The poem “Boots” by Rudyard Kipling is read in an almost hypnotic manner as the screen barrages you with images of men preparing for war. As these images appear on the screen, they are accompanied by scenes of Jaime (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Spike (Alfie Williams) walking across the plains, along with images of zombies consuming their prey. A lot is going on at once, which makes you feel uneasy about what is to come across the screen. This clamor of noise and images is on par with the previous movies in the series, but the tonal shift halfway through this film makes it feel like you are watching a different film.
It’s been 18 years since “28 Weeks Later” showed us the madness that the” Rage Virus” spread across the world. With this gap in time, the question on everyone’s mind is “Will 28 Years Later give us that same feeling? Will this movie live up to the ones before it?” Let me tell you, friends, it all depends on you. The movie feels like two films about growing up told at different points in Spike’s life.
The movie begins with a chyron informing the audience about what happened in the world due to the rage virus. We next see Jaime and Spike preparing for Spike’s big day: going to the mainland. As he prepares, we are introduced to his mother, Isla (magnificently played by Jodie Comer). Isla is suffering from a type of dementia where her conversation is foggy and unclear. On the island, there are no doctors, so she is confined to her bed while Jaime and Spike go about the day.
On the island, Jaime wants to make sure that Spike is prepared for what is to come. Like a father and son hunting trip, Jaime tells Spike step-by-step how to kill an infected. While Spike seems a little shaken up after his first kill, Jaime is filled with joy. These moments feel like the movie is going to be about a son bonding with his dad, but the more they stay on the mainland slowly things start to change.
During this part of the movie, Danny Boyle introduces us to not only the advanced infected, known as Alphas, but also how he is using technology to tell his story. The use of the iPhone shots is pretty epic to see. Once the infected start chasing Jaime and Spike, we see this new technique put into play. The shaky camera shots and stomach-churning images are all here for the fans of the previous movies, and once back on the island, the movie shifts in tone.
On the mainland, Spike saw a fire burning in the distance and was told a story about Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes). Spike feels that Dr. Kelson can help his mother and decides to try to find him. Here is where there is a tonal shift in the movie. The fast-paced energy is gone, and it now becomes a much slower tone. There are a few crazy moments, but the energy in Spike is different. With his father, it was all about being the Alpha and being the attacker. With his mother, it is more about being empathetic and caring. Spike is doing what he feels is right, but what will that cost him?
Without giving away too much of the third act, Isla’s condition is diagnosed by Dr. Kelson. Dr. Kelson teaches Spike about the infected and dying. It gets a little morbid in their conversation but the theme of life continuing after horrible incidents is displayed in a scene reminiscent of 2004’s Dawn of the Dead. The resolution to this issue feels quick and rushed. Lastly, don’t get me started on the quick-cut WTF ending.
Final Thought: 28 Years Later is a great horror movie in the first half, but it tends to lose its way during the second half. The frenetic pacing of the originals is here, and that makes for some great anxiety-inducing moments. The use of iPhones is fantastic, and we’ll see if this technique is used in the next installment. The final minutes of the third act and the finale will make people either scratch their heads or be curious as to what is to come.
Kid-Friendly: There are close-up images of the infected eating dead carcasses that I found to be nauseating. There are plenty of naked infected throughout the movie, and one Alpha (Chi Lewis-Parry), who caught everyone’s attention.
Violence: There is plenty of violence in this film. I would suggest parents watch it in theaters and watch it at home with their kids once it is available to purchase.
It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.