28 Days Later poster & wallpaper

Alex Palmer, Bindu De Stoppani, Brendan Gleeson

After breaking into a primate research facility, a group of animal rights activists discover caged chimps chained up before banks of screens displaying horrifying, violent images. Ignoring the warning...( read more  read more... )s of the terrified researcher who maintains that the chimps are infected, they begin to free the animals and are immediately subjected to a bloody attack from the enraged creatures. Twenty-eight days later, Cycle courier Jim awakes from a coma in the deserted intensive care unit of a London hospital. He wanders out into a church where he finds dead bodies piled in heaps on the chapel floor. A sudden explosion from a makeshift bomb heralds the arrival of fellow "survivors" Selina and Mark. They take Jim to safety and explain to him that this infection is transmitted by blood and overwhelms the infected victim with a murderous rage within seconds. Britain has been overrun, and they have no way of knowing if it has spread worldwide. Their only hope of survival may lie in the hands of a Manchester group of soldiers, as they claim to have the "answer" to infection and invite any survivors to join them at their blockade. Faced with no practical alternative, the group sets out northwards, unaware that the worst is yet to come.

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82% liked it

436,034 ratings

Critics

88% liked it

196 critics

R, 1 hr. 48 min.

Directed by: Danny Boyle

Release Date: June 27, 2003

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DVD Release Date: October 21, 2003

Stats: 36,838 reviews

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Cillian Murphy in 28 Days Later Cillian Murphy in 28 Days Later 28 Days Later - An Infected 28 Days Later - Selena & Jim 28 Days Later - Frank and Jim 28 days later 28 Days Later 28 Days Later 28 Days Later - Cillian Murphy 28 Days Later (1) 28 Days Later Biohazard Avatar Two Infected 28 Days Later Cillian Muprhy. Naomie Harris in 28 Days Later 28 days later. 28 Days Later
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Flixster Reviews (36,838)

  • DrZeek
    October 5, 2009
    DrZeek
    Mark: What's your name?
    Jim: Jim.
    Mark: I'm Mark. This is Selena. Ok, Jim. I've got some bad news.

    A modern day zombie movie...well they're not technically zombies, they're infected. A quality take on the genre, with stylish, digi cam direction from Danny Boyle and good cha...( read more)racters. Very watchable, although it doesn't shine so well in the third act.

    The beginning of this film is particularly interesting and well handled. Jim, played by Cillian Murphy, awakens from a coma in an abandoned hospital. He soon realizes he is completely alone. The film then gives us empty streets of London, subtle music queues slowly creeping in, and the use of digital camera to provide a great isolated feel for Jim.

    Jim eventually comes across others still living in London. While some are regular scared people, the rest are infected victims of a virus, causing them to attack with no purpose and kill anything in their path. The film eventually turns into a road film of sorts, as a group travels to find any sort of safe haven.

    Jim: No, no. No, see, this is a really shit idea. You know why? Because it's really obviously a shit idea.

    Like all good zombie movies, it's not about the zombies, but about its characters and the reactions to their situation and how to deal with it. The lack of a true social structure, how people arrive at their true nature, and testing the hopes that people have left are all the kind of factors that play into this film. It doesn't have Romero style social commentary, but the handling of isolation and despair works well.

    This movie introduced the new style of "sprinting zombies" where they run, they slide, they hit humans and take a bite. New rules to the genre are always welcome, if handled effectively, and here, ones involving how to kill or become one of the infected lead to good scenes of tension.

    Danny Boyle, tackling yet another completely different genre, does a good job at creating a look for this film. The dark atmosphere, chaotic editing style of infected attacks, and solid horror film pacing is handled well. The use of digital camera makes the situations presented more effective, as does the very good soundtrack, which is now being used quite a bit in various movie trailers.

    As is a constant problem with Boyle's screenwriting collaborator Alex Garland, the stories third act has issues. Although the film plays out well enough, especially after repeated viewings, one can't help but wish there were other possible resolutions or places to take this concept.

    It's a good movie overall, made better by a unique presentation from Danny Boyle's direction, and solid work from the lead actors.

    Selena: He was full of plans. Have you got any plans, Jim? Do you want us to find a cure and save the world or just fall in love and fuck? Plans are pointless. Staying alive is as good as it gets.
  • SirPant
    September 24, 2009
    SirPant
    Nice to have a zombie film set in London, went a bit rubbish at the end though. Early scenes are a total rip off of the comic 'Zenith' that was realised in the early 90's in 2000AD and also the Day of the Triffids.
  • stopitgoaway
    August 25, 2009
    stopitgoaway
    Perhaps I'm a little biased. After all, this is set in the city I live and work in, and seeing Oxford Street and Piccadilly Circus, which I pass by every morning and which are usually teeming with crowds of people, completely empty was enough to send shivers down my spine. Usuall...( read more)y when you watch a movie like this it's located in some nondescript Midwestern village, which makes it easy to detach yourself from the events unfolding on screen. But seeing them occur in the place you call home is something that gives it an entirely new sense of reality, and one I was previously unaccustomed to.

