At first, it was 28 Days Later. Then weeks turned into months. And now, months have turned into years – 28 years to be more specific. Danny Boyle’s return brings with him a more humanistic and emotional element to the film that is hard to find in post-apocalyptic/zombie films. Isolation and grief relevant to us now, Boyle allows audiences to connect deeper with his characters than ever before in this franchise.
28 years ago, this massive outbreak escaped a biological weapons laboratory, testing monkeys. Unable to contain this virus, it spread greatly. The few survivors who remained had to quickly cope with their losses and new reality. And work together to find sanctuary. Proving harder than they were made to believe, along their way they lose even more than they thought they could have.
In 28 Days Later (2002), director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland introduce the world to the deadly outbreak of a highly contagious, aggression-inducing virus. It becomes a fresh take on the post-apocalyptic film and adds an additional cult-classic film to Boyle’s filmography. The film warranted a sequel, and this was found in 28 Weeks Later (2007). But failed to continue with Boyle as the director which caused it to lose the strength that the original had.
As Boyle returns for 28 Years Later, his familiar style returns for viewers, but with a twist. More twists than one. And it creates an even better film, allowing for audiences to connect with the characters on a deeper level.
28 years after the initial outbreak, some survivors have found peace and exist amid the infected in secluded quarantined zones. On one specific island, connected to the mainland by means of a heavily guarded causeway, one small group lives in ‘harmony’. The mainland becomes dark and unknown as the infected mutate into things beyond anyone’s previously thought of ideas. Not only have the infected further mutated since the original outbreak, but survivors have also changed as well.
Boyle has such a vast filmography, but with such a unique style. His films 28 Days Later and Trainspotting (1996) have such a comparable gritty feel to them. When you think of them you can understand the cultish vibes they bring. Completely shot on iPhones, yet with some immensely complicated rigs, 28 Years Later still feels like the gritty and low-quality style of its predecessor, with a slightly updated focus. Teaming up with Garland once more, the two have elevated the franchise, brought it to the current time period, kept the horrific elements, and yet managed to make it closer to home than ever to be expected.
Young Spike (Alfie Williams) has grown up in an island quarantine and has known nothing else his entire life. His father, Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), is an aggressive man who wants his son to be able to survive the real world. Though he is also not truly aware of the horrors that exist. Along with Spike’s ailing mother, Isla (Jodie Comer), the family of three live on this island sanctuary where all its members know their place and live life the best they can in their circumstances, with the children never knowing anything else.
Coming upon what his father deems coming of age, Spike turns twelve and the two venture to the mainland for his first infected kill. Through his journey, he discovers secrets, wonders and horrifying truths. Spike learns things that will change him and the trajectory of his life forever.
When beginning the path of the infected back in 2002, Boyle’s 28 Days Later focuses more on the need to survive and the aggression that this need requires. As 28 years have passed, the virus has settled and there is a greater harmony and state of calmness that is witnessed through those on the secluded island. With less of a need for survival, Boyle and Garland include less violence in 28 Years Later, which requires them to develop the plot in other ways.
There is a greater amount of humanity in the film. And though this is conveyed through the script, it relies on the empathy developed by its actors and their talents. Isolation. Sorrow. Grief. Human emotions, that we all feel at some point in our lives. Spike and those he interacts with all must deal with these ideas. They’ve all known what it is like.
Williams’ portrayal of Spike is utterly raw, for a young actor he conveys such powerful emotions. And when paired with Comer and Ralph Fiennes, the performances capture the viewer. Without spoiling the film, it is impossible to describe the depths Comer dug to. To present Isla in the way necessary to allow for Spike’s character to change in the way you would expect a teenager to become an adult. Yet in Spike’s case he must grow up all too soon.
Every minute of 28 Years Later has an explanation at some point. Nothing is there without it being necessary. Boyle and Garland have curated something brilliant, 23 years after beginning their endeavor. They have allowed for the stories to change, yet continue on from where they began. With a part two planned for 2026, be sure to catch 28 Years Later as it screens in cinemas, and prepare yourself for an emotional whirlwind.
