28 Years Later
28 years since the Rage virus struck the earth, the UK has since been quarantined as infected, yet, just off the coast, a small island of survivors have persevered. Now, with a mission in mind, a contingency must leave the island only to discover what the virus has done to the mainland and its inhabitants.
Written by Alex Garland and Directed by Danny Boyle the post Rage virus apocalyptic exploration of the world continues with an all new ensemble that includes, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, Alfie Williams, and Ralph Fiennes. A world where the zombies are just as fast as ever, perhaps stronger than ever, and in a strange turn of events possibly more sentient than ever? Naturally Boyle continues to bring his cinematic flair in photography and editing along with his sentiments of scoring via pop/punk selections and traditional composition, the trifecta of the Boyle panache, always a treat. And Garland, no stranger to apocalyptical sci-fi themes seems well versed to take on the material, but buyer beware, without spoiling anything, please realize this piece is only the first of a trilogy and not a fully told narrative, rather instead it serves as once again a world builder for the larger story overall, and, this time beyond a zombie horror and subtext, the heavy importance and philosophy of Memento Mori is present, in that to understand death you must acknowledge that at some point you too will die, a somber reminder of mortality. That said, if you’re looking for a self contained, standalone zombie horror, you’ll have to search elsewhere, 28 Years Later on the other hand is laying the groundwork for something much larger. With this installment running an hour and fifty five minutes, the break point seems like the proper end to a chapter, just in time to cue up for some more zany fun. 28 Years Later is rated R.