28 Years Later

silliussoddius · 21-06-2025 06:47PM

I hope to see this next week. So there is a sequel arriving next year and another possible one depending on the box office. Personally I would like to see 28 Hours Later, seeing how everything falls apart and the realization that everything is f***ed would be very interesting.

RickBlaine · 21-06-2025 06:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123567279#Comment_123567279

Danny Boyle said in an interview that there couldn't actually be naked actors on set with Alfie Williams due to child protection laws, but they could be almost naked with prosthetic d*cks.

johnny_ultimate · 21-06-2025 07:23PM

I dug it. Don’t love the first, but think it’s really solid. And I’d say the same here - not mind blowing, but a smart sequel that follows the original while expanding on it.

Obviously the lasting legacy of 28 Days Later - outside its running zombies - is its rough and ready digital video cinematography, which was fairly unique for the time (at least in the action genre - naturally there’s a direct link to pioneering video filmmaking with Anthony Dod Mantle and Dogme 95). I was wondering how they’d handle that here, and glad to see it’s still a very raw digital image - albeit more detailed given the improved camera tech over the past two decades. Still, it suits the material - harsh, agile and a little messy. But there’s some smart additions here - there’s a couple of key moments with more expressionist digital details, but I think it really works in creating a more intense and hallucinogenic experience. The run across the water was excellent in that regard.

It all ticks along nicely, and while even the ‘years after the outbreak’ tropes are familiar at this stage, there’s just enough tonal fluidity and novelty here to make them interesting. Lots of amusingly excessive violence (heads being pulled off almost becomes a running gag). The biggest problem is probably the ending tbh

While I’ve known a sequel exists for a while now, I did feel the blatant, last minute setup for the next film undermined what was otherwise a pretty effective ending! Looking forward to Da Costa’s film, but yeah the tease just didn’t quite work for me given the rather different tone it abruptly introduces in the last 120 seconds.

Vestiapx · 21-06-2025 07:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562970#Comment_123562970

Remember the beginning well thats the guy at teh end 28 years later

Vestiapx · 21-06-2025 07:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123549901#Comment_123549901

28 weeks later never happened Danny Boyle disowned that movie

Akrasia · 21-06-2025 07:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123565116#Comment_123565116

I get what you're saying it is a different tone and style to the first film and I think that is putting lots of people off.

If you came to see 28 days later 2 you're gonna be annoyed.

But that wouldn't have worked.

The themes about 'what makes someone human' are very haunting.

And the exploration of truth vs reality, and what it means to be brave, vs hiding from your fears...

Its a deep, complex, multi layered film that is also very entertaining as a popcorn movie. Really hard to pull both of those off together

santana75 · 21-06-2025 07:54PM

Saw this earlier and I found it to be a bit of a slog. There are some scenes of genuine tension(the race back across the causeway)but jodie comer's character was incredibly annoying. Anytime she was on screen I wished a zombie would put her out of her misery(and ours too). The whole thing is grim, gory and nasty. Aaron taylor Johnson is great though as is the kid who plays Spike. The ending is poor aswell.

el Fenomeno · 21-06-2025 10:30PM

Is Jimmy at the end supposed to be a nod to Jimmy Saville? With the hair, tracksuit, jewellery etc.

smurf492 · 22-06-2025 06:12AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123568494#Comment_123568494

Name in the credits is Sir Jimmy Crystal so a definite nod

Dial Hard · 22-06-2025 08:45AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123568829#Comment_123568829

They're all Jimmy. Including the girl, Jimmima 🤣

speedboatchase · 22-06-2025 01:20PM

Worst ending since War of the Worlds. I was really enjoying it until then. The first 45 mins or so were flawless and nail-biting.

Thargor · 22-06-2025 09:44PM

Just back from it… My God, way to sh1t all over your legacy of creating one of the scariest horrors of all time and definitely the scariest of the zombie genre Danny Boyle, what a pile of sh1te. Amazing opening but then it descends into boring/weird and finally the ending is so stupid nobody would believe you if you told them, I was in shock leaving the cinema and so were the people I was with. Thats the best story he could come up with in the 28 Days universe? Unbelievable.

Fysh · 23-06-2025 07:41AM

I caught this on Saturday and have been mulling it over since.

Overall I thought it was pretty good, but not without issues. The more I think of it the less I'm gone on the "alphas" idea, and the repeatedly ripping-off-heads-and-spines thing felt like the silliest sort of "Zack Snyder Thinks This Is Kewl" moments. (Particularly the "we've got a bunch of armed navy patrolmen with automatic weapons and training, but we'll nerf them unconvincingly to show how Big 'N' Scary these lads are" bit).

