Hulu R-Rated Sci-Fi Horror Sequel Delivers Amped Up Violence
At this point, audiences far and wide are mostly sick of zombies in movies and other media, except in cases where they’re done exceptionally well such as HBO’s The Last of Us. One film from the absolute height of the zombie over-saturation that still stands out as a classic today is 2007’s 28 Weeks Later. The film, which delivers some of the best violent and thrilling set-pieces ever made, is currently streaming on Hulu for all those looking to have nightmares for the remainder of the Summer.
A Post-Apocalyptic Sequel Like No Other
28 Weeks Later is a stand-alone sequel to the 2002 classic Danny Boyle-directed film 28 Days Later. The sequel sees the return of the Rage Virus from the first film, as NATO forces attempt to establish and maintain safe zones across the world. A third film in the epic franchise, titled 28 Years Later, is currently set to release in the Summer of 2025, with the original writer and director slated to return to their posts.
Spanish filmmaker Juan Carlos Fresnadillo serves as the director for 28 Weeks Later, and is also listed as a co-writer for the film’s screenplay. Other writers credited for their work on the project include Enrique López Lavigne, Jesus Olmo, and The Informer scribe Rowan Joffé. The film stars a wide array of excellent A-listers, including Jeremy Renner, Rose Byrne, Idris Elba, Harold Perrineau, Robert Carlyle, and Imogen Poots.
A New Quarantine Zone
The narrative of 28 Weeks Later centers on a group of people who have managed to survive in the apocalyptic world first presented in 28 Days, as they lay low in a cottage outside of London. Despite their luck in avoiding infected people thus far, they find themselves completely surrounded when a little boy accidentally leads a massive horde directly to the safe house. One man named Don, as played by Robert Carlyle, manages to escape, and eventually finds himself in a new settler colony controlled by the United States armed forces.
An Eerily Prophetic Take On A Global Crisis
As the film continues, Don and many other survivors quickly learn that the virus has only gotten worse in the 28 weeks since the original pandemic, as it has evolved to be spread faster and wider by airborne means and asymptomatic carriers. As you can imagine, certain scenes of 28 Weeks Later have aged tremendously in the wake of the real-life COVID-19 pandemic, especially those where government officials clash about the reality of the virus at all.
Unpredictable Triathlete Zombies
For my money, 28 Weeks Later sort of pales in comparison to the 2002 original, though it still offers an excellent story, fascinating characters, and an action-packed plot with some stunning visuals. The infected humans in the film franchise are not your typical slow-moving, brain-chomping zombies, and offer more humanity and terrifying unpredictability than anything you’d see in AMC’s The Walking Dead.
Now’s The Best Time To Prepare For 28 Years Later
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Despite 28 Weeks Later‘s minor shortcomings, the film is still an excellent watch, and definitely deserves a place in your streaming rotation before the upcoming release of 28 Years, especially if you’ve never seen it before. Whether you’re long-overdue for a rewatch or simply checking out the terrifying movie for the first time, you can stream 28 Weeks Later on Hulu today. Just be sure to mask up, stay indoors, and maintain 6 feet of social distance before you press play, as the film might give you flashbacks to the Summer of 2020.
