Maybe it really will take the apocalypse that forces us to remember what makes us human.

Set almost three decades after the release of the rage virus, 28 Years Later imagines a Europe that has been forced to adapt in order to survive their ruthlessly enforced quarantine. Enclosing themselves in isolated communities, one such group of survivors have made a new life for themselves on a small island that’s connected to the mainland only by a single causeway. As his son Spike turns 12, Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) believes it’s time for his boy to learn how to hunt the infected and he decides to take him to the interior. However, although their experience goes awry, Spike believes that there’s hope deeper into the forest and he sets out with his mother on a mission to get the help they need.

Directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, Years is a genuine return to the more humanistic horror of the original film, 28 Days Later. Similar to Days, Years feels like a true independent film. Its special effects feel simple but effective and, most importantly, it keeps the storytelling tightly focused on the characters and their relationships.

Admittedly, Years does shift wildly in tone multiple times. What begins as a survival thriller also moves between family drama and even comedy at times. For some, that tonal swing could be jarring. However, because of the strong work by its cast and a solid script, the film still remains cohesive. This is a film that remains laser focused on what it wants to accomplish and pushes forward.

In many ways, Years portrays the world at its most dehumanized. Understandably, Europe’s survivors have isolated themselves for protection. Yet, at the same time, their compassion has died alongside the fallen victims of their pandemic. As a result, because the adults have endured countless suffering, they are determined to toughen up the next generation by giving them the ‘killer instinct’ required to maintain the human race. Elders do their best to pass the cycle of violence down to the young by training them to execute infected without thought. Stories of violence are celebrated (and exaggerated) in order to generate support. Even memories of life ‘before’ have given way to survival instincts of the moment. (In fact, just the notion of ‘toys’ feel like an afterthought to a bygone era.)

And this is also the basis of the relationship between Jamie and his son, Spike. With their journey into the wilderness, Jamie’s hopes for Spike remain entirely focused on numbing him to compassion. He wants his son to view the infected are the enemy and their people as the bright star of the human race. Their battle is against flesh and blood and Jamie knows what’s at stake.

In essence, this is a story about life and death… but not in the way you think.

Without giving spoilers, the most shocking aspect of Years isn’t its bloodlust. Instead, it’s the compassionate lens through which it views humanity. Boyle and Garland ensure that these infected are not entirely seen as the enemy. They are brutal, violent and de-evolved… but the extended disaster has also left an indelible mark on the souls of the human race as well.

Some of the most profound insights of Years stem from these conversations about life, death and everything in between. Here, Boyle and Garland manage to use all the tropes of a ‘zombie structure’ to explore issues such as the inevitability of our mortality and the joy of human life. In one breath, Years tells us to remember that ‘everyone dies’ (memento mori). And, in the next, it reminds us that ‘everyone loves’ (memento amoris). It’s this fascinating psychological tension that fuels the film and feels both worth mourning and celebrating at the same time.

However, it’s also worth noting that Years doesn’t follow the pattern of films such as World War Z, Train to Busan or even, arguably, 28 Weeks Later. Although the film contains plenty of blood-spattered battles with the ‘infected’, the film doesn’t feature wave after wave of ‘zombie’ carnage. Instead, Boyle and Garland choose to revel in the quieter moments that allow the film to sit with its characters with intimacy and heart. Although Europe has been overrun by the rage virus, this is ultimately a story about people trying to survive their time with each other, rather than merely outrun the contaminated.

And that’s what makes it special.

With 28 Years Later, Boyle and Garland breathe life into what could have been another standard ‘zombie’ epic. Despite soaking itself in gore in some moments, this is ultimately a film that’s looking for life by sitting at the feet of death. It’s thought-provoking, compassionate and profound.

In short, it’s bloody brilliant.

28 Years Later is available in theatres on Friday, June 20th, 2025.