Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s 28 Days Later revolutionised the zombie genre of horror back in 2002: it blends world affairs that would escalate and go wrong with the terrors of the undead via the world-spanning Rage virus, pulling off a successful balancing act between a post-apocalyptic thriller and harrowing state of affairs that hit really close to home. Also, the whole guerilla technique of camera-work did make the film a marvel to look at and keep pace.

28 Years Later takes a more personal approach with its already-established universe where the dead roam. Rather than focus on a government sector or the already-told British center, Boyle and company chose to portray the outside world surrounding the quarantined United Kingdom, where a self-sustaining English village -on Lindisfarne I believe- is fending for themselves while training the best with deft bow-and-arrow combat sharpshooting skills.

Left For Dead

“Show, Don’t Tell” rings true with the production house’s handling of 28 Years Later’s direction, as the editing is stylized, fast-paced, and coherent in conveying its tone and narrative involving a father-and-son coming-of-age expedition with all sorts of dangers. Our main star is Spike (Alfie Williams), who gets brought out for said rite of passage with his dad Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), a well put-together loving father with his own vices and deep-seated issues. He has to deal with his bedridden wife Isla (Jodie Comer) to put up with much to Spike’s chagrin.

So off he goes to seek help for his sick mom by heading to a faraway hut built by a “madman” (Ralph Fiennes) away from the little-England settlement. All these narrative threads weave through the motions as we see Spike go from being a sheltered child to a young man who can survive on his own. The transition from his father-son time to the second half of the show does shift in tone all over the place, from thriller to even a spot of comedy when Spike meets up with lost patrol soldier Erik (Edvin Ryding).

As for the actual antagonists, we have the fast-moving zombie horde led by the alpha, a big buff zombie with more brains and hunting instinct, stalking Jamie and Spike as he looks upon the horizon. He is a menacing presence that shows up sparingly but is effective in delivering the scares and gory bits. Clearly Boyle and co. are influence by the Predator series and the first Mortal Kombat based on how the alpha deals with his prey: think Sub-Zero’s head-pulling fatality done in visceral effect.

In spite of its sinewave tonal shift and its possible franchise continuation from the show’s last few minutes, you can’t help but feel for Spike, Jamie, and Isla, each of them having their own insecurities and demons to deal with. Whether it’s inadequacy or just flat-out mental breakdown, the actors do a great job being more human in their post-apocalyptic surroundings. The aforementioned edits to marching footage to the ins-and-outs of the heavily-fortified-in-spirit village does dish out a bleak look at how those years in this 28 infected worldscape brings out the worst in people.

Isle Of Man

Much like its infected, 28 Years Later may be going around in circles in its whole narrative as it fidgets spastically to be coherent, but its saving grace is Alfie Williams, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, and Ralph Fiennes making us invested with their stellar acting chops. Plus, those action scenes with real bow-and-arrow stunts and intense running away from adversaries don’t miss a beat, music choices and all.

Besides, any movie ballsy enough to kill off children in the first 5 minutes is at least worth your zombie apocalypse-craving attention.

Final Score: 70/100