28 Years Later

This one will really divide the audience. Some will relish the stress inducing horror of the trip to the mainland, others will wonder if Alex Garland suffered a brain hemorrhage while he was writing the screenplay.

It looks pretty fantastic (strangely the colouring reminded me of Garland's Men) and, contrary to what a lot of reviews claim, the acting is solid, particularly from Jodie Comer and Alfie Williams. The mixing in of archive clips isn't a particularly groundbreaking move, but it's effective.

It's hard to define exactly what subgengre this film belongs to, but there are strong folk horror vibes throughout, and that plays well with the satirical edge to the film (what is it about zombie movies and satire?). As a political statement about 21st century British decline it isn't as over egged as I feared it might be- it's subtle to the point where I wonder whether it can be fully appreciated viewers who aren't familiar with our strange little island.

It's easily as tense and bloody as the other two films (although this one is rated 15 which shows you how times have changed). There are some genuinely tense moments throughout.

The ending. All I'll say is that however you imagine the last 5 minutes will go, you're wrong. If this is to be the first part of a trilogy, it's going to get batshit crazy (although again, anyone not familiar with British pop culture will not appreciate quite how bizarre the ending is).

Very different to anything in the previous two movies.

Some really good nods to the present Little England mentality, which would be lost outside of the UK. The crazy ending that is hilarious would also be lost if not familiar with the context.

So many subtle things that Boyle has included in here. The now felled sycamore gap tree being one. Any sense of distance with the cameos is artistic license.

The story is split into two halves and fans will prefer the first. There are some excellent scenes in there.

The Doctor is mad. A great character played by a superb actor.

I liked it and would watch parts again.

Totally bonkers!

The film is truly a tale of two halves. The first act was definitely entertaining. The world design looked amazing. Sprawling scenery and some genuinely scary moments involving the infected. This part of the film was by far the closest to the previous instalments. The direction here stands out - with grainy close-ups, fast jump cuts, and jarring transitions reminiscent of the original film, it pulls you right into the chaos.

Unfortunately, the momentum doesn't last. As the film transitions into its second half, it shifts gears into a more melodramatic human drama. The focus moves away from the infected threat and toward a lackluster subplot involving a mother and a doctor. The characters at this point make some questionable decisions which really doesn't help the film's validity.

The final act unfortunately teetered on lacklustre and borderline comedic, completely changing the tone of the first act.

I stand by saying the directing, camera work, editing and cinematography were the highlight. The landscapes and post apocalyptic setting was beautiful to look at. These elements made the film worth watching. There were some plot elements that were interesting enough but were never explored to the full potential.

However a weak plot, even weaker characters and a lacklustre ending prevent this instalment from being memorable.

I have to admit, after the opening scene of the film, my expectations went far below what it would for this series. After the explosive intro to 28 Weeks Later, which ended up being a middling film at the end, I expected much more of a bang at the beginning. I guess that is what they wanted though, to subvert your expectations and subvert them they did.

As a horror junkie, I thought I had seen almost everything this genre has to offer, particularly within the zombie genre. However, as the film progressed, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland did things that surprised even me. To my delight, this film ended up being a breath of fresh air.

Just when I thought the film was going in a certain macabre and disturbing, but familiar way, it finds a beating heart and shows that humanity is present even in the face of death. It touched me in a way that few films of this nature have and for that I applaud the creators.

I refuse to elaborate on the story or anything of that sort, because I feel it just needs to be experienced fresh and new in the mind. I will say the cast and crew do an amazing job, the acting is phenomenonal and the cinematography felt inventive and raw. It helps drive home the story the creator's intended to tell.

Overall, a fantastic sequel. Far above what it could've been had they just stuck to the formula. As I said previous, I applaud Danny Boyle and Alex Garland for doing something daring and for keeping it original and authentic. This one will probably go down as the best horror film of the year. I will definitely be in the theater for the next installments to see where they can take this disturbing, but hopeful story.

4.5 skulls out of 5.

Some cool moments, a lot of random choices. I would guess they were going for the experimental alternative factor buuut not quite successfully.

My biggest "why" is this movie being attached to the 28 series. Completely unnecessary and misleading. It was probably done to attract a wider audience; otherwise, it would have fallen into the unpopular indie horror film category with little financial success.

As a 28 fan, I was disappointed, however, in the first 15 minutes I realised I should forget I'm watching a 28 movie to have a chance of enjoying it.

The cinematography and art direction were out of the box in a good way. The cast and acting were good.