Danny Boyle and Alex Garland are back to show us what has become of the UK nearly three decades after the Rage Virus outbreak. *28 Years Later* paints a picture of a transformed, quarantined island where humanity clings to survival. But the world has evolved, and so have the Infected. What new horrors await?
🏝️ A Society in Isolation
The story begins in classic post-apocalyptic style, focusing on a small, isolated society living on the island of Lindisfarne. Director Danny Boyle has described this insular community as a microcosm of Brexit Britain. This sets the stage for a journey into the mainland, showing us how a quarantined UK has been reclaimed by nature, with stampeding herds of deer and other wildlife conveying the vast passage of time.
🧟 The Evolution of the Infected
The Infected are no longer just the sprinting rage-zombies you remember. The film introduces some interesting new variations. Some have become grossly obese, crawling creatures. More terrifyingly, a small number have evolved into super-charged and intelligent “Alphas“. All of the Infected are now naked, a grimly realistic detail, as their clothing would have disintegrated over the nearly three decades.
🤯 A Jarring Tonal Shift
While the film’s world-building and thrilling action sequences are top-notch, the story takes a wild turn that may divide audiences. The final moments of the film feature a tonal shift so jarring it “practically causes whiplash”. This shocking conclusion makes a certain “warped sense” upon reflection, but it threatens to overshadow the film’s many good qualities. It’s a bold choice that leaves the future of this world wide open and uncertain.
Bibliography:
Berriman, Ian. “28 Years Later.” SFX, issue 394, Future plc, August 2025, p. 73.
More Topics
- Terminatrix Meets Bride of Chucky: Is ‘M3GAN 2.0’ the Campiest, Most Brutal AI Sequel Ever?
- From MIT Genius to Criminal Techie: Is Riri Williams the MCU’s Most Flawed Hero Yet?
- Are Hybrid Dinos Still Scary? What ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Does to Reignite the Franchise
- Guns, Beatles, and a Rocket: Was ‘The Prisoner: Fall Out’ the Strangest TV Series Finale Ever Made?
- Before Doctor Who, There Was Quatermass: Why Do These ’50s Sci-Fi Films Still Terrify Us?
- ‘Why Doesn’t She Run Away?’: Director Joe Dante Reveals Secrets from the Making of ‘The Howling’
- Godzilla vs Hulk? How the King of Monsters is Tearing Through the Entire Marvel Universe
