28 YEARS LATER

Danny Boyle is back at the directing helm, nearly three decades since the rage virus infected most of Britain. Twelve-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams) lives on an isolated gated island with his parents, Isla and Jamie (Jodie Comer and Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Jamie takes him to the quarantined mainland to practice kil*ing zombies – creatures that have evolved into grotesque crawling, slug-like blobs and fast-moving, upright, intelligent Neanderthals. During his second visit to the mainland, with Isla in tow, Spike is determined to find a doctor who can help diagnose her health issues. Along the way they meet Swede Eric (Edvin Ryding) who is frustrated about being stranded in a foreign land filled with monsters. He delivers the film’s best lines and injects humour into some tense situations. The filming style is erratic (in a good way) with the camera placed right in the actors’ faces, immersing you in the scenes and adding to the unease. The acting is convincing and the script, written by Alex Garland (whose recent direction and writing of ‘Warfare’ was phenomenal) offers strong character development with an easy to follow plot. There’s a masterful balance between zombie action and story progression, and everything unfolds with just the right timing. The 115 minute run time flies by. Spike starts out as a scared child but evolves into a confident, independent pre-teen – with Williams effortlessly carrying the lead role. I’m not sure Ralph Finnes was well cast for his brief appearance (maybe I’m still picturing him in ‘Conclave’?) and one scene 10 minutes from the end felt rushed and disjointed compared to the rest, but they are minor picks. Overall it’s a well crafted zombie film with a solid foundation and IMHO is the best of the ‘28’ series so far. I’m looking forward to ‘28 Years Later – The Bone Temple’ scheduled for release in January 2026. Memento mori!