Memento mori.
28 Years Later is a film that is not to be missed or written off due to its genre. It is incredibly versatile in the things that it addresses head-on: memory, survival, and the importance of remembrance.
“Memento mori. Remember that you must die”, the meaning of the Latin phrase and the words spoken by Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), and the words that haunt the narrative of 28 Years Later. A film that I not only want to revisit, but highly recommend if you want to be thoroughly intrigued, terrified, and moved all within the span of a (swift) hour and fifty-five minutes.
28 Years Later, directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland along with Boyle, is the new installment in the franchise. The film takes place twenty-eight years after the events of the first film and follows how the world, well, the world within this isolated event in the UK, has changed and evolved since the initial outbreak of the virus. What follows is a terrifying and moving story that shows us the importance of memory and why, though some may try to forget, it is not just important, but vital to remember.
28 Years Later follows the lives of a family of three: Spike (Alfie Williams), Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), and Isla (Jodie Comer) as they carry out their lives in a completely secluded area of the UK. This island is inhabited by those who survived the outbreak of the ‘Rage Virus’ in the 2002 film. Everyone there has learned to survive and adapt to a life completely cut off from the rest of society, all the while, constantly on guard, while the threat of the infected from across the water lies at bay. Jamie, who we come to know as an elite hunter in the community has decided that his son, Spike, is old enough to leave the island and hunt with him, and though Spike’s mother, Isla, who we initially see bedridden and very ill, vehemently opposes the idea, it does not sway Jamie at all. Thus begins Jamie and Spike’s anxiety-inducing journey across the water to the mainland and into a whole new world for Spike, who has never left their small community. Their journey is meant to be a coming-of-age expedition of sorts, as Jamie is teaching him how to hunt and kill the infected. Things begin to go amiss when they encounter a new mutation of the infected, forcing Jamie and Spike to seek refuge in an abandoned home. While hiding out at the home, Spike sees a fire burning on the horizon, which Jamie informs him is that of Dr. Kelson, a survivor who Jamie claims is dangerous and to be avoided at all costs. After returning to the island and attending a celebratory party, Spike becomes disillusioned with his father after seeing him with another woman. Shortly after, Spike secretly returns to the mainland with his mother on a mission to find Dr. Kelson and, hopefully, get help and treatment for his mother’s illness. The two encounter many of the infected and a few uninfected along their journey for help and ultimately, find the help and hope they need in Dr. Kelson. That which alters and affects the course of Spike’s life.
28 Years Later is something of an anomaly when it comes to a new addition in a beloved film franchise; it manages to incorporate many of the key elements that made its successor so compelling, while also crafting a new storyline with new characters that are just as interesting as those that came before. Such is the case with (many) horror films; there is so much more to 28 Years Later than just the jump scares that make you (well, me for sure) want to cover your eyes. While there are a great many jump scares throughout, the film addresses some big and extremely relevant ideas. It explores memory, survival, remembrance, and the choices that we make when faced with being forced to adapt, and we can see this laid out clearly in its four main characters.
Jamie is someone who has adapted to post-apocalyptic life in a very aggressive way. He thrives on violence and has accepted it as the norm, even going as far as to find it enjoyable. He seeks it out whenever possible and wishes to distance himself and his family as far away from their pre-apocalyptic world as possible, even relishing in acts of violence and distance from the self, and it is at the beginning of this that we watch as Jamie tries to bring Spike down this path with him. Isla is the complete opposite of everything Jamie embodies, and while she is very physically unwell, she represents memory and the necessity of remembrance. Due to her illness, she only experiences brief moments of clarity, but even in those brief moments, she draws on the past and brings it into the present, and in doing so, draws Spike even closer to her. Isla’s deteriorating health represents the fragility of memory; the joy and pain that come with remembering and all the complexities within that. She is the fragility of life and memory personified, and we see the contrast that that poses in regards to Jamie’s aggressive need to forget and move on.
Spike is a balance of his parents, and moreover, he is aware of the fact that he possesses these attributes and attitudes from both of them. He observes daily the anger and violence from his father and the gentleness of his mother. He has never known the world that they were born into, but only this small “world” within the island where he was born and raised. Spike represents rebirth and hope. That throughout the violence and grief that their world has known, there is the possibility for something new and hopeful to come out of it.
An interesting addition to the principal characters shows up about three-quarters of the way through the film in Dr. Kelson. His outlook and view on the world in which they live also provide an interesting contrast to the three family members. While Jamie offers a violent and angry outlook on the world, Isla with a gentleness and fragility, and Spike with a combination of the two and working to form his own viewpoint. Dr Kelson provides an interesting balance to all of these in the clinical nature with which he approaches things, and it is only when his character is introduced that the memento mori, which haunts the narrative, really comes into play, with Dr Kelson quite literally speaking those words.
