When 28 Days Later first came out, it instantly became a cult hit that revolutionized the zombie genre. Before 28 Days Later, zombies were mostly slow, shambling creatures, who were terrifying because of their sheer numbers, not necessarily their athletic prowess; however, now with the release of 28 Years Later, the concept of “fast zombies” has been well established, so how will this new sequel keep things fresh? Or is it just another unnecessary sequel?On the technical side of things, 28 Days Later was also known for its gritty and realistic visual style, which is due to Danny Boyle’s used digital home video cameras in shooting the film (https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/28-days-later-pioneered-digital-120832684.html). This time, Boyle sets out to be a pioneer in cinematography once again by being the first blockbuster ever to use a specially-made rig of iPhones to shoot the third film in the 28 Units of Time series. The result is a series of frenetic and jarring sequences that actually work rather well in evoking the tone for this apocalyptic setting. Zombies practically seem to jump out from every side of the screen when things really hit the fan and the rig, which holds 14-20 iphones, allows for “killshots” to be shown from every angle. It is quite impressive to see how far the quality of digital video has come since 28 Days Later, as visually the film looks as high quality as any blockbuster.
The film quickly establishes that this zombie apocalypse is strictly a United Kingdom problem; the virus has been contained to the mainland and a strict quarantine is in effect meaning the remaining survivors are on their own. Without giving too much away, the film essentially begins as a coming of age story, with a young Spike (Alfie Wiliams) learning the ways of apocalyptic survival with his father (played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson). They live with a group of survivors on a small island that is barely even large enough for the small town. Naturally, to prove his worth and his manhood, Spike must venture out to “the mainland” with his father and get his first kill, despite the protests of his severely ill and bed-ridden mother. Without getting into any spoilery details, the majority of the film from there focuses on the mainland, where the zombies have been thriving, and are led by a series of super zombies called “Alphas,” (they film never explains how Alphas are created or what makes them special but a certain swinging appendage seems to play a part) In the midst of all of this, Spike makes a desperate attempt to save his dying mother. There is certainly more action in store than any of the characters bargained for and Spike must quickly put all that he has learned into use. Much like the action, the story is frenetic and fast-paced, but it still manages to take time to establish how much the world has changed since the original film and how life for the survivors of the “Rage virus” epidemic versus the rest of the world; they are not only stuck in survival mode, they are stuck in time. As the story comes to a conclusion we are suddenly met with an abrupt cliffhanger; surprise! There is another sequel coming, this one entitled 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Overall, the plot is simple but effective, however I feel as though we are missing elements to the story that will be revealed in Bone Temple that will tie together a few loose ends and various questions.
On the acting side of things, Aaron Taylor-Johnson gives a solid performance, although he isn’t given as much screen time as one might expect coming into the film. Alfie Williams plays his role well, although there are a few times where his emotional reactions are somewhat questionable, it seemed to be more of a director’s choice than the actor’s. Jodie Comer as Spike's mother, Isla, shines brightest in this film, really committing to the role of the boys’ ill-stricken mother as she fights a disease that turns her own mind against her.
So is it a necessary sequel or another soulless cash grab? Personally, I enjoyed the film, even if I didn’t agree with all of the story choices that were made. The film still manages to make the zombie concept feel fresh and the cinematography gives us a different more immersive feeling as an audience than other zombie flicks. As much as I’d like to see more original films, of course, this sequel doesn’t borrow too much from its predecessors other than setting. If you are a fan of the original film or a zombie fan in general I would definitely recommend giving it a watch.
-Ryan Maples
Rating: 7.5
