23 years have passed since Danny Boyle and Alex Garland completely reignited the zombie genre with a movie that actually, when you think about it, doesn’t actually feature any zombies at all. No 28 Days Later, no Dawn Of The Dead remake, no Shawn Of The Dead, and no The Walking Dead telvision adaption.
A new trilogy is rolling, starting with Danny Boyle’s own 28 Years Later, and the first reviews are now out. So… what does the world think after such a long wait?
28 Years Later has 95% on Rotten Tomatoes at time of writing. For context, the original scored 87% and the sequel 72%. What do the critics say? To the summary pages…!
“Boyle and Garland’s return to the franchise seems deliberately set on reinventing as many cliches as it can, while also exploding our assumptions about what a zombie movie might be.”
Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
“It never feels like a cynical attempt to revisit proven material merely for commercial reasons. Instead, the filmmakers appear to have returned to a story whose allegorical commentary on today’s grim political landscape seems more relevant than ever.”
David Rooney, THR
“Wildly unexpected for a film that’s been promised for so long, this tense and tender post-apocalyptic drama contends that to exist in denial of death is to corrupt the integrity of life itself.”
David Ehrlich, Indiewire
“Typically, we look to adrenaline-fueled entertainment for catharsis. Boyle’s thrilling reboot offers enlightenment as well.”
Peter DeBruge, Variety
“This riveting blend of horror and heart reminds that death, horror’s favorite equalizer, can be as beautiful as it can be cruel.”
Megan Navarro, Bloody Disgusting
“The filmmakers haven’t redefined the zombie genre, but they’ve refocused their own culturally significant riff into a lush, fascinating epic that has way more to say about being human than it does about (re-)killing the dead.”
William Bibbiani, The Wrap
“28 Years Later is a post-Brexit, Covid-conscious take on this world, with ideas about nationalism, isolationism, and weaponised culture added to the mix. But it’s punchy and simple once again.”
Clarisse Loughrey, Independent
It is not all so positive though, there are some who had mixed views:
“28 Years Later tries hard to outpace the original film and keep up with the culture at large, but instead it lumbers slowly behind.”
Rafer Guzman, Newsday
“28 Years Later is choppy, muddled, strange, and not always convincing. But I’m not sure I’ll ever forget it.”
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture
28 Years Later opens this weekend in theaters everywhere.