Beyond that, though, I got a distinct feeling that the film is trying to comment on Britishness (by which it actually means Englishness) but doesn't have anything much to say. The lanscape shots, the bits of cultural artefacts that the islanders cling to, even random things like the field zombie who sneaks up on Spike and his mum looking like a starving Infected Rishi Sunak - it's all surface-level. Maybe I'm missing some details here. I hope so.

I thought the performances were good throughout, and thought that the Spike/Isla story was done very well.

I will say the music was phenomenal; the poem/score accompanying Spike's first trip to the mainland was hypnotic and anxiety-inducing in a way that was viscerally uncomfortable while I was watching, which I assume is exactly the desired effect.

The complete tonal shift in the final couple of minutes was a poor choice, I think, even knowing that there's a sequel on the way. For all that the extent of Saville's awful crimes would remain unknown if the outbreak in 2002 collapsed the UK as a civilisation, using his appearance as a peculiar gag in a sequence framed as horror-comedy is going to land weirdly at best. The more I think of it, the more I'm convinced the opening and closing scenes of 28 Years Later should just have been kept for The Bone Temple.

Xofpod · 23-06-2025 08:59AM

Saw it over the weekend and would agree with what most people are saying here. I enjoyed it, thought it did some stuff very well, appreciated the different setting and tone to the first two, some great performances, but…

When all that most people are talking about is that ridiculous, unnecessary ending, I'd consider that a fairly serious misjudgement on the part of the filmmakers and it doesn't fill me with a lot of excitement for the follow-up (even if Cillian Murphy is back for it…)

Ken Tucky · 23-06-2025 09:23AM

Really enjoyed it but same as a lot of people here. It didn't need that ending.

And if its a nod to Jimmy Savile, well that's just sick to be honest.

Glad I watched it at the cinema. Even during the quiet parts you could here all the background noises and the infected in the distance.

At one point it reminded me of a Christopher Nolan film with so much noise and imagery coming at you.

It was very touching the way it dealt with Jodie Comer.

All in all, great film. But go and watch in the cinema

Banjaxed82 · 23-06-2025 11:01AM

Didn't know what to expect but didn't expect such a kitchen sink drama vibe.

Definitely has its flaws and.miss steps but I'm also glad they didn't just go out and make another version of 28 Days later.

For all the flaws, that alpha chase back to the island was amazing. Fook me, it was breathtaking sequence, and Danny Boyle on top form.

Nobody can deny the ending was wildly out of whack with what went before it, but I'll wait till the 2nd film comes out before I judge it.

One thing is evident both Danny Boyle and Alex Garland aren't back in this world to make money, so I live in hope that the sequel might deliver... something

J Mysterio · 23-06-2025 11:08AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123560174#Comment_123560174

I'm amazed at the positive reviews. I thought it was dogshit.

The 'Alphas', pregnant zombies, ffs... Awful.

Banjaxed82 · 23-06-2025 11:16AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123572134#Comment_123572134

Genuine question but what kind of film were you expecting?

J Mysterio · 23-06-2025 11:26AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123572165#Comment_123572165

So, 28 Days Later had a gritty 'realism'.

While ultimately a 'zombie movie', it was novel in presenting this as 'rage', with fast moving, powerful 'zombies'

It was dark and moody, but built on good relationships between the characters, who had hope of surviving/ thriving in the post apocalyptic world.

While the second film was obviously quite different to the first due to Boyles lack of involvement, it was reasonably consistent in its world building and tone, albeit it was Americanized/ blockbustered.

This movie has completely broken the link to the previous for me and just introduced farcical elements such as the aforementioned 'Alphas' (what are these giant joke zombies with their penchant for spine removal?), pregnant zombies (the alphas fucked these zombies? What do they do with the non-infected babies? The birthing scene was so ridiculous), and the absolutely bizarre Kill Bill style introduction of Jimmy Saville and his mates.

I was just shocked and amazed at what I had seen. A tonal mess with no consistency and many world breaking moments of pure silliness.

ECookie13 · 23-06-2025 11:35AM

One moment that really pulled me out of the film, and honestly felt a bit eye-roll-worthy, was the train scene with the Alpha chasing them after the baby sequence. I've not seen many people mention it, but it stood out to me.

The Alpha very calmly and deliberately opens the sliding train door, almost human-like, with no rage or urgency. That just didn’t sit right. You’d expect a creature like that, a giant, mindless wrecking ball of a "zombie", to smash straight through a flimsy PVC door.

It felt oddly out of character. Honestly, it made me wonder if that scene was part of a rushed reshoot, where they didn’t have time to properly review continuity or tone, especially considering what's being reported behind the scenes.

