28 Days Later
Directed by Danny BoyleTwenty-eight days after a killer virus was accidentally unleashed from a British research facility, a small group of London survivors are caught in a desperate struggle to protect themselves from the infected. Carried by animals and humans, the virus turns those it infects into homicidal maniacs -- and it's absolutely impossible to contain.
- inaneswineJanuary 27, 2025This terrific film has turned out to be the most misunderstood film of the 2000s. Referring to it as a "zombie horror" is incorrect in its entirety: the creatures in the film are not the undead, but are in fact humans that are infected with a devastating virus that locks them into a permanent state of murderous rage; and while one could be forgiven for calling the film a horror, it is in fact a focus on human drama, as the protagonists struggle to understand and deal with their predicament. Having said that, the film does deliver a few genuinely terrifying moments, and the geysers of gore are frequent enough to keep the horror fans happy. The early scenes are the most memorable, as we see the deserted city of London explored by a formerly comatose Cillian Murphy, ignorant to the devastation that the virus has caused. Stealing the show is actor Naomi Harris, with her brilliant portrayal of Selena, while John Murphy's music is a close second.
- Terry PhanApril 17, 2026Not gonna light a pretty good movie, the plot and backstory to the "Rage Virus" was certainly interesting especially the fact that the virus was isolated in Great Britain and not to mention the characters and acting from stars like Cillian Murphy to how the crew managed to film in the quiet streets of London!
- Scott SmithApril 26, 2025A great movie. The first big movie to have infected/zombies that ran fast, making them a lot more frightening. A good story, too. A couple years later Zack Snyder remade 'Dawn of the Dead' with running zombies, too. But this was the first major theater movie to do it. For a low budget flick, Danny Boyle made a great entry into the zombie/infected genre. My first time rewatching it in a long time, and it holds up well after 20+ years.
- RazorbitzFebruary 22, 2025Nothing has come close to 28 Days Later. With the legacy sequel on the horizon, I thought it would be good to revisit the original to see if my grandiose visions within my memory matched what Boyle and Co. accomplished. I can confirm that it was even better. It's been a few months but the red scrape it has left on my mind is as raw as it was when I first watched this film near 20 years ago for the first time. Any film that has come after that has tried to recapture the magic of 28 Days Later is just chasing a ragged shadow; while there are more technically impressive films, this is one of firsts and also of bests. As a horror film, for anyone new to the genre this one may be too much, but for me it is what 28 Days doesn't show that makes the fear so much more tangible. It is a film of great silence and vicious sound. I have no technical knowledge for films but even in the moments of gore there is a distinct sense of absence in the framerate and in the various scenework that never fails to jar my mind awake with a primal panic as blood spurts forth from the enraged mouths. Nevermind a masterclass in performance by the then unknown Cillian Murphy, or the slimy acidic charisma of Christopher Eccleston later on--this film has no flaws that detract from the experience. For me, it is one of the few films that still conjures a tension because everyone in the film is doing their best in the worst case scenario. Even knowing their fates, I still wish for another reality for them. Sparse dialogue does not detract from the emotional weight of each character as they wrestle with the horrors and their own humanity. I like 28 Weeks well enough, and hope 28 Years delivers, but this film stands alone. It has been a fascinatng thing watching the legacy of this film spin out of control in realtime and yet never lose its magic--at least for me. Don't miss this one.
- ItsChaseFaceAugust 7, 2025It has everything you want in a movie - British people, fast moving zombies, gore, action, comedy, moments of levity, melancholic music, depressing survival scenarios, tragedy, you name it. I remembered liking this movie as an 11 year old, but I LOVE it as an adult. Feels much more grounded and traumatizing compared to other zombie movies opting for spectacle or overemphasizing story. I recall the later movies aren't as good, but this one is such an unexpected gem.
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28 Days Later Trivia
28 Days Later was released on November 1, 2002.
28 Days Later was directed by Danny Boyle.
28 Days Later has a runtime of 1h 53m.
28 Days Later was produced by Andrew Macdonald.
Twenty-eight days after a killer virus was accidentally unleashed from a British research facility, a small group of London survivors are caught in a desperate struggle to protect themselves from the infected. Carried by animals and humans, the virus turns those it infects into homicidal maniacs -- and it's absolutely impossible to contain.
The key characters in 28 Days Later are Jim (Cillian Murphy), Selena (Naomie Harris), Frank (Brendan Gleeson).
28 Days Later is rated R.
28 Days Later is a Horror, Thriller, Science Fiction film.
28 Days Later has an audience rating of 8.5 out of 10.
28 Days Later had a budget of $8M.
28 Days Later has made $82.8M at the box office.