Tag Archives: Danny Boyle

28 Years Later Review


With many years in the making Danny Boyle still knows how to create even more to be wowed by. That is right! 28 Years Lateris a masterpiece. A lot of thrills, chills, and unimaginable realizations of what is on the outside of a detrimental territory throughout the franchise. Boyle is one that always has an eye for creating an environment at risk, assessing the measures, and selecting characterizations that fuel his many suspensefulmoments. His mind hits on a one-of-a-kind thriller with 28 Years Later. The apocalypse has transitioned, and the outside has more surprises, but survival is where the writing hits full throttle.

This film is the third in the 28 Days Later franchise. This time survivors find themselves on an island. The risk is in going to the mainland. That is where mutated creatures are still rising and society has adapted to quarantine hardcore. The inhabitants have created barriers around the perimeters of the island. There has also been an adaptation to living with little to nothing of creature comforts. All around though, the biggest task is getting into the mainland. The plague though, has been the focus of the entire franchise, and Boyle keeps realism afloat to maintain the filmpersistent in provoking curiosity. IS there a cure? What is the new trend of adapting? What is beyond the walls that may be able to help those who are in need?

Three decades later the new characters of focus are Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), Isla (Jodie Comer), and Spike (Alfie Williams). Jamie and Isla are the parents of Spike. Isla is home in bed with an illness and Jamie keeps her in quarantine because she displays concerning signs of erratic behavior. For Spike though, he feels there is hope, and he takes a chance to try to get his mom help. This means he needs to get to the mainland, but with the island swarming with extremely dangerous and mutated creatures, the wrath of the wild and the pandemic meet a new maker.

What is so thrilling and enticing is the fact that Boyle knows how to make his audience think. 28 Years Later loops in a lot of moving parts that correlate to the conflict and premise itself. Overall, the pacing is rapid and wild. The film is written by Alex Garland, and after his project Warfare, I can tell his themes of continuity play into the pandemic mode to come back with a vengeance in 28 Years Later. Rapid and vivid with sensation, there are secrets to be found and new terrors that are unbelievable. Boyle and Garland are film makers intent on providing shock and awe with visually stunning brilliance.

Throughout the forests and in encountering the creatures is a world where Spike must be willing to risk death in order to find the help and resources that may or may not exist on the other side. There is that foundation for safety, because it contains brief moments of training before entering the dangerous lands. I do not want to spoil anything, because clearly there is much to be said.  So much of the film was a surprise delivered in the unexpected amazement which was in front of me. Through the eyes of Danny Boyle revelation in uncharted territory is a concept he has cultivated to successfully blow his audiences minds…even many years down the line. Four out of four stars for 28 Years Later.