28 Years Later: A Clunky Start With a Wild Finish

I haven’t seen any of the 28 Days Later movies, so this film was my introduction to the franchise. Going in completely blind, I found the first hour to be slow and, honestly, pretty boring. Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s character didn’t do much for me—his arc felt flat, and I didn’t find his performance all that convincing. Most of the characters, aside from a couple of standouts, were frustrating or irritating to watch.

That said, even without prior knowledge of the series, I like the world-building and found the zombies in this universe to be genuinely chilling. Their presence brings a constant tension, and I was able to pick up pieces of the lore just through the way the world was built. The second half of the film really picks up in terms of suspense and intensity. Once it gets going, it becomes a much more engaging ride.

Jodie Comer and Alfie Williams were definite standouts. They brought heart and urgency to their roles, and their performances helped ground the more chaotic moments. Ralph Fiennes’s appearance later in the film adds another layer of gravitas and gives the movie a welcome boost.

Emotionally, the film didn’t always land. There were moments that clearly aimed to be heartfelt or devastating, but they didn’t quite hit the mark. Still, the ending is what everyone’s talking about—and I get why. It’s divisive, for sure. It feels completely out of place tonally. If I had to describe it, imagine watching Batman take down some thugs, and then suddenly the Power Rangers crash the scene. That’s the level of genre shift we’re talking about.

And you know what? I loved it. It was my favorite part of the movie. Bold, weird, and unexpected in the best way.

As someone new to the franchise, I’m intrigued. This film did enough with the zombie lore to make me curious about where the story is headed next. Overall, it took a while to kick in, but when it did, it was fun—and it left me wanting more.