Everything GREAT About 28 Years Later!

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:00]Today's video is sponsored by Flicks, the fun new app for tracking all your movies and shows and where we can share awesome lists and collections with each other. More on that at the end.

[00:00:12]VHS tapes have a limited lifespan, and the more you play them, the more they degrade. It's not even a statement about this being late into the apocalypse. I had plenty of well-loved VHS tapes, and my apocalypse was much later on. The point is, was Tinky Winky actually gay?

[00:00:25]Was Jerry Fwell's little gay panic theory correct? I guess we'll never know. Most of the kids look a little worried, but seeing the older girl crying is rough. She's definitely old enough to understand what she hears the adults talking about. And since we're back at the beginning of the outbreak, some of the footage is a little low res and grainier. Children have certainly died in the two previous films, but to have the first real attack by the infected be a room of children is a choice and sets the tone. This should have prepared me for the Bone Temple, but alas, it did not. It makes more sense at the end, but the first big cross we see is upside down.

[00:00:51]>> This is a glorious day of judgment.

[00:00:54]>> I get it. Especially if you devoted your entire life, profession, even where you live to a religion. And then it all spirals this fast before you even have time to consider.

[00:01:01]>> Keep this with you. Always have faith.

[00:01:04]>> He does, just not in who you intended.

[00:01:07]>> Why have you forsaken me?

[00:01:09]>> Apparently, he's a system of a down fan.

[00:01:10]And we freeze for about four frames on the upside down cross the way he'll prefer it as an adult.

[00:01:18]>> Young Fathers were not a group I knew of prior to this film, but I'm a fan now.

[00:01:22]So many interesting choices for the score that make it feel connected to the first two films, but also very much its own thing. And the triumphant sound of Promised Land during a deeply ominous scene really makes this a memorable opening. I'd live there even without the apocalypse.

[00:01:37]>> I mean, I'm turning into a real fan, young fathers. Even in dystopia, got to do them chores. But you love to see a little community all working for each other. They live in a society, am I right? artwork that would get you sent to the counselor's office at Spike's age is now a prerequisite for existence. I get it, man. It's a sad day when you feel you're too old to bring it. But even the hesitation is a reminder of how young he actually is for what's coming.

[00:01:59]That quick moment where you think they might be keeping an infected mom chain to the bed upstairs.

[00:02:02]>> You're going off the island to the mainland.

[00:02:05]>> Yeah, >> there's a baby.

[00:02:07]>> He's 12.

[00:02:08]>> Classic argument between parents to this day. Their whole existence is brutal, but Isa's health issues are a reminder that avoiding zombies would be the tip of the iceberg. Be >> off. Yeah, we're screw.

[00:02:18]>> And he gave her the bacon. That's a good son. Pretty strong draw, boy. A long bow for hunting deer needs to be bare minimum a 40 lb bow. And this is for hunting humans. That's a strong 12-year-old. They linger on Rosy's stair just long enough to make us wonder.

[00:02:30]>> If you leave, you can come back, but if you don't come back, no one is permitted to go and find you.

[00:02:34]>> Brutal, but entirely sensible rule.

[00:02:36]Personal autonomy while also keeping the safety and longevity of the group in mind. Also, it sets up the entire second half of the film. For a movie filled with disgusting pus corpses, some of the shots of this setting are gorgeous.

[00:02:47]7 11 5 moving up and down again.

[00:02:55]>> Young Fathers use a recording of Roger Kipling's poem Boots written in 1903, which by itself is creepy enough, but with their droning distorted guitar and electronic soundscapes, it's a special kind of disconcerting. And the poem plays out for a full 3 minutes and 4 seconds, only ending when they come across the first solo. But since it's specifically about the monotony of endless war intercut with clips of children training, even if you're not hearing the words, you're understanding the vibe and it sucks. But for us sitting comfortably at home, the whole thing rocks.

[00:03:20]>> It's the causeway. It's the only way to the mainland. But we can only get here in low tide. In high tide, the sea covers it.

[00:03:27]>> Can we swim it in high tide?

[00:03:28]>> No. The sea has a current. It'll push us past the island and pull us out with sea.

[00:03:33]>> Clever needed exposition mast as Jamie quizzing spike and random nonsequittor lesson for new parents. We learned a little late. Only quiz your littles, like toddlers, when you know they know the answer. It builds confidence.

[00:03:44]>> It's so big. If we get walking, we'll get to a place where you can't see the sea.

[00:03:48]>> Amazing reminder that Spike has never left the island before and likely has no concept of the size of Britain, let alone the world.

