“Memento Mori, it means you must die.”
This movie has been a long time coming and is quite possibly the most anticipated movie of the summer. Fans (myself included) have been waiting almost twenty years for this addition to the franchise to materialize. Since the Rage virus was introduced to the audience back in 2002 with 28 Days Later, we, the audience, have been captivated by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s gritty zombie tale that filled a much-needed hole left behind by George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead franchise. To their credit, the duo did follow up 28 Days Later with the aptly-titled 28 Weeks Later, which if I’m honest, was my favorite of the franchise, to include this latest installment. That isn’t to diminish this addition; I’m just very fond of the Weeks’ film because it was the movie that really made me pay attention to Jeremy Renner. True to its predecessors, 28 Years Later features a brand-new cast of characters to include Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, Jack O’Connell, Ralph Fiennes, and Alfie Williams in his first leading role.
I know what you’re thinking. If one was to follow the theme of the franchise‘s titles, you’d assume that the next installment should have been titled 28 Months Later. And you wouldn’t be wrong, as that was the director’s original intent. However, unfortunately the franchise languished in development hell for quite some time (nearly twenty years), prompting the filmmakers to feel that titling the film 28 Years Later would be more fitting. Now you may also be wondering if this film represents the final in the franchise, and I have it on good authority that it does not. Not only because the latest installment’s ending is open-ended and ambiguous, but because it appears that another sequel, entitled 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, has already been greenlit with a 2026 release date and multiple cast members already announced.
As it was in the original and the sequel, we are introduced to a new group of survivors. The story picks up almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still under a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, survivors have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily defended causeway. Twelve-year-old Spike (Williams) and his father, Jamie (Taylor-Johnson) leave the security of the island on a kind of rite of passage for the boy. As expected, when the young lad leaves the island on this mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.
If I’m being honest, I couldn’t help but notice some underutilization of certain characters in this one. Taylor-Johnson is prominent in the first half of the film and pretty much nonexistent in the second half. Now circumstances like this aren’t unheard of in the franchise, if I could remind you of Renner’s fate in the second film, but there was a part of me throughout the second half that expected him to show up. When this wasn’t the case, I couldn’t help but be of two minds about that. For one, given how much Taylor-Johnson’s star has been on the rise in recent years, as well as him featuring heavily in the film’s promotional material, I anticipated him being a bigger part of the film. So when I observed his limited screen time, I was mildly disappointed. However, there was almost a part of me that was pleased, because having my admitted preconceived notions proven wrong, it meant that I couldn’t accurately predict where the story was going. I also must echo these feelings for O’Connell’s appearance, which amounts to that of a cameo, which if I had to guess was added for the purpose of teeing up the next film.
Putting these slight disappointments aside, in every other way the film delivered, especially the performances of Jodie Comer and the film’s true protagonist, Alfie Williams. For this to be his first leading role with only three acting credits to his name, to say that Mr. Williams is impressive is an understatement. Granted, the character he was portraying was that of a naïve kid with no real understanding of the dangers of the dystopian world he lives in, which I imagine was very much in his wheelhouse already. However, he brought honesty and purity to the character, as well as bravery, especially when his character is forced to face the truth that the person he idolized was far from perfect. Circling back to Taylor-Johnson’s portrayal, while his time was limited and his character certainly won’t be getting any father-of-the-year trophies, he too brought honesty to the character, as he had to be both a strong figure and far from without sin. Which brings us to Comer, who has yet to give bad performance in any of the many different characters she has portrayed. Comer’s character may have been the most layered of them all, as she had to find the line between strength and liability, something she does with ease, with the best example being her mama bear’s instinct to protect her child from a threat despite the only available weapon being a sleeping bag. However, her best moment came without her even needing to speak, as she conveyed what needed to be done to Fiennes’ Dr. Kelson with only a look.
While I was expecting a more action-driven conclusion to signify Alfie’s rite of passage and maturity, the film does hint at some pretty action-heavy things to come in the next installment, which is expected some time in 2026. Rumor mill has suggested Cillian Murphy’s involvement, and while I’d welcome his return in any form (and yes, I was one of the people who thought the emaciated corpse in the trailer was him), I won’t hold my breath, nor will I be disappointed if he isn’t involved. 28 Years Later has shown me that the installment is in good hands with Alfie Williams, and I look forward to seeing more of this young man in future projects.
