Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · June 19, 2025 · Entertainment

Horror Reimagined: '28 Years Later' Revives the Zombie Apocalypse with World-Class Talent

With the terrifying and electrifying 28 Years Later, director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland have delivered the best post-apocalyptic survivalist horror-thriller film I have ever seen

28 Years Later: A Thrilling Post-Apocalyptic Horror Ride

Get ready for a wild ride, folks! Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland have reunited to create the most electrifying post-apocalyptic survivalist horror-thriller film of the century - 28 Years Later.

But don't worry if you haven't seen the previous two films (28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later). This one stands alone like a shining star, and we're not just saying that because it's been years since the last installment!

Which sounds like limited praise, yet it's a much more crowded field than you might think

So, what's this movie all about? Well, let's start with the beginning. Imagine a group of kids glued to their screens watching Teletubbies (yes, those colorful creatures from our childhood) when suddenly, chaos erupts! A gang of "infected" bursts in, and it's not pretty.

Fast forward 28 years to Holy Island off the coast of Northumberland, where we meet our protagonist, 12-year-old Spike (newcomer Alfie Williams), who lives with his macho father, Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), and ailing mother, Isla (Jodie Comer). The mainland is a hot zone for the deadly virus, but this island has remained blissfully unaffected.

In this post-apocalyptic world, the small community on the island has regressed to medieval times. Spike doesn't recognize an iPhone or a frisbee! But Jamie thinks it's time for his son to experience his first kill, and with bows and arrows in hand, they venture onto the mainland, where the infected roam.

Boyle also made the 2002 film 28 Days Later, setting up the story (written by Garland) of a terrible virus rampaging through Britain, which in those days was more the stuff of science-fiction than it seems now

Director Danny Boyle masterfully weaves this perilous mission with nostalgic clips of old newsreel footage and classic movies (think Laurence Olivier as Henry V leading his archers into battle at Agincourt). Arrows used to be for the French, but now they're aimed at a different enemy - the infected.

This film is not for the faint of heart. It's a non-stop thrill ride that will leave you on the edge of your seat! And when Spike returns to the mainland with his ailing mom in search of the eccentric doctor (Ralph Fiennes) who might hold the key to saving her life, things get even more intense!

The cast is phenomenal, with standout performances from Taylor-Johnson, Comer, and Fiennes. But let's be real - it's young Alfie Williams who steals the show! This feature-film newcomer holds his own against his illustrious co-stars.

It begins with a crowd of kids watching Teletubbies, who I must say always seemed a bit creepy to me, not that Tinky Winky and co deserve the shrieking dissonance of what comes next, as a gang of the 'infected' burst in

As we close this review, we can't help but wonder what's next in store for this post-apocalyptic world. With a hint of things to come at the end, we're left eagerly anticipating the next installment!

Read all about it on TheScholarlyNote.com!

Unlike Covid, this virus turns its victims into zombie-like creatures, sending them mad with hunger and murderous rage

We are then whisked forward 28 years to Holy Island off the coast of Northumberland, where 12-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams) lives with his macho father, Jamie (Aaron Taylor Johnson), and terribly sick and bedridden mother, Isla (Jodie Comer)