28 Years Later

What's always been impressive about this franchise, or rather, refreshing, was it's use of using a horrifying concept, and world filled with atrocities to explore humanity. Each of the films, in this now trilogy, has explored human nature, and really sought to dig deeper into the intricacies of how we as humans interact with each other.

While the previous films in the trilogy were more focused on "the real horror is man" narrative threads, with the odd hopeful theme as well, I was dumbfounded with the route this film took. It's firm stance on love, and radical kindness - both when it came to its human characters, but also refreshingly to the infected - which was a welcome surprise.

I truly walked away from this film touched, and that I wasn't expecting. I was also terrified, that was to be expected, but to be so moved by this return to this world was really such a satisfying feeling.

The film takes this expansive world and narrows right in on just a few characters, and mainly just on the single character of Spike. What a phenomenal decision this was. To see the world through his eyes, and watch him have to grow up very quickly makes this film even more impactful.

The film plays out by following Spike go on a journey, and he is joined by other characters on his way. This gives room for us to explore the nuance and depth of each of his relations, and while it does make the film feel a little disjointed in areas, in also allows for a fascinating look at masculinty with his Dad's story and makes room for the emotional last half of the movie.

The film wouldn't work as well as it does were it not for the incredible performances, of all the actors, but particularly of Alfie Williams. He has to hold his ground and really lead this film and I truly found him so captivating. Incredibly emotive and is given the hard job of making this character slowly have to harden in front of us but I thought he was incredible.

If only the film chose to just tell the story of Spike, it would've worked a lot better. Given it's a staple of the franchise, the film opens with a horrifying scene, but it's really quite poor and what's worse is it's there simply to connect to the last few minutes of this movie, which is possible the worst part. It undoes so much of the emotion felt right before and is tonally so distant from what we'd seen. I was so confused if what I was watching was real. It's really quite disappointing as the film comes to such a nice ending moments before, but still this didn't sour everything which made this so wonderful