Expectations were already high for28 Years Later,asOscar-winning director Danny Boyle, writer Alex Garland and Boyle’s longtime cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle all return to the series. The film shatters them with a raw and unflinching exploration of a post-apocalyptic world decimated by the Rage Virus.28 Years Laterrivets with jarring imagery, disturbing sound, brilliant editing and a gut-wrenching sense of loss, all paired with a truly surprising narrative — nothing you’ve seen from the trailers reveals the actual plot.
The film begins on a remote island in the Scottish Highlands in the early days of the virus, as young Jamie (Rocco Haynes) is rushed into a room with other terrified children as chaos and panic take hold outside. In a disturbing touch,Teletubbiesis playing on the television as the weeping kids are swept up in the bloody carnage. Cut to nearly three decades later, as an adult Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) wakes up his 12-year-old son Spike (Alfie Williams) for an important day that will mark his entrance to adulthood.
A Stunning Continuation
28 Years Later
Jamie makes a special breakfast for the occasion, but they’re interrupted by screaming from the second floor of the house. Both rush to comfort Spike’s agitated and confused mother,Isla (Jodie Comer), who calms down before erupting againonce she learns of their agenda. A saddened Jamie and Spike leave her to embark on their deadly rite of passage. Everyone in their village comes to greet them as they walk towards the heavily fortified gate. Spike listens to the rules that have ensured the safety of their society: You can leave, but know that no one will search for you if you don’t return. A low tide reveals a causeway to the mainland. Jamie and Spike exit everything the boy has known in search of his first kill.
28 Years Later’sfirst act does a banner job of framing the new normal decades after the Rage Virus outbreak. The village is essentially a commune where everyone shares for the greater good, but the mainland represents an existential threat that must be monitored. This means that Spike cannot be afraid to kill the infected. Hesitation and empathy lead to a brutal death. Jamie won’t let his son be sheltered from the truth of their dangerous reality.
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Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, Slumdog Millionaire)infuses28 Years Laterwith dread from the start, cutting together ghastly scenes of the infected savaging animals with classic footage of British soldiers to the increasing tempo of Rudyard Kipling’s poem “Boots.” This initial exposition illustrates how the island’s residents have adopted a siege mentality, but food, fuel, and other needed supplies can only be found across the water. Survival means killing the infected and facing the dark remnants of humanity, who are just as brutal and unpredictable.
Then Boyle andGarland (Ex Machina, Annihilation, Civil War)radically shift the plot in the stunning second act. This deviation is a stroke of cinematic genius.28 Years Laterkeeps the audience unsettled by never establishing a set path. The film isn’t just Jamie and Spike battling the unknown as a training mission; there’s also a fascinating analysis of the virus’ aftermath, and how it has affected both survivors and those born in the new world. Nature has overtaken civilization, and the infected have split into different types, each with varying threat levels. Taking shelter in a decrepit house may seem like a good idea — until the foundation starts to rattle.
Superb Supporting Performances
We see28 Years Laterthrough Spike’s eyes, and Williams is remarkable in his feature debut. Spike has been dutifully prepared for this moment, but nothing in the boy’s worst nightmares comes close to seeing the infected in person. Spike grimaces at their foul smell and reacts in horror to their ear-splitting screams. You understand why Jamie wanted to tear off the Band-Aid instead of gently removing it. But Spike’s journey becomes more than just shooting arrows through blood-spurting jugulars. He thoughtfully comes to conclusions that are very different from Jamie’s perspective, causing significant friction and tension.
Comer andRalph Fiennes, who nearly steals the show as Dr. Ian Kelson, are also magnificent here. Isla is a troubling wildcard who cannot be managed by conventional means. Her apparent mental illness causes tremendous division. How do you handle the sick with no options for care? There are no easy choices when caring for an unpredictable person in a perilous environment. Boyle and Garland make troubling decisions that will haunt you.
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A sequel to28 Years Laterhas already been shot, and questions are left purposely unanswered at the end of the film to serve the continuing narrative. The nail-biting tension and heartbreaking climax will leave you thirsting for more. Audiences are going to be blown out of their chairs by the scope and depth of this horror masterpiece.
28 Years Lateris a production of Columbia Pictures, DNA Films, British Film Institute and Decibel Films. It will be released theatrically on June 20th from Sony Pictures.
