28 Years Later (2025) Review

I am finally going to see 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple next week, so I thought I should at least find the time to watch the previous film in the franchise and the lead up to the new film in 28 Years Later. So I watched the film today and here is my review. The premise of the film is set in a world where humans are dealing with living with the infected, however a father and son go on an expedition that will change both their lives. 

Main Character

Alfie Williams plays Spike and this young man has a real bright future as he is excellent in this film and really is the one who carries the film. He has emotional range and gives a performance that really makes you care about him and want to see him succeed. 

Supporting Characters

Aaron Taylor Johnson plays his Father Jamie and he is really good. I really like the dynamic between them for the first part of the film. He is a good dad and he does want to see his kid succeed despite some tough love. It is just a shame that he disappears for the majority of the 2nd and all of the 3rd act of the film. 

Jodie Comer plays Spike's Mum Isla and she is also great in the film. She clearly has her problems and you really see how she is suffering and how the humans are struggling alongside the infected. But similar to Johnson, she isn't really in the first act of the film and is thrust into a leading role in the final act. 

Ralph Fiennes plays Dr. Kelson and he is great on this smaller but important role. He isn't in the film a huge amount but he does shine and shows his real acting quality to provide an interesting character that does stand out. 

Story

A real problem for this film is the story that is put on screen. It feels like a Frankenstein of a film and that there were two major ideas presented and instead of picking one, they just decided to mash them together. I really enjoyed seeing Williams and Taylor Johnson on their hunt but I found the journey of Williams and Comer to be more boring and it really killed this film in terms of its pacing. Also, I can't fail to mention how ridiculous the ending is and how offensive it comes across being something that just seems to be there for shock value instead of something with actual depth. 

Script

There was a few dramatic scenes that were well acted and well written. I cared about Spike and his personal journey throughout the film but that was mainly down to his acting. There is no doubt, that it doesn't always work and some scenes feel contrived and misses the mark, mixed with some really poor storytelling in the film. 

Style

The film has some great shots here, it looks great and really fit the feel of the franchise. It has some exciting action scenes and did keep you on the edge of your seat and that is mainly all in the first act. There are some strange editing choices and ways of portraying the action and it made it feel quite jarring at times. Also, as mentioned above, the pacing is all over the place and that is due to the story which feels all over the place. 

Overall

Overall, 28 Years Later is an Above Average Film that has some decent acting but is let down with its lacklustre storytelling and its only okay instead of being a great film that it had the potential to be. 

Rating - 6/10