The Latin phrase memento mori is a central theme at the heart of “28 Years Later.” The phrase translates to “remember you will die,” which applies to us all, but holds a much more visceral meaning to the characters in this sequel to the horror classic “28 Days Later.”
In the original film, a rage virus is unleashed on Great Britian, turning people into mindless killing machines. Not technically zombies, but basically zombies.
Decades later, the rest of the world has contained the virus and quarantined the entire country, leaving any survivors to fend for themselves.
This is where we meet a tiny community of survivors that live on a little island that is separated from the mainland by a causeway that is only accessible during low tide.
There they live a simple and relatively sustainable life that requires only occasional and dangerous supply runs to the mainland.
The time has come for young Spike (Alfie Williams) to make his first journey to the mainland as a right of passage. He is joined by his father Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and the pair, armed only with bows and arrows, venture into what is left of England.
While the survivors have adapted to survive in this brave new world, so has the rage virus. Father and son encounter strange horrors and startling wonders as the country returns to nature.
The talented creative team of director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland return to their roots and the film that jumpstarted their careers. But “28 Years Later” isn’t a simple retread or play for nostalgia and easy money.
Boyle’s signature style is here with quick edits and exciting needle drops. But there is also a lot of innovation here too, as most of the movie was filmed on an iPhone which makes the film feel intimate and grounded.
Garland also is at the top of his game, giving us a completely new story in a world that is only slightly familiar. This is a coming-of-age story for Spike as he navigates an expanding environment and encounters strange new people like Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes, who is always willing to pop in and steal a movie). But Spike also has to maintain connections to home as he worries over his mother Isla (Jodie Comer) who suffers a mysterious ailment.
Memento mori looms large here, but the constant, wild, bonkers and violent presence of death infuses this film with a surprising amount of humanity. The characters in this movie find an urgency to live and love that we often shuffle past in our non-zombie packed lives.
This film marks the beginning of a new trilogy, with part two “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” set to come out early next year. The table is set for a fresh and innovative take on a well-chewed genre. I’m excited to see where the story goes from here.
“28 Years Later” is rated R for strong bloody violence, grisly images, graphic nudity, language and brief sexuality.
