Mainland Britain is declared free of infection, but a new
​carrier strain causes an outbreak just as repopulation begins.

HORROR

28 Weeks Later (2007)

Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo

Written by Rowan Joffe, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, 
Enrique López Lavigne, Jesús Olmo

Starring Jeremy Renner, Rose Byrne, Robert Carlyle,
Imogen Poots, Mackintosh Muggleton, Harold Perrineau,
Catherine McCormack, Idris Elba

Sequel to 2002's 28 Days Later

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Connor Eyzaguirre

December 13, 2022

8/10

It's tough to follow a perfect horror film like 28 Days Later. That film reinvented the zombie subgenre, brought something new to the table, and remains viciously realistic and dramatic. Amazingly, it's lone sequel holds up. 28 Weeks Later introduces the audience to a new group of characters just as endearing as the first, and takes us into the next stage of infection. It's also remembered for having one of the most intense opening scenes in horror movie history, with Don (Carlyle) abandoning his wife as his group is swarmed by the infected.

Obviously, it's been 28 weeks since the rage virus was introduced into Britain's population. In that time, millions have died and everything has collapsed. But now, with the infected having died of starvation, NATO has begun rebuilding Britain's infrastructure and has started reintroducing people back to safe zones. Unfortunately, Don's wife (McCormack) survived her bout with the infected and is discovered in their London flat alive and well. Turns out she's immune to infection because she's a carrier, and Don learns this when he kisses her, becomes infected, and starts this hellish nightmare all over again. The soldiers are ordered to kill everyone to prevent further outbreaks, and only a small group of survivors make it out of the initial firebombing, including Don's kids. It's another brutal zombie-esque film that will stay with you.

28 Weeks Later should've been the awesome middle part of a killer trilogy, but a third film never came about. Blame Danny Boyle, blame Alex Garland, blame the studio, whatever. Point is the third film will likely never happen, which means this is our finale for this universe for the time being. Days and Weeks remains a solid double feature and two of the best horror films of the 2000s.