Director: Danny Boyle
Starring: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfie Williams, Jack O’Connell, and Ralph Fiennes
Movie Length: 1 hour 55 minutes
After a two-decade hiatus, original director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland return to theaters with 28 Years Later, the third in the trilogy of their epic zombie tale. Beginning with 2002’s 28 Days Later, Boyle and Garland successfully birthed a thrilling concoction of kinetic thrills with pathos. The second in the series, 28 Weeks Later, suffered for the lack of inclusion of Boyle and Garland. Now that the two filmmakers are back, how successful is their reintroduction to their original concept? Let’s find out.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Spike, a 12-year-old member of a modest island of survivors is portrayed by actor Alfie Williams. As his rite of passage into manhood, Spike sets out to go on his first ‘infected hunt’ with his father, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Although the boy’s preoccupation focuses on his long-ailing mother, he is tentatively ready for the hunt.
Venturing out from his fortified village located on an island relatively close to land, the two set out for their adventure. As these things happen, their excursion doesn’t go exactly to plan but despite their hardships, Spike manages to get in a kill and father and son return to their homestead, victorious.
During the Spike’s celebratory homecoming, he catches his father in the throws of relations with a local woman, obviously not his mother. This betrayal burns him to the core and he assumes the role of his mother’s true advocate. It’s clear that father is ready to move on and give up on Spike’s sick mother.
As luck would have it, there’s a rumor that deep into the countryside beyond their safe haven exists an eccentric loner who is surrounded in mystery. One of the details that surfaces is that he is a doctor. Seeing this as an opportunity to get his mother the medical assistance she requires, Spike makes off with mom and they leave the island behind. The two will make their way to the mad physician and she will be cured.
Spike turns out to be a formidable protector as mother and son make the hazardous journey to the doctor, dodging attacks from the infected all the while. On their adventure, they encounter one of the infected in a rather unusual state. Without going into details, I have a very difficult time with this plot point in the movie.
Eventually they reach their goal, and the doctor treats them warmly and proves himself to be as eccentric as his legend suggested. Despite being perhaps a bit unstable, he is able to diagnose mother’s ailment, and unfortunately it’s not one that there is treatment for. There are tender moments as we realize that she doesn’t have long to live. To hasten the inevitable demise, the doctor ushers things along and soon the boy is left to his own devices.
Here’s where the film takes a turn that culminates in the next scene that I absolutely hated. It’s the last five minutes of the movie so it’ll be easy to spot should you choose to experience 28 Years Later.
The two terrible scenes I described above taint my appreciation for what is otherwise a pretty good movie. Garland’s famous fast cut edits with loud music harken back to the original film; a welcome reminder of what was ultimately a superior offering.
28 Years Later earns a 6.75/10
28 Years Later in now in theaters.
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