[00:03:55]>> In the world, >> it's a literal bird's eye view since we see the crow is on its back. Close-up on Spike makes this whole thing feel so much more claustrophobic.

[00:04:05]>> Nah, pretty sure I said nah.

[00:04:09]Doc, >> fun expectation subversion because these moments are usually about the young noob choking, but Spike pawns that slow, and it's actually the lead Jaime that lets his emotions arguably get in the way.

[00:04:21]That said, clearly Spike didn't want him to do it. So, Jaime holds off, showing his son that he listens to him.

[00:04:30]The score is interesting and unnerving, and just the size of the herd really sells the idea that it's BEEN 28 YEARS.

[00:04:38]THE FOX SAYS, "Screw you. I'm out."

[00:04:40]Immediately clocked that was the name of the child from the beginning, but uh no, I did not guess literally anything correct about Jimmy moving forward. And considering the Jimmy's usual charity, this guy got off easy.

[00:04:50]>> There are strange people on the mainland roaming.

[00:04:53]>> Correct. But he also has no idea.

[00:04:54]>> The more you kill, the easier it gets.

[00:04:57]>> Brutal lesson for a 12-year-old. It's hard to show with YouTube censorship requirements, but Danny Bole and his DP Anthony Dodd Mantel used this almost matrix-like bullet time freeze and spin that they did with a multi iPhone rig of all things that has a fun little flare to the gore. They forgot attractive guy who recounts everything great about specific movies, but other than that, it looks like they only had to create the watchtower one.

[00:05:17]Love this shot from below the ferns and then through the carcass. Also, once you've smelled or if you're really unlucky, tasted venison that's been spoiled by stomach acid, you never forget it. So, rage zombies must smell something special if Jamie likes it. I really like it.

[00:05:31]>> Appropriate reaction. Jaime's entire demeanor changes here. He's been confident, bordering on arrogant the whole trip, but his immediate 180 here is terrifying because this isn't something normal infected can or even would do. Just to break immersion here for a second, you know that episode of Friends where Rachel won't run with Phoebe cuz she runs all crazy like a kid. I feel like getting to play a zombie in these movies would be like that. Just pure abandon. Flailing your limbs and you lead with your chest and all while naked. Sign me up. Also, having their clothes destroyed after years of being infected in the wilderness makes total sense. Also, having naked zombies sprint at you is somehow even more terrifying than if they were clothed. It's kind of like an evolutionary advantage for them. Who's not taking that extra little pause to check out all the dangly and flappy bits, right? You agree with me? And this is another well-written moment of realism. Spike is an excellent shot.

[00:06:14]It's obvious that the kids are trained early, and even in low to medium stress situations, Spike is on target. But no one and nothing can prepare you for the adrenaline spike of actual danger like this. Another win for Young Father's score. It adds so much more anxiety to an already anxious scene, but the addition of vocals to the score really pushes it over the edge.

[00:06:35]It's not diagetic, but it feels like it is. The mask itself is unnerving, but the lens flare makes it deeply unsettling.

[00:06:41]>> Alphas aren't like the others.

[00:06:43]>> Terrifying pain around the alpha.

[00:06:44]>> You did well, honestly.

[00:06:46]>> Agreed. Especially for a first time out.

[00:06:48]Good guy, dad.

[00:06:49]>> Quarantine patrol. Probably French.

[00:06:51]Well, they pushed the infection back from the Eiffel Tower, so I get why they'd be skittish.

[00:06:55]>> You stop for nothing.

[00:06:56]>> Where will you be?

[00:06:57]>> Right behind you.

[00:06:58]>> Between this moment with Spike falling back down, and that line, I wondered if we were getting a deep blue sea scream or psycho type deal gives both moments higher stakes. Goodness, this movie just throws the most spectacular shots at us randomly. With no light pollution, the sky could look like that. Very effective moment to have the splashing from the alpha be the first noticeable thing.

[00:07:20]and his footfalls are so loud and low it makes him sound 10 feet tall. It was at this moment that I remembered this film opened by having a bunch of children become infected and suddenly Spike's safety no longer felt like a given.

[00:07:34]>> The sound cutting out is so abrupt and jarring. And when it kicks back in, the orchestral score is still pumping as if it was playing just for Jamie and Spike.

[00:07:41]>> Wait, we're [ __ ] >> This makes total sense. We've seen that the virus only takes seconds to take effect. So Jenny has them wait for just a little longer than that before clearing them. But I've seen this movie and somehow I'm still clenching. Great reveal. The party we assume was happening during their chase is actually the one celebrating Spike's hunt.

[00:07:56]>> I kept missing.

[00:07:57]>> No, you didn't. He's humble. Oh, humble Spike.

