Review: 28 Years Later (2025), Danny Boyle’s Best Work in Years

As someone who thinks Trainspotting (1996) is one of the greatest films, if not the greatest film of all time, I have great respect for Danny Boyle. I did, however, write an essay on Danny Boyle’s creative decline as a director, chronicling his work from Shallow Grave to T2 Trainspotting. I still stand by what I wrote, as I think T2 was little more than a vapid throwback to his greatest work, to say nothing of his mainstream forays into mediocre Hollywood blockbusters.

However, I think he finally recaptured the magic of one of his greatest films, and (in my humble opinion), the greatest zombie film ever made, 28 Days Later (2002). While 28 Years Later (2025) doesn’t outshine the original, it recreates the same frenetic, existential horror while slipping in social commentary and self-referential elements that make the ride that much more enjoyable.

As you might have imagined, 28 Years Later takes place 28 years after the initial outbreak of the Rage virus from the first film. Mainland England is abundant in natural beauty, but remains unlivable for most humans, as zombies continue to roam the countryside. Some zombies resemble those from the first and second films, while others have devolved into giant slug-like creatures that can only crawl to catch their prey, and still others have evolved into “Alphas” that…