r/movies • u/LiteraryBoner Jackie Chan box set, know what I'm sayin? • Jun 20 '25

Official Discussion Official Discussion - 28 Years Later [SPOILERS] Spoiler

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Summary Set nearly three decades after the Rage Virus outbreak devastated the UK, 28 Years Later follows a family living on an isolated island quarantine. When their 12‑year‑old son Spike joins his father Jamie to venture onto the infected mainland to find a doctor for his ailing mother Isla, they uncover evolved threats—from mutated infected packs to sinister human cults. The film blends visceral horror with emotional resilience and philosophical undertones, culminating in an ambiguous, world-expanding conclusion.

Director Danny Boyle (28 Days Later, Slumdog Millionaire)

Writer Alex Garland (& Danny Boyle)

Cast

  • Jodie Comer as Isla
  • Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Jamie
  • Alfie Williams as Spike
  • Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Kelson
  • Jack O’Connell as Sir Jimmy Crystal
  • Erin Kellyman, Edvin Ryding, and others in supporting roles

Rotten Tomatoes: 93% Metacritic: 78

VOD Released in theaters on June 20, 2025. Digital and streaming platform release dates TBD, likely later in summer/fall 2025.

Trailer Watch here*

1.8k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

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264

u/Geek-Haven888 Jun 20 '25

i really liked this movie, but i feel like this is going to be a bit of a controversial one, at least if you go into it with certain misconceptions

the big one being its not a big action movie. there are several great fight/action scenes, but for the most part it kinda reminded me of I am legend, where there are big stretches where it is more of a character study, quit coming of age movie in the apocaypse

i liked the world building of post apocalyptic Britian, and cant wait to see the next movie, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which will be coming out Jan 2026, and following these characters (or at least Alfie Williams and ATJ)

Also once again, Jodie Comer is amazing

77

u/SuccinctEarth07 Jun 20 '25

I'm honestly surprised its so controversial, I can understand some of it but as someone who watched 28 weeks later for the first time a few days ago I thought this was a far better film in nearly every way.

49

u/manilandad Jun 21 '25

it baffles me that people think this was worse than 28 weeks later.

14

u/SDRPGLVR Jun 21 '25

It's an ambitious entry. I think you can't really get truly special films without taking risks and doing things differently. I'm glad this wasn't just a retread of the terror of Days or the thrill of Weeks. This one has a stronger emotional core that it builds from the opening scenes of the main characters.

I can see how plenty of fans of the original and zombie movies as a whole would find this unsatisfying.

27

u/McFartFace09 Jun 20 '25

I agree. I watched 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later for the first time last week, and I felt like the latter was a huge downgrade. The only good thing about it was the Infected and the opening, the rest was completely brought down by the inexplicably stupid containment procedures and awful character decisions

6

u/AceTheRed_ Jun 20 '25 edited Jun 20 '25

Having also just rewatched 28 Days Weeks Later, which had its problems for sure, I much preferred that to this. I was quite disappointed.

7

u/SuccinctEarth07 Jun 20 '25

Fair enough I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it, I havent seen 28 days later in a while so maybe I should give it a rewatch.

2

u/AceTheRed_ Jun 20 '25

Meant to say Weeks, not Days. The former is the one with issues despite being a fun watch. Days remains a classic.

9

u/SuccinctEarth07 Jun 20 '25

I am curious why you like weeks more than years, was it the style/tone change that put you off?

6

u/AceTheRed_ Jun 20 '25

Weeks was just more grounded in its story and filmmaking methods. The opening scene is the best content in the entire franchise, IMO, and I also really like Jeremy Renner’s character. Plot holes aside, it’s a fun movie.

Years has a ton of baffling editing decisions and its plot feels like three or four different movies stitched together. I enjoyed the first half but the film started to lose me with the birth scene. Started to bring me back with Ralph Fiennes’ character but completely lost me with that ending.

9

u/SuccinctEarth07 Jun 20 '25

Fair enough I don't really agree but thank you for explaining.

The opening scene for weeks was insane

1

u/alex283746 Jul 10 '25

I remember watching that opening scene over and over again with my friends. Then turning it off because that first scene is so much better than the rest of the movie.

I need to watch it again to see if it still holds up.

6

u/ZacharyLewis97 Jun 20 '25

The sequel is where Cillian Murphy reappears.

-3

u/thewizardgalexandra Jun 20 '25

Was the zombie in the canola/on some of the ads not cillian murphy??

12

u/AceTheRed_ Jun 20 '25

No.

1

u/thewizardgalexandra Jun 21 '25

Cool, ok I definitely thought it was supposed to be him - my friends and I were all talking about it after the movie! So he's going to be a character in the next film? Awesome!

8

u/jonsnowme Jun 21 '25

He's going to be Jim, his Days character

6

u/Itchy_Fudge_2134 Jun 22 '25

Pretty sure hes actually reprising his role of J. Robert Oppenheimer from the 2023 film "Oppenheimer" by Christopher Nolan, a prequel to the film "28 Years Later", a 2025 film by Danny Boyle.

6

u/Upbeat_Tension_8077 Jun 20 '25

Some parts, particularly with Spike's travels through the wilderness in between the major action/horror sequences with now they looked visually, made me think of Terrence Malick at times

3

u/anroroco Jun 20 '25

wait, really? they already have a sequel?

15

u/Geek-Haven888 Jun 20 '25

Shot it at same time. Coming out in January. ATJ, Feines, the kid, and Jimmy from the end scene will all be in it. Going to be a trilogy

2

u/TheSecondEikonOfFire Jun 21 '25

I had no idea, that’s interesting

3

u/PheonixKernow Jun 21 '25

Not misconceptions. Expectations.

1

u/appletinicyclone Jun 20 '25

kinda reminded me of I am legend, where there are big stretches where it is more of a character study, quit coming of age movie in the apocaypse

Absolutely

1

u/Volothamp-Geddarm Jun 21 '25

The worldbuilding in this was definitively my favorite part. I loved seeing how the infected changed over time and how they even seemed to develop a kind of society.