Boyle with Rage Again

28 Years Later (Danny Boyle, 2025)

When the news was announced that Danny Boyle and co-writer Alex Garland (a dead ringer for DJ Yoda) were returning to the post-Rage blighted Britain, which they first unleashed with their horror film milestone, 28 Days Later (2002), it instantly became the most anticipated film of the year for this film blogger. It was an absolute game changer to the the zombie/infection subgenre. The film's innovation and influence credit it as the patient zero in all things zombie related throughout the Noughties and 2010s. Therefore, its creators seemingly have a mighty task in delivering a follow-up equally as exciting, fresh  and terrifying with 28 Years Later (2025).

Decades after the Rage virus outbreak, the entirety of Great Britain has been quarantined off from the rest of the world. Survivors exist, but they are remotely scattered. Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island, off the Northumberland coast of England, is one such example. Separated from the mainland by a natural causeway which reveals itself  in low tide, the survivors have become a living community. Amongst them, is twelve year old Spike (Alfie Williams). He must undergo a rite of passage, where he will cross over to the mainland with his father, Jamie (Aaron-Taylor Johnson), and put the hunting skills he has learned to the test. To kill your first infected is akin to a blooding in hunting; symbolising Spike's transition from a child to a man. These important steps into a proverbial larger word, will become the film's drive. This rite of passage will also play heavily in the plight of Isla (Jodie Comer), Spike's mother, who is afflicted by an illness and bed-ridden.

A special mention deservedly goes to its break out star, young Alfie Williams. Child actors tend to over act, but his performance is first rate in 28 Years Later. That's no mean feat when you're performing opposite experienced actors Jodie Comer, Aaron-Taylor Johnson, and the consistently great Ralph Fiennes. Big fan of Comer and Johnson's Geordie accents. 

We learn that the Rage Virus has evolved since the outbreak. The infected no longer starve to death, as first shown in Boyle's prior film. They are able to eat; therefore, they no longer starve to death like before. The outbreak's spread to Paris, as shown in the epilogue of 28 Weeks Later (2007), has been successfully driven back. It's an obvious retcon by Boyle;  nonchalantly explained in a blurb of text. That would explain why Boyle's vision of an isolated Britain, with European fleets around its waters, comes across as a possible allegory to Brexit. An island isolated from the rest of the modern world; one that revealed to have regressed to the past, where they use bows and arrows again. Bereft of modern tech and weaponry, various scenes from Henry V (1944), particularly where archers are drawing their bows, are intercut with the Holy Island's inhabitants. The solitary St. George's flag overlooks the North Sea.

Technically, 28 Years Later's attention to detail is on par with George Miller's post-apocalyptic Mad Max universe. All the more remarkable that returning director of photography Anthony Dod Mantle, shot it all with iPhones. Some novel visual treatments; like red night vision scenes, are particularly effective. The film also has its own brand of bullet-time; more accurately arrow-time, is a mixed result. Initially impressive, but its over use quickly becomes gimmicky A major draw, is how evocative it is of sixties and seventies era British films in its visual style and feel. Holy Land has a wonderful Summerisle vibe, along with John Wyndham's The Day of the Triffids. The latter, having already been a major source of inspiration for the first film. 

The virus's evolution has resulted in three distinctive types of infected: the fast ones that we're accustomed to from the previous entries; Slow-Lows are grotesque and blubbery humanoids which crawl on their bellies and scavenge for worms and other earth grub. The most dangerous of them all are Alphas. These specimens have been affected by the virus also serving as a growth steroid; turning them into huge, hulk-like humans, hung like a donkey. They possess superhuman strength, speed and resilience and the most formidable for any armed group. Alphas are also more intelligent than their other brethren; even acting as pack leaders to other infected.

28 Years Later has three distinctive acts of varying quality. In the first act, we get to experience Spike's first trip to the mainland with Jaime, is by far the best part of the film. Spike spends more time with his mother in the remaining acts, where we're also introduced to Erik Sanqvist (Edvin Ryding), a Swedish NATO soldier, who provides a window to the rest of the world. The iodine tinted, Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), a Col. Kurtz-like loner is the remaining character introduced in Spike's coming-of-age tale. Plot contrivances are more apparent as the film progresses. The third act in particular is much slower paced, and very much drags at times, in its emotional development to Spike's story arc. Without delving into spoiler details, one distinctive scene attempts to pull a heartbreaking sequence, but Boyle's execution is so cumbersome, that it feels unearned and weirdly comedic. Therefore, the constant emphasis on memento mori fails to truly resonate.

Bizarrely, the final scene of 28 Years Later, one that bookends the intro, where a group of children nervously watch Teletubbies during the initial spread of the outbreak, and eventually leading to Jack O'Connell's character in the second chapter of this new trilogy, is perhaps the most jarring scene in the entire film. Brits will no doubt be familiar with who O'Connell's cult is based on, by their hair and wardrobe, but to the rest of the world, not so much. If anything, the final moments, which are beyond surreal and discordant with the rest of the film, might actually dissuade anyone even bothering with Nia DaCosta's follow-up, 28 Years Later: The Bone Pile (2026), next January, when people do some inevitable Googling.

Technically, 28 Years Later's attention to detail is on par with George Miller's post-apocalyptic universe. All the more remarkable that returning director of photography Anthony Dod Mantle, shot it all with iPhones. Some novel visual treatments, like a red night vision scenes, are particularly effective. The film also has its own brand of bullet-time, more accurately arrow-time, that is remarkable, initially, but is over used too much in the film and winds up feeling gimmicky for the remainder. A major draw, is how evocative it is of sixties and seventies era British films. Holy Land has a wonderful Summerisle vibe, along with John Wyndham's The Day of the Triffids, the latter, having already been a major source of inspiration in the first film.

Overall, Messrs Boyle and Garland have delivered a perplexing film. This ought to have been the film of the year. It's riddled with plot holes, ridiculous contrivances and tonal inconsistencies, and yet, it still manages to be an entertaining post-apocalyptic spectacle. The first act is cinematic heaven; it's just a shame the other two aren't on that same level. This is obviously faint praise, but as a first time watch, 28 Years Later is one of the more enjoyable releases from what's been an otherwise disappointing year thus far for films. Whether or not, I'll still feel the same way about it after a repeat viewing, remains to be seen.