likely Dr. Ian Kelson (Fiennes), a solitary survivor who’s been branded as a wild madman by the townsfolk. Following some tense run-ins – one with an enormous mutated zombie known as an Alpha – Jamie and Spike manage to get back to the community. With festivities erupting for his safe return, Spike feels restless and disenchanted, instead focusing on finding his mother. Ignoring his father’s orders, Spike smuggles Isla out of the settlement and heads across the causeway in search of Kelson, hoping to uncover a cure for her illness.

28 Years Later transitions into an intriguing blend of intense survival terror and coming-of-age tale. Certain moments are brutally intense and may leave you shaken, while others exhibit a surprising tenderness, particularly between Spike and Isla. Boyle and Garland skillfully craft several mesmerizing scenes. However, the storyline’s continuity can be questionable at times, with noticeable gaps that are hard to ignore.

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2025-06-23 16:57

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