[00:08:00]>> While Jaime's over exaggerating of Spike's exploits makes Spike uncomfortable. I think Spike is probably too young to get the point behind it. I don't think Jaime is trying to make his son look good. They all live in a super terrible reality, so they need things like this to celebrate. Nobody there cares if Spike actually shot that many infected. They care about the feeling of victory and the feeling that it's worth fighting for the brutal existence they have. Moments like this make me think Spike might be the last person in the village to know about these two. Dang, rough to see on just so many levels. And it speaks to Spike probably being too young for any of this. The hunt, learning about Kelson, the actual situation his mom and dad are in, as well as her declining health. It's all a real bummer.

[00:08:35]>> Felt sick. I wanted to be home with me mom.

[00:08:37]>> Your dad probably felt the same.

[00:08:39]Infidelity aside, that's an awful but necessary lesson for every kid that your parents are also just scared people. The body on his back makes him look like a scary monster, which works at this point, knowing nothing about the crazy doctor.

[00:08:50]>> Dr. Kurtson is odd.

[00:08:52]>> How's he odd?

[00:08:53]>> Some people think he's the devil.

[00:08:54]>> What's really wrong with her?

[00:08:56]>> I don't know.

[00:08:57]>> Sharing.

[00:08:57]>> I enjoy the buildup of what's actually wrong with Isla because I think we all assume she was maybe another dormant carrier or it was somehow rage virus related.

[00:09:04]>> What would her Davey think about?

[00:09:06]>> I said, "Watch your bloody mouth." It's generally pretty easy for me to not slap my children across the face, but I appreciate that he clearly and immediately regrets it. A traumatized, emotionally disregulated 12-year-old with a knife is a danger to everyone, including himself. The quickness with which he takes the knife shows he understands the seriousness of the situation, and giving it back shows that he still trusts his son. Okay, that I have done, but it's been over a decade.

[00:09:26]Looks like Spike timed it so the tide was just coming in as they left to stop them from being followed or going back.

[00:09:31]>> Can't go back, Tyson.

[00:09:33]>> It's too dangerous. It's It's okay, Mom.

[00:09:36]No, I know how to keep her safe.

[00:09:37]>> And this is where Spike's anger toward his father has taken over his common sense. If there is anyone who should know that Spike can't keep them safe, it's Spike.

[00:09:46]Hugging again. So far, the most picturesque of the 28iverse. Obviously, the first message is about God and done with paint. So, Jimmy had to fix that. Ah, good. Some goo for a new level of disgusting. Like I said, you should have known, Spike. I mean, seriously, you slept through that? And again, was it just a cancer-induced anger outburst?

[00:10:07]Could still feel rage virus related to us. Badass either way. Fun fact, even though I'm still blurring everything, no one is actually naked because Alfie Williams was 13 years old during filming, so nudity wasn't allowed.

[00:10:16]They're all wearing bodysuits and prosthetics.

[00:10:23]This was obviously totally cool for Alfie to see. 28 Weeks Later was not only gorier and more violent than the original, but also had the eye gouging scene, which stuck with us. Yuck.

[00:10:32]Anyways, this is that scene for this movie. A whole standard of Oh my god, what is happening? The score trill alone is enough to widen your eyes. Axial skeleton flail. Hey, it's that one we thought was Killian. A+ infected reveal.

[00:10:43]Ha, hell, nice.

[00:10:47]Jamie was right. Seems like killing is getting easier for Spike.

[00:10:54]Man, can we just for once not? But a pretty awesome trap, even if it was unintentional.

[00:11:01]Brutal. Yeah, Tango is a British soda.

[00:11:03]They used to have ads where a guy painted orange would smack people drinking it. Kind of like Kelson with his iodine.

[00:11:07]>> I'm not leaving. Thank you, daddy.

[00:11:10]>> Jesus Christ. Can this kid get any more up?

[00:11:12]>> For real. This probably feels like a hallucination for Eric. Entire team torn to shreds in front of him runs into a young boy and his mother. The mother is calling the boy daddy. That'd be a big old nope for me.

[00:11:20]>> My best friend from school, he's a delivery driver. Oh, you don't know what a delivery driver is. You know, people order stuff online. You don't know what online is.

[00:11:28]>> The reminder that the rest of the world is just carrying on is still so jarring.

[00:11:31]And this puts some of Spike's ignorance about just like being a person into perspective. He might not even really know what a doctor is, just that they helped sick people.

[00:11:38]>> I don't understand what you're saying.

[00:11:40]>> Still nice to see moments of Spike actually getting to be a kid.

