Though it hasn’t been 28 years since the groundbreaking first addition to the franchise, 28 Years Later retains the spirit of the original film but isn’t afraid to evolve. Danny Boyle and Alex Garland make their return as the director-writer pair behind the movie after being absent from 28 Weeks Later​​. They take full advantage of the increased budget and creative freedom at their fingertips this time around. 28 Years Later is less a long-awaited sequel and more of a reboot, bringing the franchise into the modern, grief-stricken landscape of contemporary horror movies.

The post-post-apocalypse genre is at an interesting place, as by the time we catch up with young Spike, played by Alfie Williams, a whole generation of people has grown up after the end of the world. The movie is a more emotional, character-driven drama that’s punctuated by zombies rather than a true genre flick. While this might not be what audiences are expecting, it’s probably a good thing for the franchise’s future, as this doesn’t feel like a copy-and-paste attempt to recapture the spark of 28 Days Later; it’s something new.

Though film and television feel inundated by zombies, 28 Years Later is aware of the influences, from TV to video games, that have sprung up and were, in turn, inspired by the original 2002 film. 28 Days Later revitalized the zombie genre, but now 28 Years Later is forced to enter an oversaturated genre that’s been explored in every way audiences can imagine. Fortunately, the film takes this as an opportunity rather than an obstacle and genuinely tries to avoid many tropes, only leaning into them for the fun of it.

28 Years Later Doesn’t Just Want To Be Another Zombie Movie, It Wants To Impart A Message

Boyle & Garland Craft A Story That Asks For More Emotional Investment Than Ever Before

After being heralded as the man who reinvented the zombie genre with 28 Days Later, Boyle had his work cut out for him with 28 Years Later, which skirts the less-acclaimed 28 Weeks Later. In quick succession, the movie sets up the rules, stakes, and tension, using the dizzying camera work of iPhone footage with plenty of Dutch angles. It’s a natural evolution of the run-and-gun style that was necessary for 28 Days Later; however, this time, Boyle gets to play with the images to enhance the narrative, and it works for the movie.

Inherently, 28 Years Later doesn’t have the Earth-shattering stakes of the first two movies. It never could, and it doesn’t try to. Instead of trying to tackle the global impact and scale of a crisis like this, the story narrows in scope, focusing on Spike’s small island and his personal relationship with his mother and father, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jodie Comer. Taylor-Johnson is handsome and charming as Spike’s flawed father, but it’s impossible for him to avoid some over-acting, as he’s asked to be larger-than-life.

Conversely, Comer has a tough job, as she’s more likable than Taylor-Johnson because of her character’s position in the story. However, she’s no less required to lay the melodrama on a little thick. Williams is able to anchor the project because the plot and supporting characters do most of the heavy lifting in crafting the story’s world. Spike is a sweet protagonist, and it’s an interesting choice to center on a child’s experience, reminding us that there are people coming after us who will inherit the Earth and everything we’ve done to it.

I felt the heart-pounding thrill of 28 Years Later many times over throughout the nearly two-hour runtime, and this is what helped the movie fly by. The film has you in its grip for a long time but takes the easy way out at the beginning of the third act in favor of a setup for the coming sequel. It’s here that the pacing, so far fairly deliberate, starts to come undone. Amid the video game-esque kill sH๏τs and homages to military mobilization, the stakes of Spike’s story and his emotional throughline are a little weak, never quite hitting the mark.

No one but Ralph Fiennes could’ve delivered such poignant monologues about death and acceptance without fully taking me out of the story. When his character appears, there’s a significant tonal shift, and the movie’s intention to wrap up and tie up loose ends is palpable. 28 Years Later doesn’t take itself too seriously for the most part, but it’s through Fiennes’ character that Garland and Boyle attempt to impart some wisdom about humanity and death upon the audience. It’s not unwelcome, but it’s a little out of place.

28 Years Later Wastes No Time Setting Up Its Franchise Potential

The Movie Is Constantly Looking Ahead Instead Of Staying In The Present

28 Years Later hits all the benchmarks a post-apocalyptic movie should. It provides context about how people live, giving insight into the outside world, and lets the project feel satisfyingly rough and moss-covered. Spending time inside this otherworldly, and at times beautiful, alternate reality is thrilling but never terrifying. I don’t think Boyle or Garland are trying too hard to scare us. These days, it’s easy for a horror movie to shock you with gore; it’s harder for it to hit its emotional beats. 28 Years Later isn’t perfect on this front, but it’s working overtime to get there.

By the end of the story, it fully sinks in that from the very first sequence of the film, 28 Years Later has been setting itself up for a sequel. While the intention behind the project might always have been to make sequels, it almost wouldn’t make sense to watch 28 Years Later as a standalone. Though the propulsive pace is what piques our interest, I get the feeling that the story is already long gone by the time they’ve caught up to it. Fortunately, I didn’t mind chasing down 28 Years Later.

28 Years Later will be available to watch in theaters on June 20th, 2025.