There was a time when zombie films were as popular as superhero movies are now, coming up in genres from the more expected horror to full-on slapstick comedy. This period waned, and zombie films became stale and out of style -- until the release of Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later in 2002, a film that breathed new life into the concept, no pun intended.

Its sequel, 28 Weeks Later, was released five years later and received less critical acclaim and attention than its predecessor, but with time, its relevance has only increased, as has the importance of its themes and the power of its imagery. It is an incredible film that deserves to stand alongside 28 Days Later.

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What Is 28 Weeks Later About?

Don attempts to escape a hoard of zombies by boat in 28 Weeks Later

Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, who is also helming the upcoming Millie Bobby Brown movie Damsel, 28 Weeks Later focuses on siblings Tammy (Imogen Poots) and Andy (Mackintosh Muggleton) during the United Kingdom's attempt to rebuild after the initial outbreak of the Rage Virus. The siblings are part of a repopulation effort in East London; they were out of the country and away from their parents when the initial outbreak occurred. Now, they are part of the frontline, filling the empty cities with new citizens alongside a guard force of American soldiers, including Doyle (Jeremy Renner, future Hawkeye), a member of Delta Force and civilian overseer Scarlet (Rose Byrne). The two briefly reconnect with their father, Don (Once Upon a Time star Robert Carlyle) before he is infected by their asymptomatic carrier mother, who Don had abandoned during an earlier zombie attack. Don's infection kicks off a fresh outbreak of the virus and chaos quickly overtakes the quarantine zone.

There are a handful of jumpscares in these earlier sequences, and the frantic editing of the action scenes helps the later moments feel more natural. The tension is enhanced if one has seen the first film; these viewers will know the power of the Rage Virus, the speed with which it takes effect and the absolute chaos that erupted from its initial spread. These factors, as well as the human drama of the survivors bonding together, help keep the movie from becoming a more rote tale of survival in a familiar apocalyptic scenario. This tension is reinforced by the film's score, composed by frequent Guy Ritchie collaborator John Murphy. Returning from the first movie, the harsh sounds of his compositions fit perfectly with the sharp reports of gunfire and the cries of the infected and survivors.

One of 28 Weeks Later's most important and horrifying moments involves Doyle and his fellow snipers being ordered to fire on a crowd of civilians in a courtyard below, some of them infected as the outbreak begins to spread further. There are brief protests and moments of hesitation before the troops begin firing their weapons, intercut with brief shots of the crowd. Doyle's fellow soldiers don't hesitate, firing indiscriminately into the crowd, though he can't bring himself to join them. Their actions are intercut with quick cuts to the carnage below them. Other troops become involved, firing heavy machine guns into the fray. By the conclusion of what feels like an endless and gory shooting gallery, there are dozens of corpses laying in the courtyard, draped across the ineffective barricades and each other. The silence is eerie, hanging over the place as the intense music falls into a piano motif.

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Why 28 Weeks Later Is More Relatable Than Ever

28 Weeks Later's scope narrows from the plight and death of tens of thousands to the core team in the aftermath of the courtyard massacre, as Doyle meets up with Scarlet and the siblings, escorting them through the city toward Wembley Stadium, where a radio transmission claims evacuation for civilians is imminent. Quieting down from the violence, the characters are allowed to breathe, and the themes of the film are given room to stretch. There are sacrifices made to save the children as the group moves through a city in flames. The siblings' dynamic is that of two people who have lost everyone they care about and now rely on each other and a new family of fellow survivors, each of them damaged in their own way by this fresh outbreak. It's no coincidence that the popularity of both 28 films went up during the pandemic; these characters are relatable, and though the circumstances of the real-world struggle were very different, the proximity of their fear and anxiety to the audience's own feelings is closer than it's ever been.

The tension continues to ratchet up right to 28 Weeks Later's climax, but the ending is something best left for viewers to discover on their own. Both 28 days films have humanity (and inhumanity) to offer to those willing to brave their scares, and that is its own experience, one well worth indulging in this Halloween season. There have been many zombie movies and shows since the release of the 28 duology, but few could ever claim to have captured the same fear, the same power and the same rage.