28 Years Later - The scoop and digest

Danny Boyle returns to the world he ravaged 10228 days ago.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson - Jamie

Jodie Comer - Isla

Alfie Williams - Spike

Ralph Fiennes - Dr. Kelson

Edvin Ryding - Erik

Christopher Fulford - Sam

Chi Lewis-Parry - Samson

Jack O'Connell - Sir Jimmy Crystal

Summary

Scottish Highlands.

After his family is killed by the infected during the initial outbreak, a young boy called Jimmy flees to a nearby church, where his father, seeing the virus as a sign of divine judgment - sacrifices himself.

28 years later...

12-year-old Spike lives with his father Jamie and sick mother Isla at a small community in Holy Island, Northumberland.

Much to Isla's disapproval, Jamie takes Spike across The Causeway to the mainland to hunt the infected for the first time.

The Rage Virus has mutated, and apart from 'Fast Ones', two other types exist:

Slow Lows (crawling slobs) and Alphas (hulking brutes).

It's very video game-esque.

When they make it back safely, Spike discovers Jamie is hiding dirty little secrets.

He leaves the island with Isla, hoping reclusive survivor Dr. Kelson can treat her illness.

Timeline

First things first - is Weeks canon?

Introductory text suggests not:

"The Rage Virus laid waste to the UK. It was driven back from continental Europe. The British Mainland was quarantined to contain the virus. Survivors were left to fend for themselves."

More so, Alex Garland has stated that Paris was likely nuked.

As for comics, guess they're obsolete too.

Memento mori

Action spills buckets of blood, especially when Alphas go into Predator mode and rip spines out.

For legal reasons, Samson's huge 'trunk' (and other genitalia), are prosthetic.

Alphas appeared in Army of the Dead (2021), making Samson the equivalent of Zeus.

Acting (especially by Williams) also gets a thumbs up, but like original, the second half sucked.

Oh, gotta say the dynamic between father and son was basically Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us.

When Jamie takes Spike on his first hunt, 'arrow time' features some weird pausing.

Unlike T2: Trainspotting, score is composed entirely by Young Fathers.  Choosing hip hop group over John Murphy was a huge gamble and didn't pay off.  I know Boyle and Murphy disagreed when making Sunshine, but don't think they fell out.

During last knockings, a piece of music is based directly on Jim walking around deserted London.

But there's no interpretation of In the House - In a Heartbeat.

Nonsensical

Kids are watching Teletubbies on TV during opening in 2002.  Troubles is, series finished in February 2001.  Guess episode was a repeat?

NATO soldier Erik rescues Spike and Isla from the infected and attempts irritating comedy.  For reasons beyond my comprehension, he owns a smartphone (dubbed a 'radio with photos'), with wallpaper displaying his ex-fiancé enjoying a cocktail.

Where the FUCK did he get this and how is device still working?

Isla finds a pregnant infected in labour and watches her give birth to a human child.

Before he's killed by Samson, Erik calls newborn a zombie baby.

Such poor writing.

Apart from the immediate comparison to Dawn of the Dead (2004), just... WHAT?

Spike leaves baby outside the island's gate in a shopping basket, naming her after his dead mother.

Kelson is introduced when he immobilises Samson with a tranquilizer dart tipped with morphine and xylazine.

Fine.  But why didn't somebody kill Alpha leader when they had the chance?

When Samson launches another attack, Spike stabs him in the arm with another dart.

He'll be back for sequel, presumably searching for his daughter.

Ending

Spike is rescued by a gang dressed like Jimmy Savile (err, just wrong) who jumping about like Power Rangers, wreck the infected with golf clubs, spears and nunchucks.

All this is against hard rock music you understand.

I have an explanation - Boyle and Garland were fucking drunk on dangerous hallucinogens.

 

Cult leader Sir Jimmy (kid from beginning) shakes Spike's hand, saying "Let's be pals."

Behold, he is coming with the clouds.

Abrupt shift in tone was absolutely ridiculous and I couldn't stop laughing.

Nia DaCosta's sequel The Bone Temple (16 January 2026) was shot back-to-back and Boyle has already confirmed in interview that The Jimmies will dominate.

Can't wait for the trailer.

(Rolls eyes).