Written by Sam Clark
Certificate: 15
Running time: 115 minutes
Director: Danny Boyle
The best thing about apocalyptic films, whether it be those featuring zombies, monsters or aliens , is that this genre has been and will always be about one thing: humanity and survival.The best this category has to offer (''28 Years Later'', ''The Walking Dead'', and the work of George Romero - the one who started it all) is that they are never about the monsters, they are just used as a metaphor (sometimes politically too) and just feature in the background.
All of this comes down to one simple idea and concept: what if humans are the actual threat themselves and what will humanity do in order to survive, which coincidentally is the film's tagline (''what will humanity become?''), thus supporting this notion. The creatures are just the representation of how monstrous we have became as a race.
Image credit: IMDb / Sony Pictures Entertainment
We must also not forget how revolutionary ''28 Days Later'' was when it came out and was certainly the most impactful zombie film since it all started in the 60s with Romero. If the idea of an apocalyptic film was not stressful enough, but ''28 Days Later'' also introduced everyone, for the first time, to the idea of fast zombies which just made matters even worse and the last thing that was needed. Not only did it already have the theme of humans as the threat, but also the added bonus of the running infected. It was doing a lot of things at the same time and became iconic and impacted the genre moving forward. Then came 2007's ''28 Weeks Later'', from Spanish director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and new writers.
After seventeen years, we are now back with ''28 Years Later'', and it must be noted that this is the first film in a new trilogy, with the next film ''Bone Temple'' set to be released in January. .This appears to act as the follow on from 2002's ''28 Days Later'' which was directed by Oscar winning director Danny Boyle (''Slumdog Millionaire'', ''Sunshine'', ''Trainspotting'' 1 and 2) and written by Alex Garland (''Ex Machina, ''Annihilation'', ''Sunshine'' and ''The Beach'').
Boyle and Garland once again reunite for this. Regarding the film's plot, it's business as usual. The virus which is known as the ''rage virus'' has been ravaging the UK for decades. The country is still sealed off and most of it still seems unhabitable. However, survivors are dotted around. Here, the story takes place on an island community, the North East's very own Lindisfarne.
Image credit: IMDb / Sony Pictures Entertainment
We follow a new set of characters - ''Jamie'' (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), his wife ''Isla'' (Jodie Comer), their son ''Spike'' (Newcastle born Alfie Williams) and ''Dr. Kelson'' (Ralph Fiennes). They are trying to navigate their way through survival as well as the threat of the ''alpha infected'', the most dangerous type of infected currently rampaging through the landscape. But their biggest threat may not be what they think it is as other dangers exist in many forms.
I was lucky and fortunate enough to have been invited to the North East gala screening for ''28 Years Later'' by the Tyneside Cinema which is Newcastle's biggest and best independent cinema and an incredible venue. Whilst on my MA Journalism course, I have been covering the story of the growing film scene here in the North East for months, and so it does feel like all my work as led to this moment. Even though it was only brief, the absolute highlight of the entire event and evening was actually meeting Danny Boyle. This was my first press event and I've wanted to go to a press screenings and events for years and years and years, and thanks for them, that was made possible. So I am truly grateful to them for the invite.
Image credit: IMDb / Sony Pictures Entertainment
This film is also set in the North East, the first time a film production of this size has done that. This is huge for our region and means that audiences across the country (and the world) will be seeing our amazing landmarks - such as the Angel of the North and Sycamore Gap - for the first time ever. I was sat next to some of the local extras from the film in my screening, and I could feel the sense of love and community washing over us as we saw our home on the big screen in this much detail, which has never been done before (I am from Newcastle myself). It was strangely odd at the same time, and when ''The Blaydon Races'' came on (which I did not expect to hear), that was the true icing on the cake. So it is very exciting for our region and hopefully we see more of it in the future.
Danny Boyle has only gone and done it again, as we knew he would. ''28 Years Later'' is significantly nastier and even more ferocious than it's predecessors, and is probably the most violent zombie flick I have ever seen. The last two had 18 certificates and you'd imagine this would be the same, yet it has only been saddled with a 15. Do not be fooled by this as this is far crunchier and far more merciless than what we have seen thus far and even more relentless than I anticipated it being. Without a doubt the most graphic alleged 15 I have ever come across.
What's also interesting here (and slightly contradictory), is that ''28 Years Later'' does surprisingly shy away from the idea of humanity being the danger, which as already been explored and established. Instead, a newer and fresher approach is taken and needed here in order for them to keep moving forward. This is more of a commentary about the current state of Britain (and certain moments in British history) with heavy sprinklings of religion and philosophy thrown in there for good measure.
However, as is the case with all the best films in this genre, it is the emotional engagement with the story, the drama and the characters that matter the most. That is what they are always about and this remembers to do just that. If you have a story set during the end of the world with characters you don't care about, it takes away any sense of jeopardy, threat or danger. As a result, you don't care what happens to them. Here, however, you do care, and so the stakes are then raised as you want them to make it out safe.
Image credit: IMDb / Sony Pictures Entertainment
I found ''28 Years Later'' to be the most emotionally engaging instalment so far, much more than the last two which were still really good in their own rights. Here, I got more of a sense of love and humanity, and what it means to be human and to be lucky enough to survive in a world where all life is lost. ''28 Days Later'' became instantly iconic for how exhilaratingly adrenalized it was, which ''28 Weeks Later'' was able to follow up on (not an easy task by any stretch).
For my money, this somehow manages to be even more energetic and ferocious, and I did not think it was possible to make them even more heart pounding than they already were, but Boyle has found a way as he always does. There are some catches. This film is breaking more than one boundary by being the first film to be shot entirely in the North East, but it's also the first to be shot on iPhone, which did come with it's caveats. This approach does give the film are fare dirtier, more grounded and guerilla sense of filmmaking which fits into the overall aesthetic, but it does mean sacrificing some authenticity.
There is a shot of Aaron Taylor-Johnson running in this, and for some reason, the moment is captured in some form of selfie mode which instantly knocked the film off balance in an otherwise tense moment and turned rather silly. It only briefly took me out of the occasion and did not last long at all, but it had been slightly longer, it would have suffered significantly more.
Image credit: IMDb / Sony Pictures Entertainment
''28 Years Later'' also ends with a very bizarre set piece that truly comes out of nowhere and was a very interesting choice. I initially did not know the reason behind it but, after conducting research, it is something that only older audiences will understand, hence why I did not grasp what was going on. This moment does ultimately feel like a parody or a dream sequence and will divide people (for many reasons), not only because of the context, but also the fact it is a very comedic moment in a film that could not have less humour if it tried. A huge laugh erupted in my screening and I gathered that it was with the film instead of at it, but I don't know for certain (since these were people who were actually in it, I'll go with the former).
Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jodie Comer are brilliant, and it was very surreal to hear them doing Geordie accents for the first time which they were able to nail. Alfie Williams, who is 16, is superb and certainly got a bright future ahead of him, and I can't wait to see what he does next. After waiting seventeen years, this was worth it. Visceral filmmaking and as gruesome as you would want it to be, with characters and story that has heart - which is crucial. This is a huge milestone and moment for the North East, and I cannot wait to see what comes next.
In cinemas now
