28 Years Later: A New Entry or Hope

28 Years Later reinvigorates the franchise by returning to basics with a character-driven story dynamically shot with great acting and editing.

I’ve had an interesting time, to say the least, getting into the 28…Later franchise. I’d heard great things about them but never had the time to start until this year. 28 Days Later was fantastic in its stellar cinematography and interestingly dynamic story choice. 28 Weeks Later is more thrilling but less potent in the story. 28 Years Later reinvigorates the franchise by returning to basics with a character-driven story dynamically shot with great acting and editing. There’s a lot Boyle and Garland want to say here. I loved nearly every minute of it.

One aspect of Days Later that I loved was its emphasis on the story in a zombie movie. It’s easy for filmmakers and creatives to go the easier route in terms of focusing on just the zombies. They’re great but often weaken your project if it’s just a slasher with an enemy that can’t speak like that. Years Later, at its core, is focused on one select family and, more specifically, two parents and their child. Their dynamic is the center of everything and kept me incredibly invested. The story follows the lead child discovering this world with his ill mother and headstrong father, among other things I won't spoil. I loved how their scenes came together.

In particular, Jodie Comer gave an excellent performance, along with the lead, Alfie Williams. Comer has a lot of stuff to do and imbues her character with great care. Her character is going through a lot, and it’s all believable due to her performance. Williams is also a fantastic lead and bounces off every actor, human or not, in significant ways. Aaron-Taylor Johnson is also good too but he has a smaller role compared to Comer. Ralph Fiennes is also good in this despite his smaller role as is Edvin Ryding in his. Acting has always been a highlight of these films, and I’m glad Years Later continues the tradition.

Speaking of tradition, one of the highlights of Days Later was the stunning cinematography, and this film does not let up. Honestly, this almost surpasses the first for me in that regard. Every shot is incredibly well composed, with several picturesque wides to complement the close-up shots. There’s a stylistic flourish that happens with zombie kills that I found immensely satisfying. The iPhone can feel both cinematic and intimate, like a home video, regarding calmer settings. I enjoyed anticipating how amazing the next shot would be because I could depend on the next shots to be great. It is beautiful, visually legible, and a great addition to the plot.

The editing was on another level. Initially, I found some of its more jagged and almost purposeful offputting choices. It’s all in service of building these intense and engaging horror moments. Often, shots will be cut into a scene much earlier than needed to foreshadow a more bombastic event. It makes every zombie encounter a genuine thrill as the camera shows the fights from every angle possible. The way sound is used is marvelous as well. You can hear every move both the humans and zombies make. The use of songs was fantastic, and I’m kicking myself for not taking a picture of all of them at the end. It’s a complete experience I’m excited I was able to have.

I enjoyed the texture of 28 Years Later. Immediately, it feels like a different experience than the others aimed for, given the richness of the montage used. The story is stunningly realistic, choosing to center its drama on a family portrayed by great actors. The cinematography heightens the film's thrills, making every new shot feel like something to anticipate. The editing is at a breakneck pace, working with a very active camera to ensure the audience is intrigued the whole time. My only issue is that the ending feels short and abrupt as it sets up the sequel. Some character choices feel particularly strange around the end as well. I’m confident it’ll all be worth it when we see what Danny Boyle and Alex Garland have in store.

I enjoyed this movie, and I hope you do too. I’ve already got my ticket for my second watch.

Thanks for reading this review! I give this movie 4.5 out of 5 stars.