In 2002, Danny Boyle's “28 Days Later” was a monumental work that breathed new life into the zombie genre. The overwhelming speed and aggressiveness of the ‘infected’ individuals, who were infected with the rage virus, replaced the slow-moving zombies of the past and changed the paradigm of the genre. “28 Days Later” caused a worldwide sensation and was even considered to have created a new genre.
Over two decades later, while zombie films have become a mainstream genre through numerous works, they have also begun to lose their freshness due to the repetition of clichés. At this juncture, the announcement of Danny Boyle's return with “28 Years Later” has sent fan anticipation soaring to new heights. Curiosity intensified about what the world would look like after two decades had passed, and how the survival methods of humanity and the infected had changed.
The setting of the film is the same as in 28 Days Later: Britain, completely isolated from the outside world. Even after 28 long years, the survivors in Britain were still living in fear of the virus, cut off from the outside world. The film focuses on a mysterious island where the only passage to the mainland opens and closes with the tides.
The islanders have formed a community that is completely isolated from the outside world, living self-sufficiently and surviving by going ashore only during low tide to obtain the supplies they need to survive. For them, the mainland is both an opportunity for survival and an unknown space where the threat of death lurks. The community's rules are strict, and children who have reached a certain age are sent to the mainland with adults to learn survival skills, including hunting infected individuals and securing supplies.
The story begins in earnest when Spike, a boy who has just turned 12, sets out on his first mainland expedition with his father. Though still inexperienced, he successfully hunts a “slow” infected individual with his father's help, gradually building his courage. However, in an unexpected moment, they are attacked by a much stronger and more intelligent “alpha” infected person and barely escape with their lives, returning to the island.
Meanwhile, Spike's mother is growing weaker day by day due to an unknown illness, but there are no medicines or doctors on the isolated island to treat her, leaving them in a desperate situation. While exploring the mainland, Spike accidentally discovers a clue about the existence of a “doctor.” Driven by his determination to save his mother, he defies everyone's objections and embarks on a dangerous journey to secretly escape the island with his mother. From this point on, the film unfolds along two major storylines: survival on the island and a desperate struggle on the mainland.
“28 Years Later” presents a new kind of horror through the evolved form of the infected. Twenty-eight years have brought changes to the infected as well. They no longer act solely on instinctive destructive urges. They are seen consuming something to survive, which seems to follow the fundamental law of the Earth that survival is impossible without energy. In particular, the variant infected known as “Alpha” is depicted as a being with astonishing physical abilities and intelligence. The most shocking scene is when the Alpha infected individual turns the train handle to open the door, suggesting that they possess problem-solving abilities beyond simple instincts, which shocks the audience. This setting overturns the conventions of the existing zombie genre, raising the question, “Can we really dismiss them as mere infected individuals?”
However, despite this intriguing premise, the film leaves an impression of being poorly structured and poorly developed overall. The biggest question arises from the film's introduction. The film begins with a scene in which a priest rejoices, proclaiming the day of the rage virus outbreak to be Judgment Day. He hands his cross to a man, a scene that strongly suggests that the cross and the man will play a central role in the film. However, by the end of the film, the cross and the man have barely appeared, leaving the intense opening scene feeling disconnected from the overall narrative. In addition, episodes such as the scene of an infected woman giving birth are inserted, which are difficult to understand and disrupt the flow of the story, confusing the audience. It is unclear whether these scenes are simply devices to create shocking images or whether they contain a deeper philosophical message, which hinders the audience's immersion in the film.
The protagonist's mother's final choice is also a point that leaves many viewers scratching their heads. Her final decision, after enduring such a harrowing journey to save her son, makes it difficult to understand the character's motives and actions. The film clearly reveals its ambition to go beyond a simple survival thriller and explore philosophical themes such as humanity, religion, and salvation. However, it is difficult to avoid criticism that these attempts are not organically integrated, but rather that the individual episodes and settings are scattered in a fragmented manner, resulting in an ambiguous outcome that is neither one thing nor the other.
Of course, considering that “28 Years Later” is the first installment of a trilogy, it is possible that these narrative gaps and unresolved mysteries are laying the groundwork for the sequels. However, as a standalone film, “28 Years Later” contains numerous scenes and settings that are difficult to accept, regardless of its philosophical underpinnings, likely dividing audiences sharply. While Danny Boyle's return is undoubtedly welcome news, whether his ambitious endeavor will be remembered as the successful opening of a trilogy or as a confusing experiment depends on the remaining two films.
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