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 (072525)
When the first known sound zombie film, White Zombie, was released in 1932 (yes,
it’s the film from which Rob Zombie named his band), it was a safe bet that no
one knew there would one day be dozens of successful zombie films and many TV
shows that would make use of the concept. This includes such outstanding
classics as Val Lewton’s atmospheric I Walked with A Zombie, Hammer’s eerie
Plague of the Zombies, George Romero’s original classic Living Dead zombie
trilogy, the hysterical Shawn of the Dead, and Peter Jackson’s marvelously
inventive Dead Alive and more and more and more. There are also a few top-notch ongoing zombie-themed horror TV series, such as
Walking Dead (great for the first five years or so). As well as The
Last of Us, an interesting vehicle for Pedro Pascal, which has fungi infected
humans that morph into bizarre mushroom-headed zombies. You probably would not think
that so many good artworks could come out of such a limited concept or genre.
For those interested in a more
in-depth look at zombies in film
check out my article:
The Best Zombie Films by Vittorio Carli.
28 Years Later is the latest entry (this being the third in the series) in the
popular series about living zombie's and its an exciting zombie initiation/rites
of passage flick. As with most efforts of this type, the film is post-apocalyptic, and it successfully blends action, drama, and
horror, much of which is not totally focused on zombies. In fact, if you took out the zombies it
could almost be a decent Mad Max film. Unlike Romero’s zombie flicks, the 28 Days
films deal much less in social commentary and more in societal collapse. They lack the deadpan humor of Return of the
Living Dead and the slapstick scenes of the Evil Dead Films or Dead Alive. Instead
the 28 Days films have more realistic character development, and they tend to be
a bit lighter on the gore than most zombie flicks. But the key thing that makes
them different is that they are more grounded in reality, and they have fewer
outlandish horror and sci-fi elements. Unlike the creatures in the Romero films,
these creatures are not dead or slow-moving. They can run, feel think, and even
fall in love and reproduce. This last aspect seems like it has been taken from
Snyder’s zombie heist film,
Army of the Dead
(2021), and the zombie birth plot seems to be inspired by Snyder's
remake of Dawn of the Dead (2004).
The title 28 Years Later is not strictly speaking accurate. It takes place
eighteen years after the original film. But I suppose that’s close enough, and
eighteen years later does not fit in as well with the other films in the series
and would not be nearly as good a title. The story takes place shortly after the rest of the continent has been cut
off from England, which has become an isolated repository of zombies. The island
nation has
become a savage, untamed, dangerous, and animalistic land. Some critics have
commented that this is a commentary on Britain’s supposed decline after becoming
separate from Europe after Brexit.
The story follows the main character Jimmy (Rocco Haynes) who must undergo a ritual at a certain age and kill zombies
without aid, using only a bow and arrows. The initiation is not quite as
unforgettable as the one in Walkabout (1971), but it is still quite thrilling.
Two of the most memorable scenes occur early in the film and are adjacent to the
action. A preacher is praying
to God as zombies destroy everything outside. While we think he is quaking in fear, we find out that he is
actually thanking God for finally bringing about the day of
judgment, and we are glad when he is eaten. Another great scene occurs in a
flashback when zombies are killing everyone outside very loudly, but a group of
kids don’t even notice because they are so immersed in watching Barney the
Dinosaur.
Directed by Danny Boyle, the terrific English filmmaker who made the
feminist sports film Battle of the Sexes (2017), as well as the music-related
Yesterday (2019) and the recent punk rock biopic miniseries, Pistol (2022). His
best-known and most influential films are probably the gritty anti-drug film Trainspotting (2009), which has a huge cult following, and the
Oscar-winning
Slumdog Millionaire (2008).
The film resembles an indie art film or documentary more than a traditional
horror flick. The cinematographer, Anthony Dod Mantle, shot the film largely on
an iPhone (with attachments) like Sean Baker’s classic indie film Tangerine.
Many shots are also done using unusual or crooked angles. Usually, this enhances
the film, but occasionally, the hyperactive camera and weird off-kilter
flashbacks, which are shot in all assorted styles, distract from the story. At
times, the film almost seems to be trying to be jarring for its own sake.
Boyle is helped immensely by his frequent collaborator Alex Garland, who gained
praise for writing the first in this series 28 Days Later (2002). He has earned
a well-deserved Oscar nomination for his screenplay for
Ex Machina (2014).
Garland is a talented film director in his own right. He directed and wrote
films for A24, including last Year’s
Civil War and this year’s Warfare.
The film has a marvelous cast, which includes a sizable and challenging role for
Jody (The Bike Riders) Comer, and she shines in the film.
Comer plays Isla, an afflicted mother, and there are no nearby doctors available
to diagnose or treat her. Her condition has caused her to forget everything that
happened in the world after the epidemic. Spike (Alfie
Williams) is her spirited son who is deeply concerned about his mom. Ralph Fiennes
plays Ian, an eccentric
doctor who cleverly uses modern technology, and Spike hopes he will agree to
help his ailing mom. Also worth mentioning are Aaron Taylor-Johnson who
plays Jaimie, Spike's tough and not very tender dad working as a scavenger trying to
balance his paternal responsibilities with his duties to a collective.
The film builds to a satisfying conclusion, though some
plot points remain unresolved. Where most horror film series (ie: Halloween or Texas Chainsaw Massacre) often
run out of steam right after the first or second films, this third sequel is
easily as lively and effective as the first film in this series.
I could imagine them making several more worthwhile films in the series, and
indeed, it was announced that there would be a sequel coming out in January
called 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. They can probably count on me buying a
ticket, even though it is currently slated to be directed by
Nina De Costa
who also directed and co-wrote
The Marvels.
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