    Still, judging 28 Days Later entirely on its merit as a film, it's easy to arrive at the conclusion that it's a fantastic achievement, as well as a coming-of-age of sorts for director Danny Boyle; I can't say the MTV-inspired vanity of The Beach, or the self-consciously trendy posturing of Trainspotting appealed to me, and to my shame I initially expected 28 Days Later to be given a similar treatment. Thankfully, my fears proved unfounded, discarded straight after a opening sequence which is at once effortless and fearsome. The rest of the movie was a joy. A terrifying joy, but a joy nonetheless.

    It's true that sometimes minimalism can be more effective than overblown bravado, and it's definitely true for this movie. It's the scenes of complete silence which get to you the most; an entire metropolis empty. The grainy picture serves to add a documentary-style quality to the film, which makes the whole situation seem almost too real to bear. Definitely a wise choice to film this on digital video.

    You will occasionally meet people who thought 28 Days Later wasn't 'scary' or 'gory' enough. These are the same people who will tell you that 2001 was 'boring', or that Memento was 'confusing'. Ignore them. Others didn't understand the purpose of the second half, or were confused by its change of pace, feeling that it distracted from the movie as a whole. However, I personally regard the second half as very important because, as another reviewer pointed out, it makes a very succinct point: What is scarier, the end of the world, or having the world repopulated by maniacs? That, I think, is where the real Horror of 28 Days Later lies.

    28 Days Later, like the Romero zombie flicks of yore, is ultimately an allegory of the days we are living in, an age in which we are constantly confronted with violence by the media (much like the ape right at the start of the film), where violence begets violence, and humanity faces an uncertain future. I applaud Danny Boyle's bravery in making 28 Days Later because he undoubtedly took a big commercial risk when the majority of the cinema-going public might prefer escapism to words of caution. Remember, Rage is a human-made disease. Quite the allegory there.

    Like most great masterpieces of their time, 28 Days Later has been misunderstood by a considerable amount of people. I have no doubt it will go down in history as a classic, the one movie which perfectly sums up the confused era we are living in. And even if you didn't like it, it would be advisable to give 28 Days Later another chance; it's a haunting experience when looked at from the right angle. Danny Boyle has many years left in him, I hope he'll continue making more movies like this.
  • kenstachnik
    April 18, 2009
    kenstachnik
    An extremely effective horror film. The digital cinematography combined with Boyle's direction provide this film with a chilling realism.
  • ceWEBrity
    January 19, 2009
    ceWEBrity
    About time I got around to seeing this! 28 Days Later is one of the most evocative, visually creative movies in 21st century horror, a ruminative dystopia flick with a master director at the helm. Spare, commanding and intelligent, it haunts again and again, not with overuse of j...( read more)ump scares or constant zombie violence, but the stinging reminders of a completely collapsed society. It's all perversely beautiful, in a way.

    Naomie Harris should get more work, horror or otherwise. Tia Dalma was the only interesting character by the time the second Pirates movie rolled around, and she's great here, conveying a huge range of attitudes without any sort of backstory to her name. You know that the character has lived through a lot simply based on how she acts in any given situation; callous and pragmatic when faced with the infected, but gut-churningly gentle toward the end when a young friend is threatened. It's a lively, humanistic turn, one that really enhances the movie. Cillian Murphy is good too, especially in the last half hour, when his character really gets to let loose. Performances of this caliber are always appreciated in a horror film because they raise the stakes so much more - it's a no-brainer, but if you care about the characters, you don't want them to die.

    The only perceivable problem with this is the kind of odd third-act shift, something that haunts almost every one of Danny Boyle's films. He strays far from the rage virus and shovels in this hamfisted metaphor about how people are the real monsters, which I've learned from every other horror movie ever. It is brought to a close pretty well, on a hopeful and aesthetically pleasing note, but the final minutes in the military complex won't ring true with all viewers.
  • 0644161
    November 19, 2009
    0644161
    Danny Boyle is a legend!
  • ythelastman89
    November 17, 2009
    ythelastman89
    I can honestly say this is one of the best horror movies ever. Real actors are included as opposed to the usual sludge that makes it into horror movies and a great rising director. The result is one of the most suspenseful cinematic adventures in a long time. Cillian Murphy gives...( read more) the most amazing performance in this, probably the best ever in a zombie movie.
  • Cartman420
    November 13, 2009
    Cartman420
    GOTTA rewatch it when im not so fucking baked
  • bronzlox1
    November 13, 2009
    bronzlox1
    Excellent zombie movie. Lots of gore though so if you can't stand that sort of thing beware.
  • rochandre
    November 12, 2009
    rochandre
    this is the older one, but still awesome