Disclaimer, I did like the film in general though, per my previous post.

Fysh · 23-06-2025 12:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123572231#Comment_123572231

The Alpha stuff generally felt to me like it could just as easily have been crowbarred into the script to make sure they had enough options for "scary" bits, including both exposition and a clunky show-your-work demonstration to Establish The Increased Threat.

If the goal with e.g. the first Alpha figuring out to follow Spike & Jamie back to the island, or knowing how train doors work, was to suggest they have some level of intelligence, I don't think it landed. (I had a similar thought about the way the Slow-lows were shown initially, wondering if they had learned how to hunt in packs, but it appears not...)

VertBlue · 23-06-2025 12:04PM

Young Fathers have scored this movie and I would be a big fan of their sound. Do I need to have seen either of the first two movies before watching this?

ancapailldorcha · 23-06-2025 12:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123572317#Comment_123572317

Ideally yes but there's no direct overlap. Rage virus has overridden the UK and it's under international quarantine. That's about all you need to know.

Banjaxed82 · 23-06-2025 12:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123572317#Comment_123572317

Would actually be interested in the opinion of someone who hasn't seen the previous movies.

I think some of the flaws in the film are fundamentally storytelling issues which trumps the 28 days world and lore.

johnny_ultimate · 23-06-2025 12:37PM

I appreciated that the world had adapted and changed over three decades - zombies included. It does seem apt that the dynamics would change as the environment settled and food supply dried up.

But more than that I liked how it showed the humans have changed in this world. Ralph Fiennes’ character was absolutely fascinating IMO - we’re clearly expecting one thing given the genre, but get something sadder, weirder and more human. This one man who has clearly gone a little mad from years of isolation, but also wholly committed to this macabre but oddly beautiful project to memorialise the lost. The last act - until its absurd ending, of course - packs a likeable emotional punch that I wouldn’t have anticipated from a 28 Days Later sequel.

Thargor · 23-06-2025 01:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123572198#Comment_123572198

Couldn't have said it better, excellent summary of how they dropped the ball here.

The Jimmy Saville thing gave me serious Game of Thrones final season vibes, both in the fight scene which reminded me of those Godawful sand snakes and their hideously choreographed acrobatic fight scenes and the whole "finishing your homework at 22:00 on a Sunday night" vibe with the rushed ending.

Where did that idea come from? It feels like they were running out of time and just throwing out sh1t ideas and somehow that one stuck. It is the most cack handed finale Ive seen since Game of Thrones tbh, total sh1tshow.

ancapailldorcha · 23-06-2025 01:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123572545#Comment_123572545

It really killed the whole vibe of the film IMO. If the infected are just punching bags for the Saville fellas, what's the point of them?

Dogsdodogsstuff · 23-06-2025 01:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123572198#Comment_123572198

This is it for me, the gritty realism probably more then anything. I’m gonna goto watch it again when the crowds have died down as it was really annoying having people talking so kept dragging me out of the mood of the movie.

I loved the start and the tension up to the alpha chasing them back to the island. That was proper savage.

I also loved (when reflecting back) the Fiennes character and his arc. Was beautiful how they handled the mothers demise.

In many ways there was a superb movie in here trying to burst out but it really felt a bit off.

I can prob come around to some of the other weird stuff like the alpha having the predator rip your spine out fetish and even fiennes not killing Samson (presumably as his character appears like an under taker moreso then a hunter).

But I really think the trailers for this actually promised a movie more like 28DL than the trailers for the original. If they’d of had a more cerebral (as many people keep defending it) tone to the trailers I might have been more ready for it.

Somebody did say that the ending may fit in better in a trilogy. I’m actually ok with that , if it’s the case we are seeing the world through the boys eyes. Maybe it gets more gritty , grimy and more like the original as the boy grows up ? Yeh sure, why not.

Thargor · 23-06-2025 05:01PM

Another thing I hated was the throwaway mention at the start of the rage virus being "beaten back" in Europe, they showed infected running around the Eiffel Tower, half of France would have been infected by then and it weakens the horror of the rage virus in the first place saying that was even possible. They should have made a trilogy about that tbh.

Did anyone else notice that Ireland was also completely infected and quarantined on that map aswell? Never came across that in the lore before.

johnny_ultimate · 23-06-2025 05:22PM

I think the ‘retcon’ (or more accurately hand-waves dismissal) is mostly just down to Weeks being made by a different creative team, and Garland is openly not fond of it. He just wanted to write the sequel to Days on his terms, rather than a cheap sequel tease in the film he didn’t like.

Granted, he put in his own cheap sequel tease here, but that’s neither here nor there 😂

28 Years Later

Comments