28 Years Later is finally hitting theaters, and early reviews are pouring in. Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland return to the franchise that redefined zombie horror, this time with a new twist. Below, we break down what critics are saying—good and bad—about the long-awaited sequel.
What is the 28 Years Later score?
With 71 reviews currently in, 28 Years Later holds a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
That’s a higher score than the original 28 Days Later (87%) and the 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later (72%), marking this third installment as the most critically acclaimed in the series to date.
What the reviews say
The negative
While the majority of critics are impressed, a few aren’t convinced. Detractors call 28 Years Later muddled and unfocused, with some criticizing it for drifting away from the urgency and horror of the first two films. A handful point to the script’s uneven tone, confusing shifts between coming-of-age drama and horror thriller, and decisions that make parts of the story feel like side quests rather than central arcs.
Currently, there are only three negative reviews:
“For all the possible directions this narrative could have taken, you can’t help but wonder why this is the one the filmmakers landed on.” – Loud and Clear Reviews
“Boyle and Garland are obviously entitled to add a smirk or two, but they can have no complaints if the muddled tone flies over the heads of audience members.” – Irish Independent
28 Years Later tries hard to outpace the original film and keep up with the culture at large, but instead it lumbers slowly behind. -Newsday
The positive
The overwhelming majority of reviews are glowing. Critics praise the film’s bold risks, strong performances, and philosophical take on horror. The directing and cinematography are called stunning, and many highlight the emotional weight and thematic ambition. Boyle and Garland are credited with crafting something that’s more than just another zombie flick—this is a bleak, surreal, and at times moving film that redefines what the genre can be.
“One of the strangest, most exhilarating blockbusters in recent memory. It’s a truly bizarre piece of art that’s somehow both grotesque and extremely moving.” – Bloomberg News
“An exciting and terrifying horror movie, a fresh and nuanced entry into the zombie catalog, a mesmerizing philosophical tale, all packed into a coming-of-age structure, 28 Years Later is one of the best zombie horror movies we’ve been given in years.” – Collider
“28 Years Later is a reinvention of the trilogy. It dares to evolve when most sequels retreat. It’s a rare horror film that provokes as much as it terrifies, asking not just how we survive the end of the world, but what kind of people we become afterward.” – HeyUGuys
“28 Years Later isn’t just one of the best horror movies of the year, but also one of the best legacy sequels of all time.” – Discussing Film
Release info
28 Years Later opens in theaters on June 20, 2025. Directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, the film stars Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes. Set decades after the original outbreak, the story follows a new generation navigating the aftermath of the Rage Virus as it threatens to return, with devastating consequences. The film is the first in a new trilogy.