Dr. Kelson brings something new to the table, a balance between Spike’s parents, and offers him a new way of looking at things. Kelson mourns the lives lost. He offers comfort to everyone in death, those who were infected and those who were not, and pays respect to all of the lives lost. He is practicing grief in a way that we don’t really see from any of the other characters and offers an empathetic and deeply humanistic approach. It is in the complexities of these characters and how they view the world that makes 28 Years Later so memorable, and for a film that begins with many good jump scares, it quickly becomes one of the most memorable and emotionally poignant films I’ve seen so far this year.
28 Years Later maintains many of the key elements that made the first film in the franchise so successful. Anthony Dod Mantle returns as cinematographer and brings a similar shot style that made 28 Days Later so memorable. The style is equal parts nostalgic and terrifying, with its nods to the first film. Mantle’s cinematography expertly builds tension and anxiety with each passing shot. It is terrifically atmospheric and for the entire runtime of the film, transports you to this remote area of the Scottish Highlands. This style of cinematography, combined with a powerful score by Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole, and ‘G’ Hastings, creates an incredibly atmospheric watch. Perhaps the most effective use of sound in the film is the incorporation of the poem Boots by Rudyard Kipling, read by Taylor Holmes. The poem is overlaid with a montage of Jamie and Spike as they make their way to the mainland to begin their hunt for the infected, and is interspersed with clips of soldiers from various battles and wars throughout history. The poem, also used in the trailer for the film, evokes a staggering emotional resonance in that, though the poem was written in 1903, it still carries the same poignancy and impact 122 years later.
This is not your typical zombie or horror film. While it offers a great many terrifying moments, what makes the film so memorable for me is the tonal shift that occurs in the second act, which combines those moments of fear and terror with deep emotional reflection. It doesn't shy away from fully delving into a more emotionally intense side and shows the audience gore and violence, but also lingers in the softer, quieter moments of grief and remembrance. There have been many horror films in the past that have shown us that horror is so much more than blood, gore, and jump scares, but 28 Years Later is a perfect reminder of just how much more a horror film can be.
The film is chock-full of incredible performances from its lead actors. Aaron Taylor-Johnson gives a powerful performance as Jamie, and though we may not side with the choices that he makes, his performance offers a necessary take that is vital to driving part of the film's narrative home. As Spike, Alfie Williams gives an incredible performance. Having to carry so much of the film, he brings so much heart and hopefulness to Spike, to the point where that rubs off on the audience, and I truly believe that the film would not be as impactful and moving had it not been for his beautiful performance. The two performances that made the film for me were those of Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Kelson and Jodie Comer as Isla. Though he only shows up about three-quarters of the way through the film, Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Kelson is, without a doubt, one of the most memorable aspects. He brings a powerful sensitivity to Dr. Kelson and provides solace, aid, and comfort to both Spike and Isla. You understand why his character is introduced so late on, but I couldn’t help but want to see more of him due to Fiennes’ magnetic performance. Finally, Jodie Comer brings so much depth to Isla that it is nearly impossible to not be moved. She creates such a rich inner world for her that even though she may, at times, be saying nothing at all, you feel as if you know everything about this character just by the look in her eyes. You feel for her, you’re rooting for her, and your heart breaks for her. I am consistently blown away by Jodie Comer, and her performance in this is no exception. As for Isla, she is a standout, not just in this film, but as one of the standout performances of 2025 in general.
28 Years Later is a film that is not to be missed or written off due to its genre. It is incredibly versatile in the things that it addresses head-on: memory, survival, and the importance of remembrance. While it has its fair share of visually terrifying moments, the real horror lies within the realities it asks its audience to face; those which mirror our own reality. We are seeing our own grief, our own rage, and how we choose to hold or reject memories reflected back to us. 28 Days Later asks us to hold that mirror up to nature and to take a good, long look at ourselves.
By the time the credits began to roll, I was thoroughly surprised and very moved. It is a rare thing to see a second or third edition to a film franchise be just as great, if not even better than its predecessors, but 28 Years Later manages to do that and more. With callbacks, parallels, and references to the first film, combined with new ideas, it blends the old and the new. It makes for a fully engaging and immersive watch that I, for one, cannot recommend enough, and based on the last two minutes, leaves me hopeful and excited for what comes next.
Photos: Sony Pictures
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