[00:11:42]>> Something like a radio >> but with photos.

[00:11:46]Do you have radios?

[00:11:47]>> You might have noticed the fax machine 56k internet logging on sounds in Isla's head earlier and thought it was just a sound design choice, but nope. She's hearing that.

[00:11:55]>> She's just being silly. Mom, >> he's being a dick. Saved her lives. I know a dick when I see one. and she hasn't even seen Samson yet. 28 Days Later had this whole look how pretty everything is without the humans vibe to it amidst the disgusting blood spraying ghouls, which is often an apocalypse trope, but Danny really nails it every time he tries.

[00:12:12]>> Well, let's go. Mom, >> she can walk.

[00:12:18]>> Labor and delivery. The only thing more powerful than the rage virus for now. My 100% concurrent. I've only ever done Isa's job. When she's with it, she's with it. Got to assume if the baby ingests any of the mother's blood, it's raging out. Or maybe it'll be a daywalker. All the zombie strength and rage, but can't infect anyone and still retains cognition. I'm literally writing the next movie for you.

[00:12:37]>> We're all insane.

[00:12:39]>> But yeah, correct. Hard agree. This is insane.

[00:12:45]>> Never trust a quiet moment in the 28verse.

[00:12:47]>> We can't let these [ __ ] breathe. We need to kill it.

[00:12:51]>> She doesn't look infectious.

[00:12:53]>> Score pounding like a heartbeat is really putting me AT EASE.

[00:12:59]CRAZY HOW WE KNOW WHAT THAT SOUND WAS without seeing anything.

[00:13:05]>> Obviously, Samson's height and build would be scary enough. And the way he takes arrows without flinching is terrifying. But if we're being honest, the part that's really sending you running is the absolute power tool.

[00:13:18]>> Incredible intro for this character.

[00:13:20]Love this little hint toward the next movie.

[00:13:21]>> Excuse my appearance. I I paint myself in iodine. It's a an excellent prophylactic. The virus doesn't like iodine at all.

[00:13:29]>> Not only is this a great way to help explain part of Kelson's survival, it also makes him look totally bananas, and I love it.

[00:13:34]>> I call this one Samson. He's lived in the area a good 3 years now. I usually keep my distance from him, of course.

[00:13:41]>> Also, he is bananas, which is great. If you pause here, I think it could definitely be argued that the baby has hetrochromia, making her immune to the virus while also being a carrier, which definitely has some implications for the end of the film. And these jaws spoke and swallowed. This is a monument to them.

[00:13:58]>> A truly horrifying sight, even if it honestly makes sense in a beautiful way.

[00:14:02]Personally, I think he just invented his own Minecraft.

[00:14:04]>> Alas, poor Eric.

[00:14:10]>> It was worth a try. We find out later that Spike can read and write, but he probably hasn't read Hamlet. Definitely a first world problem, but Kelson almost has a dang, no one will ever get my highbrow humor ever again moment here.

[00:14:21]How interesting. The magic of the placenta.

[00:14:24]>> And it does actually make sense. The placenta prevents the mothers and the baby's blood supplies from ever mixing.

[00:14:28]>> Isa, it would be helpful if I could check your breasts under your arms.

[00:14:32]Isn't that okay?

[00:14:33]>> Probably an obvious thing, but I love how polite Kelson is.

[00:14:35]>> I think you have cancer.

[00:14:37]>> Such a gut punch for Spike, obviously.

[00:14:39]But even for us, thinking there was something rage virus related and maybe she'd actually be the cure to it all.

[00:14:43]But yeah, that's not how these go. And unfortunately, that's real.

[00:14:46]>> Don't understand. You see, you can't make me mom better. Spike's naivity of how things work once again comes into play. He thought getting his mom to a doctor was all that was needed.

[00:14:54]>> I can go and I can get it. Just tell us, please.

[00:14:57]>> There is no medicine that can cure.

[00:14:59]>> Which is even true with all our modern medicine now. But why would Spike know that?

[00:15:02]>> Momento Amoris. Remember, you must love.

[00:15:06]>> As much as Momento Mory is Kelson's like entire vibe, Momento Amoris feels like where he's headed and what's really underneath.

[00:15:15]What could otherwise be a creepy shot is contextually a very beautiful one.

[00:15:22]The music hitting this drawn out crescendo and the morphine induced imagery does a good job of dulling the sting of what's a pretty tragic scene.

[00:15:31]And as a pretine holds his mother's skull to face it toward the sunrise, I'm blown away that it's somehow incredibly poignant. Movies are wild. Young Father's Remember is also doing a lot of heavy lifting.

