The zombie franchise is back with Danny Boyle and Alex Garland both back as director and writer respectfully in the legacy sequel 28 Years Later that everyone has been clamouring for. Personally I was a bigger fan of Weeks than I was Days simply because of how different the shock and awe value was in the film and the disease spreading more than the first movie, so Years should have been a home run. While I take no issue in either the direction or writing of 28 Years Later and only really have an issue with a singular character, that singular character drags the entire movie down and makes everything feel less and unfortunately just brings the entire movie to a messy screeching halt. If you wanted a nasty and uncomfortable zombie film with a human story, it’s within 28 Years Later, but if you wanted strong performances from the entire cast – you’re unfortunately missing a main component.
28 Years Later starts by showing us a young version of Jimmy watching Teletubbies when the infection started, and then slowly brings us to ‘modern’ day where Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) lives in a community with his sick wife (Jodie Comer) and their son Spike (Alfie Williams). The community has real simple rules, if you leave you come back on your own – no one comes searching for you, and you will be checked to see if you’re infected before allowed back in. Upon Jamie and Spike’s mission to the mainland to teach Spike how to be ‘a man’ and fend for himself, he sees a fire in the background and questions what it is when they return. Upon hearing, in almost utter disbelief, that Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) still lives on the infected island and is carrying out his ways, Spike decides to stand up against his father, kidnap his mother and bring her to the mainland to get Dr. Kelson help with her illness. Of course, being a 13 year old boy Spike is in above his head, almost risks his and Isla’s life and encounters some Alpha (zombies that are beyond comprehension) all in the name of finding Dr. Kelson and seeing if he can save his mother.
Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes are fantastic in their respective roles, varying from degrees of screentime. They are electric, humanized, and grounded which makes them some of the best parts of the movie. Their interaction within the movie and the way they execute their roles is what makes 28 Years Later a worthy successor in the franchise. The downside, Danny Boyle, Alex Garland, and everyone else in casting and writing/creative wanted to make a script that hinged and entirely sat on the shoulders of a child. They then what ahead and a child with nearly no other acting experience, and to blame a 14 year old child is unfair and wrong, they had the weight of a massive franchise on their shoulders and to expect them to carry it is a daunting task for even seasoned actors. While there is nothing particularly *bad* about Alfie Williams’ performance – there just isn’t anything spectacular either and when he’s the lifeblood and backbone of the entire film the film falls short because of the inability to connect, care, or resonate with the lead character.
28 Years Later boasts some incredible direction and cinematography, and a grounded humanistic script penned by Alex Garland with wonderful supporting performances. The issue lays in the choice of making a newcomer at a young age be the emotional gravitas and backbone of the movie when they can’t get the job done – they’re perfectly okay and that’s okay but it drags the movie down and brings the overall movie down with it. Stay for the zombies and the destruction, but you’ll leave wishing there was something more to feast on.
