Memento Mori - 28 Years Later Review

There’s no denying the cultural impact the film 28 Days Later had on audiences upon its release in 2002. Directed by Danny Boyle, written by Alex Garland, and starring Cillian Murphy in his breakthrough role, the film went on to redefine the genre of zombie horror, and introduced the fast moving and frenetic “Rage Virus” which quickly decimated the population of the UK.

No longer were zombies slow and easily out maneuvered by nimble footed survivors, they now had steroid induced super speed and adrenaline fueled energy to spare. Instead of eating their victims, the creatures were angrily spitting blood with the sole intention of spreading the virus to other hosts. All it takes is one drop! Boyle masterfully captured the fast spread of the disease with inventive cinematography, edits, camera angles, and feral intensity.

A successful sequel, 28 Weeks Later, was released in 2007, and the theatrical popularity of the original film which made back nearly ten times its budget in ticket sales, undoubtedly paved the way for The Walking Dead comic series from 2003, and the Dawn of the Dead remake from 2004. The former unabashedly used the exact same “waking up from a coma” motif first utilized in 28 Days Later. For better and for worse, the cultural icon of the zombie owes a lot to this franchise.

Now, after more than a decade of rumors and attempts to get another sequel off the ground, the long awaited 28 Years Later hit theaters this weekend, eighteen years after its predecessor. Being dubbed by some as “the best horror film of the year”, and “greatest legacy sequel of all time”, we have to ask ourselves, does it live up to the hype and anticipation? Let’s discuss (and try not to have any spoilers).

First up, I have to praise the return of Boyle’s cinematic eye, as a reminder of the techniques which sets this franchise apart. Things always somehow feel tense, threatening, and claustrophobic, despite generally taking place in the wide open countryside. The latest entry utilizes some of the best visual elements of the previous two films, while offering a touching new human dimension between a mother and her son, and a coming-of-age tale.

Yet, after “28 years”, the infected have began to evolve, as well as gain sentience and intelligence. There are now extra large “alpha” infected, who are able to control groups, as well as fat and bloated crawlers, who, for some reason, like to eat worms. It all feels a little closer to a Left 4 Dead video game, or The Last of Us, where we have various mutations and biological abnormalities constantly adapting. Speaking of biological abnormalities, if you’re in the mood for an onslaught of zombie penises bouncing around everywhere on a giant screen, this film is for you!

Without getting too in depth with this review, my initial reaction upon viewing is that there are some elements of this film that are exceptional, and other aspects which are all too typical. I must admit, I was a bit disappointed when they announced that the release was the first in a newly planned trilogy, as that tactic has not worked out well in recent years (See: Halloween, The Exorcist, The Strangers). My view of this is only solidified in the fact that, at the finale of 28 Years Later, my honest reaction was “what the fuck?”, as we are left on a cliffhanger of a scene which brings to mind the zany “I kick ass for the Lord!” sequence from Dead Alive (1992).

While I think the latest entry is a theater worthy experience (propelled by some great performances by Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes), the narrative feels a little unbalanced, with poor decision making by lead characters. Likewise, I still don’t see the need for this to continue into two more films, nor feel anticipation for what comes next in this saga. Cillian Murphy is stated to return, but I can’t help to ask, why?

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a bad movie, and it packs some emotional punch, it’s just hard to understand why two more films are required to finish the narrative. Then again, I stopped paying all attention to The Walking Dead in 2015, so maybe I’m just a bit fatigued with this particular format of storytelling.

While 28 Days helped to reinvent the genre it now also contributes to its oversaturation without making any new innovations. 

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Michael A. Dyer is the host of the HORROR TO CULTURE podcast, vidcast, and website.