View All 28 Days Later Reviews

Critic Reviews

June 27, 2003
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

It's unpleasant stuff, told without winks or humor, and it's so perfectly pitched that you can't take your eyes off it, even if this sort of hard-edged horror isn't exactly your cup of Diet Coke. full review

June 27, 2003
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

It has eerie images, a compelling situation and an unusual capacity to surprise. full review

June 27, 2003
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

A tough, smart, ingenious movie that leads its characters into situations where everything depends on their (and our) understanding of human nature. full review

June 27, 2003
David Edelstein, Slate

The movie is derivative as hell, but it's also blazingly well-made, and it moves at a ferocious clip. full review

June 26, 2003
Claudia Puig, USA Today

An edge-of-your-seat scary movie that startles and chills. full review

June 26, 2003
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

As a parable of human nature under extreme duress, 28 Days Later is never less than interesting. full review

June 26, 2003
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Set in an evacuated London decimated by a virus, the film, shot with nerve-frying effectiveness on digital video -- creeps you out big-time. full review

June 26, 2003
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

A taut, terrifying thriller that will turn you asthmatic with dread. full review

View more 28 Days Later reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments

  • Megggyy
    June 30, 2008
    Megggyy
    hah 28 months?
  • snake65
    December 14, 2007
    snake65
    what a brilliant film, i cant wait until 28 months later to come out
  • badgirl12342
    November 21, 2007
    badgirl12342
    FUCKIN LOV3 DIS MOVI3 1ST TIM3 I ATCH3D IT WAS IN TH3 CIN3MA AND I SHIT MAS3LF LOL
    WIKD MOVI3 ISDA BST X X X
  • ikjotrana
    August 14, 2007
    ikjotrana
    very good movie. Quite different from other films of the same genre.In american zombie films, theres only fighting and killing zombies from start to end without much of a story line. but in this , there is a very strong story line , very realistic, obvious, no dumb stunts , effects or corny dialogues.
    the empty london scene in the beginning of the movie was my favourite part.it was so beautiful, (quite like fantasy). Any 1 notices the music going on in that scent?? amazing!!
    my other favourite part was when the survivors were driving to manchester . the photography, acting, ect was so beautifully european (american movies can't do that). U actually get so attached with the survivors.
    The scenes after the zombie killings by the army were below my expectations(i feel the director could have used more imagination)
    The last scene was again beautiful!!!
  • heycutthatout
    July 29, 2007
    heycutthatout
    A great insight to what could happen in this day and age..... Biological Warfare. made me think about what could happen if russia or china ect. made a biological bomb and dropped it in the heart of london. amazing plot, even though the story turns halfway through the movie amazing. the rough camera shots and the screen shots made me believe a story like this could happen. 5/5!
  • IsufferFromMSI
    July 28, 2007
    IsufferFromMSI
    This is what annoys me. Zombies are the dead, who have risen to an airborne virus. The "Infected" in 28 days Later are Rage Victims, those who have gotton infected caused by a bite on the arm. Get your facts right
  • Tomo619
    July 5, 2007
    Tomo619
    This what Resident Evil should have been! Not that sack of crap directed by a sack of crap (Paul W S Anderscum).
    It had a lot of elements from the Resident Evil games unlike the actual Resident Evil movies which the only thing they shared with the games was character names and a couple of creatures.
  • pbol
    June 26, 2007
    pbol
    awsome movie and for all you ppl that say its a zombie movie jesus it isnt!!!!!gah they pick up a friggin virus from evil monkeys and bleed through their mouthes and infect other ppl and they will not hesitate to bite the crap out of you ,doesnt sound like zombies to me(well maybe a little bit)but !!for the record they dont die and come back to life to feed on the living!! jees brush up on zombie history and at least watch dan of the dead !!
  • MissBexeh
    June 25, 2007
    MissBexeh
    Who cares if it was named a 'zombie movie' it was brilliant! It was so weird, and it did make me feel so uncomfortable, just imagining if i was there and what id do, just strange. I liked where they found the army base, and it was an excellent twist to them making them feel safe then telling them the girls would be used to reproduce. The only bit i hated was where cillian murphy stuck his thumbs in that guys eye sockets...that really did make me heave. The start was a bit confusing for me, but other than that an all round brill movie. Watch it!
  • tannerscott02
    June 20, 2007
    tannerscott02
    this movie is great. it's the best zombie movie ever made
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28 Days Later Trivia

  • Which movie has this tagline : " The Days Are Numbered "  Answer »
  • In the horror film "28 Days Later," to which popular British city are the four survivors trying to reach (they are seeking soldiers, who have an "answer to curing the infected.")?  Answer »
  • In Danny Boyle's "28 Days Later" there is a still from the movie flip upsidedown to represent the state of the main character Jim, what does it say?   Answer »
  • 28 Weeks Later is the sequel to which film?  Answer »
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