28 Years Later Review
Here’s my 28 Years Later review which stars Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes and directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland from Columbia Pictures Philippines!
Danny Boyle returns to the world he started with the cult-classic 28 Days Later and this time, its going to span a long period of time and a bigger area. We meet Spike (Alfie Williams), his father Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his mom Isla (Jodie Comer). In this community they live in they go out on different raids there
The film was packed with everything we already used to when it comes to Danny Boyle such as frenetic camera shots at weird angles, close ups and those beautiful landscape shots..For this one we also get some great interspersed or juxtaposed shots. It’s also loaded with poor decision making by characters although that doesn’t really screw up anything YET. That could happen in the succeeding films set for 2026 and 2028.
The casting was great too with Jodie Comer and Ralph Fiennes taking a really good bit of the meaty stuff. Aaron Taylor Johnson as Jamie also ups his game here coming off from Kraven the Hunter. I loved Fiennes in this film as he brought some most needed philosophical aspects albeit in the most gruesome way possible. Even Jodie Comer gets a little bit physical here.
I wasn’t expecting to have feels in a horror movie but it’s still on brand with the 28 franchise. That for me was the highest point for me.
Another thing I wasn’t expecting here was humor and comedy. Like there’s a scene with Spike and NATO officer Erick where the soldier shows off his lady and the innocent Spike comments on how she looks like a fish and it’s delivered in a funny and entertaining way.
I really appreciated the landscape shots here in 28 Years Later for a number of reasons. One is that it reminds us that we are watching a sequel to 28 Days Later which was chockful of those sweeping landscapes of London swapping the urban with the British countryside. Secondly it also gives us a sense of isolation letting us share that feeling our protagonists are feeling. Thirdly it also helps reinforce the idea that this wide area they are in isn’t safe despite the calmness and serenity.
If you’re a fan of Gore and zombie/infected violence you’ll definitely get that here and it is elevated to the next level with the introduction of new types of infecteds like the Alphas and the big, chunky ones. The most intimidating one so far is the alpha they’ve nicknamed as Samson. There’s another surprising thing that I don’t want to spoil and could help change the story moving forward. Definitely a creature that would be a game changer. Oh and consider this your warning for nudity because there’s a couple scenes here and there.
Still a fan of all the running and the chasing and reminds us that at its core this is a homage to the survival horror genre.
The world building and lore building is also insane here and we are riding shotgun with Spike as he experiences new concepts for the first time. Throughout the film our boy learns more about life and death as he takes his mother to see Ralph Fiennes‘ Dr. Ian Kelson to get treatment. It’s with this journey that we also get a peek of the outside world which apparently continued to thrive. Now I’m more curious as to what happened to the other countries after the ending of 28 Weeks Later particularly Paris which was also infected of you remember that.
If there’s anything that left me scratching my head a little bit it’s probably the ending. And no I am totally OK with the people that pops out at the end. It’s really more on how it ended. i wanted more but it was cut abruptly? That was the feeling I got. Maybe we’ll get more with the next film “Bone Temple” with director Nia DaCosta.
The music is also a character in 28 Years Later playing into our brains and elevating the tension like that epic Beach chase scene, those angelic melodies during Spike and Islam’s travels inland. Then there are those pops and bops that play at certain points. The music score’s best bud, silence,
Verdict
We are so back with 28 Years Later. Danny Boyle and Alex Garland did a great job on expanding the world they wrote and directed all those years ago and they did not even skip a beat. The cast was perfect and were well written and the creature design and effects are convincing and menacing. The ending was ho-hum for me and might be for you but it still makes sense. Overall, its worth watching in the big screen.
8.5/10
Special thanks to Columbia Pictures Philippines.
