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The Cinematic Schematic steps into the post-apocalyptic British Isles to review 28 Years Later, the long-awaited return of director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland to the zombie franchise that launched their careers.
The original 2002 classic, 28 Days Later, is responsible for re-popularizing the zombie sub-genre. It was the first in a string of movies featuring fast zombies, a new post-9/11 political commentary, and had an indie spirit, not unlike George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. 28 Days Later was a hit, budgeted at $8 million and making $82.8 million, but there has only been one sequel. The last entry in the franchise was 2007’s 28 Weeks Later, directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. Boyle and Garland were not creatively involved in the follow-up despite receiving executive producer credits.
Finally, the duo has returned with not one, not two, but three follow-up films, starting with 28 Years Later. This story follows Spike(Alfie Williams), a young boy who lives in a self-contained community of survivors in a village on Lindisfarne. After his father Jamie(Aaron Taylor-Johnson) takes him on a first trek out of the village, Spike embarks on an emotional journey into an infected-ridden UK.
With so much anticipation from longtime fans, can the film live up to the lofty expectations?
The Skeleton Crew
Hosts Caleb Masters and Laron Chapman are joined by two first-time guests—Phil Bacharach(The Oklahoma Gazette) and Adam Courtliff(Adam Review Film, TikTok)—to take on the undead-infested British Empire.
Tune into our in-depth review discussion for our verdicts.
Left to Right: Adam Courtliff, Laron Chapman, Phil Bacharach, and Caleb Masters.
Special Guests
Phil Bacharach
The Oklahoma Gazette / Cutting to the Chase
Adam Courtliff
Adam Reviews Film (TikTok)
Ice-Breaker Question
Time Stamp: 5:06
- Icebreaker question 1: What makes a great zombie movie?
- Ice-breaker question 2: What are two of your favorite films from the horror subgenre?
Spoiler-Free Review
Time Stamp: 17:50
In our review, we cover:
- Each host’s relationship with the 28 Days Later series
- Our overall thoughts on 28 Years Later
- How the film pushes the zombie horror sub-genre forward
- Letter grade verdicts
- Alternate media recommendations
Spoiler-Filled Analysis Discussion
Time Stamp: 56:33
During the spoiler-filled discussion, Courtliff provides additional context on the recent cultural UK history that informs the themes of isolation, fear, and survivalism.
We dive deep into spoilers to dissect:
- How 28 Years Later builds on the same themes in a post-COVID and post-Brexit context
- What Jack O Connel’s “Jimmy” introduced in the last three minutes could mean for the next chapter of the story, The Bone Temple
About 28 Years Later
According to IMDB, 28 Years Later is described as:
A group of survivors of the rage virus live on a small island. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors.
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