[00:15:46]And I'm not being cute. Death is well, you know, I don't really care for it much in my movies, but in our modern society, we don't always have to deal with the dead like this. The idea that a young kid has to hold his mother's skull feels off. And at the same time, he's getting a kind of closure that many of us could never even hope for. It's a full circle moment as the baby carries his mother's remains in his shirt, swaddled like a baby. He wanted peace for her, and sadly, this was the only way she gets that in their world. Spike has visibly become quicker on his feet over the course of the film.

[00:16:13]>> I think it's time for you and the baby to go home.

[00:16:16]>> We can interpret that as it's not safe for you out here, but personally, I think Samson was there for the baby.

[00:16:21]Mhm. Only one of the eyes is visible.

[00:16:26]>> Dang. Bringing Godspeed You Black Emperors, the sad mafioso from East Hastings back from Jim's first stroll through London for this moment.

[00:16:34]And goodness, they're still throwing gorgeous shots at us.

[00:16:42]Yeah, it looks about right.

[00:16:49]>> And a perfect moment for the track to kick it into high gear.

[00:16:51]>> Oh, wonderful shot.

[00:16:54]>> I think anyone from Britain along with some of us who happen to know the unfortunate history immediately had a moment of uh is that guy dressed like Jimmy Seville? Which in and of itself might make me just side with the infected even though he's pretty decent at this point. Hold, hold, [ __ ] go.

[00:17:09]>> That might be the best call to action I've ever witnessed. Perfect line delivery.

[00:17:16]>> This scene is absolute insanity. Let's start with the music. A metal version of the Teletubbies theme song on its own is hilarious. Here, it's so disturbing.

[00:17:24]Then the Jimmy Seville inspired outfits are mega weird and seems to give them superpowers. Then the joy they dispatch the infected with feels so sketchy even though they clearly know what they're doing way beyond the Swedish military team. These two helping each other out, Grot and infected, smiling, looking like they're working to get a good stretch.

[00:17:39]The whole thing just feels so off. I guess what I mean to say is we saw a zombie rip a dude's head and spine out a bit ago, and that didn't come close to the ick this scene made me feel.

[00:17:50]>> Who's that?

[00:17:52]>> Now that's an entrance.

[00:17:54]>> Hello, my name's Jimmy.

[00:17:56]>> And their outfits threw me off for a second and I forgot about the opening.

[00:17:59]But there it is, the final confirmation that it's that Jimmy. I didn't love 28 Years Later the first time I watched it.

[00:18:04]I think mostly because it wasn't quite what I was expecting. I liked it, but if I hadn't made this video, I probably wouldn't have thought about it or watched it again. But as often happens, watching it again made me enjoy it way more. Sometimes the opposite happens.

[00:18:15]I'll feel meh about a movie and then spending more time with it exposes more of its flaws. But my biggest new takeaway is that it's beautiful and weird, and Ray Fines could really do no wrong, at least when acting. Remember when you could say something like that about male actors and there wasn't a 50% chance it would age like deli meat? But I can't stress enough how hiring a band to do a score is just it's the best possible thing. It's strange and unnerving, epic, and moving when it needs to be. I'm thoroughly impressed with Young Fathers. Another large part of my feeling is that it's truly only half a movie. This and The Bone Temple were shot back to back. And boy, do I have some thoughts on that one. And if you have any thoughts on The Bone Temple or 28 Years Later, you need to check out my sponsor this week, Flicks. a brand new app I'm really excited about, especially because I get to bring all of you in when it's still really young, and together we can shape the community in a positive way. I'm always looking for ways to track what I'm watching, and my spreadsheet is fine, but it's lacking in, well, anything other than being a list. Flick lets me track movies and shows, but it's also a great way to find new stuff to watch, as well as to know when something new is coming out. It's built specifically for people like us who actually love movies and TV designed around intentional discovery, not just an endless doom scroll trying to keep you locked in. You can create collections however you like, mood, availability, whatever. It's the best parts of Letterbox and IMDb mixed together with its own rating system, so you can get opinions from people you already trust. I've started working on my profile, which I'm hoping can be a way to give recommendations, a thing I'm asked about pretty often, without having to drop a bunch of titles off the top of my head, a thing I'm bad at. So, I'm starting to build out some collections now, both for you and to help me stay organized. A feature I really love is that you can even select a movie, and Flicks will give you links to where you can watch it right now. You can also get notifications for when new episodes of your favorite shows come out, all right in one place. So go sign up. It doesn't cost anything. And actually, they're doing a monthly giveaway where the most active users can unlock 6 months of a streaming service for free. So if that sounds useful to you, check out Flicks and let me know what collections you make.