It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory. Still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. A film by Danny Boyle, starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Chi Lewis-Parry, Edvin Ryding, Christopher Fulford, Stella Gonet, and Ralph Fiennes.

During the initial 2002 Rage Virus outbreak in the Scottish Highlands, young Jimmy (Rocco Haynes) is forced to flee when infected break into his house and attack his family.

His mother (Kim Allan) sacrifices herself to buy him time to escape. Jimmy becomes terrified as he watches his aunt and mother begin turning violent.

He sprints to the nearby church to tell his father (Sandy Batchelor), the minister, that their family has been attacked. But his father’s mind is clouded by blind faith. His father refuses to run, convinced his family isn’t dead but saved by God. He gives Jimmy a cross necklace, asking him to keep it close and have faith.

Jimmy then hides in a small compartment under the church floor, watching in horror as the infected break in and attack his father. He sees his father begin to turn and leave the church with a group of the infected. Once things quiet down, Jimmy escapes into the forest.

The Rage Virus laid waste to the UK. It was driven back from continental Europe. The British mainland was quarantined to contain the virus. Survivors were left to fend for themselves.

28 years after the original Rage Virus outbreak, the entire United Kingdom remains under strict quarantine, completely cut off from the rest of the world to prevent the virus’s spread. Spike (Alfie Williams) lives with his father Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and mother Isla (Jodie Comer), who is suffering from an unknown illness, in a survivor community on the holy island of Lindisfarne. The island is naturally protected by a causeway that floods with the tide, separating it from mainland Britain.

The whole town is in a celebratory mood, cheering loudly for Spike because it’s the day of his hunting ritual on the mainland. At the gate, the leader committee eagerly waits to see Spike and Jamie off. Jenny (Stella Gonet) points out that Spike seems a bit young for the ritual, which is usually for 14 or 15-year-olds. But Jamie casually brushes off her concern, insisting that his 12-year-old son is ready. As Spike steps forward, Jenny reminds him of their community’s rules: if he leaves, he has to come back on his own. If he doesn’t return, no one is permitted to go and find him. There will be no rescue, no exceptions.

Jamie and Spike set off on foot along the natural causeway connecting the holy island to the mainland. This path is only accessible during low tide, as the sea completely covers it at high tide. Swimming across is impossible due to the strong current, which would sweep them past the island and out into the open sea.

Meanwhile on the holy island, schoolteacher Rosey (Amy Cameron) is teaching young children in the classroom. Up on the hill, Sam (Christopher Fulford) is leading a group of boys in archery practice. He’s teaching the kids how to critically hit the infected: they need to aim for the head or the heart to make a kill.

On the mainland, Jamie and Spike venture into the forest, where Spike makes his first kill by shooting a “slow-low” infected crawling on the ground in the neck. The two continue their journey to an abandoned house, hoping to scavenge whatever’s left. To their surprise, they stumble upon an infected man hanging upside down, with the letters “JIMMY” carved vertically across its stomach to chest.

Jamie believes it’s a form of punishment or a warning, suggesting the man was tied up and left for the infected, and has now become infected himself. Jamie warns Spike that strange people are roaming the mainland, which is why they should avoid towns and villages. Suddenly, the infected twitches aggressively, and the rope snaps. Spike quickly shoots an arrow into its head, killing it instantly.

Exiting the abandoned house, Jamie leads Spike deeper into the forest, hoping Spike can make another kill. But when they discover a severed deer head with its spine still attached, impaled on a tree branch, Jamie is visibly terrified. He immediately recognizes that only an Alpha could have done that.

Considering all the risks he’s unwilling to take, Jamie decides they should turn back and head for the causeway. Moments later, as they exit the forest, they spot a group of infected on a distant hill. Jamie tells Spike to stay absolutely still, hoping the infected won’t notice them.

Suddenly, a gigantic figure emerges from the crowd. It’s Jamie’s worst fear realized: they’ve encountered an Alpha. Knowing they stand no chance against this evolved infected which possesses immense power and extreme resilience, Jamie hurries Spike back into the forest. The Alpha is a rare, intelligent being capable of controlling a pack of infected during a hunt.

At a commanding signal from the Alpha, the pack of infected starts chasing after Jamie and Spike into the forest, forcing both of them to retreat back into the abandoned house. Unable to outpace the infected, Jamie and Spike take refuge hiding in the attic where the infected can’t find them.

While staying put, trying to ride it out during the night, Spike spots a fire burning aglow from a distance. However, when he asks Jamie about it, Jamie quickly brushes him off, asserting that he’s never been there and therefore doesn’t know anything about it. But Spike can sense that Jamie must know something.

In the middle of the night, as Jamie and Spike drift off to sleep, a large herd of wild deer stampedes past the abandoned house. The ground trembles and the old structure begins shaking violently, forcing both of them to flee immediately as bricks crumble down around them. Knowing the noise will attract the infected, Jamie and Spike head back toward the causeway. Jamie instructs Spike to run straight and never stop if he sees an Alpha.

Midway across the causeway, Jamie and Spike are terrified when they spot an Alpha (Chris Gregory) sprinting toward them at incredible speed. They both run for their lives as the Alpha rapidly closes the distance. Approaching the gates, Jamie blows his whistle, alerting the guards to prepare for the incoming Alpha.

Directed by English filmmaker Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, 28 YEARS LATER is a post-apocalyptic horror film. It centers on a group of survivors living on an island, 28 years after the rage virus outbreak depicted in Danny Boyle’s 2002 film 28 DAYS LATER.

While this film is chronologically set after the events of both 28 DAYS LATER and 2007’s 28 WEEKS LATER, making it the third installment in the series, it functions as a standalone story within the shared post-apocalyptic world. You don’t need to watch the previous films to understand the context, as 28 YEARS LATER establishes its own narrative with plans for additional sequels to continue the story.

The problem is, 28 YEARS LATER doesn’t really feel like a standalone film. By the end, you realize it’s just the beginning of a larger story, which makes it less compelling compared to the original 28 YEARS LATER.

It’s pretty annoying because film starts promisingly with an exceptional first 40 minutes of world-building and character development. But then the rest of the film becomes frustratingly slow-paced with very little story progression.

Jodie Comer gives a great performance as Spike’s mother Isla. She’s fallen ill with mysterious symptoms, and since there are no doctors on the island, no one can really say what’s wrong. Her story feels hopeful when Spike finds out there’s a doctor on the mainland and plans to take her there. But her arc just gets messed up. While many viewers might guess she’s terminally ill, there’s always that small hope a doctor could somehow save her, maybe even a miracle. Instead, she just dies in the end. In my opinion, it would’ve been more acceptable if the infected had killed her during the trip.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson also delivers a memorable performance as Jamie, Spike’s father and Isla’s husband. His character is portrayed as a strong yet flawed human. When Spike discovers Jamie’s affair and confronts him about it, the writing takes what feels like a lazy turn. Jamie is essentially written off-screen within five minutes and doesn’t return until the final scenes.

What’s particularly frustrating is the logic gap in his story arc. Jamie would obviously know where Spike is taking Isla, yet he simply accepts the island’s rule that no one is permitted to search for them on the mainland. For a father and husband who supposedly loves his family, his action feels completely unnatural and unconvincing.

I really hope Aaron’s character returns in a sequel with proper development because his underutilized role feels like a wasted opportunity and quite disappointing.

28 YEARS LATER was theatrically released in the United Kingdom and the United States on 20 June 2025.