In his first film since capturing his third Academy Award nomination for playing a Cardinal in the Catholic thriller Conclave, Ralph Fiennes shows up in the second half of 28 Years Later, a sequel that came out only 23 years after its apocalyptic predecessor that saw a surge in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the most morbidly certifiable way. Yet, his characters understanding of the intricacies of Danny Boyle’s disaster-ridden world help maintain a sense of delightfulness and thoughtfulness throughout the apparent insanity. It’s in Fiennes performance and interactions with a confused and sick parent, portrayed ever-so-delicately by Killing Eve star Jodie Comer, that the crux emotional pull of the film is found.
Yet, a majority of this comes after a disorienting first act, where splices of the war and years past are interspersed momentarily in between moments of a father, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and his son, Alfie Williams’ Spike, exploring the mainland amidst a warzone between the infected deceased ravaging the United Kingdom and the humans. It is here where the gripping survivalism, and a majority of the tension-building and fear-inducing elements that keep the horror portion of the film grounded are found, as the motivations slowly begin to unpeel for each of the primary characters.
But as the 12-year-old Spike learns more about the world and how to combat it, Spike feels obligated to use the skills to get his sick mother to safety, exploring the real heart of the characters within the film itself. The second half, which focuses on a different section of characters, opted to tug on the heart strings while the initial premise of the movie induced far more anxiety, but by doing so, played to the strength of the actors in each role, further developed a world that is prepared to have two more sequels, and seamlessly blended entirely different themes and motifs. For a film that could have easily become one-note, its exploration of the humanity of the remaining humans a generation after Brendan Gleason and Cillian Murphy dealt the pandemic fallout. The village had their own customs, culture, and way of life amidst the tragedy that had befallen them.
Furthermore, the filmmaking at hand was Danny Boyle at his finest. The rapid cuts found in his early work, most memorably Trainspotting, was found in the tension-terror of the first act, as were the more-unique camera angles found in 28 Days Later. A lot of Boyle’s more modern techniques from recent offerings are found in the second half. As the film evolves, so does the way it’s shot, used expertly to fiddle with the exact emotion that Boyle intends. Alex Garland and his team, known for directing A24’s Civil War and Ex-Machina, once again showed his technical prowess with excellent sound design and phenomenal kill shots.
If you’re expecting a movie that’s entirely that of a zombie genocide, prepare to be disappointed. However, what 28 Years Later does deliver is a profound look at war, death, and grief that comes out of all of it. It also sets up a sequel that follows a very different tonality, perhaps preparing audiences to expect that no two movies within this franchise will have the same feel. For some it may not work, but for others this seems as though it’s a massive win for audiences who don’t want Boyle to repeat the hits, rather explore the intricacies of the world.
28 Years Later is in theaters everywhere on June 20th, 2025.
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