This Year’s Most Anticipated Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Flick Debuts on Rotten Tomatoes with a Nearly Perfect Score
“28 Years Later,” the highly anticipated third chapter in the post-apocalyptic horror series, is set to hit theaters on June 20, 2025. Directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, the film brings back key members from the original 2002 hit, including Boyle, Garland, and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle.
Starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, and Ralph Fiennes, the movie has already impressed critics, earning a 95% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and strong praise for its intense and gripping storytelling.
The first reviews for the movie are beyond positive so let’s check some of them out:
While 28 Weeks Later explored post-7/7 paranoia, this post-Brexit successor seems to be as much about the insanity of isolationism as it is the bewildering madness of COVID
Jordan Bassett NME (New Musical Express)
Only Danny Boyle could pull off a film with a zany visual language that sees zombies as an allegory for a family’s domestic struggles.
Katie Doll CBR
One of the most triumphant ever revitalisations of a franchise that transcends the idea of mere genre. 28 Years Later is a brutally moving film, and the first horror movie to make me cry… It’s also a phenomenal piece of cinema.
Tori Brazier Metro
Of all the things I expected going into 28 Years Later, the last thing on my mind was beauty. But here it is in abundance. Bounding far beyond the premise of most zombie movies, Boyle and Garland continually push our expectations onto the back foot.
Stephen A. Russell ScreenHub
Though it’s more of a reboot than a sequel, 28 Years Later pays homage to the original film without sacrificing its originality & fresh spirit.
Mary Kassel Screen Rant
However, not all reviews were positive. Some critics felt that despite being visually impressive and well-acted, 28 Years Later struggled with a confusing and inconsistent tone that didn’t connect well with audiences.
They said the movie tried too hard to outdo the original and keep up with current culture, but ended up feeling slow and messy. Overall, many saw it as a disappointing sequel that failed because it tried to do too much at once.
The otherwise visually stunning and well-acted horror mostly misses the mark.
Casey Chong Casey’s Movie Mania
For all the possible directions this narrative could have taken, you can’t help but wonder why this is the one the filmmakers landed on.
Emma Vine Loud and Clear Reviews
Boyle and Garland are obviously entitled to add a smirk or two, but they can have no complaints if the muddled tone flies over the heads of audience members.
Hilary A White Irish Independent
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
In April 2024, Nia DaCosta was in talks to direct the next 28 Years Later movie, which will be the second film in a planned trilogy. The original team, including Boyle and Garland, will produce it. In June 2024, a copyright filing showed the new movie’s title might be 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.
On August 18, 2024, at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Macdonald confirmed that DaCosta would start filming the sequel the next day. He also said they hope to make a third movie and that the series will be a trilogy.
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