Sommerleigh Pollonais, Horror Head Writer
Twenty-three years ago, a movie was released that ironically breathed new life into the undead sub-genre of horror. 28 Days Later, directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, took the world by storm with its premise of a rage-fuelled virus turning the infected into “zombies” whose only goal was to have survivors join their club or die trying. The second movie 28 Weeks Later had a different team behind it and wasn’t quite as successful, but it did deliver one of the most iconic horror movie openings of all time. And now in 2025 we have the latest – and probably the most divisive movie of the trio – 28 Years Later.
So instead of doing a review for the third, I thought it might be fun to see how these three would rank against each other, so get out your running shoes, watch out for falling blood drops and sharpen your bow and arrows as we take a look at ALL THREE “28” MOVIES –RANKED!
#3 28 Weeks Later
Taking place six months after the rage virus infected Britain, we follow a family who seems to thrive on making terrible decisions as they try to survive the world’s worst fitness test. Directed this time around by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (Damsel, Intruders) and co-written by Rowan Joffe and Enrique Lavigne, 28 Weeks Later has a bit more polish to its visuals (which it would considering the bump in budget on the second outing) as well as a larger scale in terms of locations and action sequences. Because of this the stakes here do feel bigger even though the virus is still currently contained within England. This also allowed for the creation of a pulse pounding opening scene few people have forgotten some two decades later, so well regarded it’s made more than a few horror lists of Scariest Movie Moments of All Time.
Ironically it’s the larger scope of the film that takes away from the genuine fear and anxiety produced by the first movie where the world (or England to be precise) truly felt empty, hopeless and deeply terrifying. It’s also one of those movies where the lead characters won’t be the ones you care about. Seriously, the first movie had me fully invested in the fates of our small band of survivors but when it came to this sequel, I couldn’t care less about cowardly Don (Robert Carlyle) or his kids Tammy (Imogen Poots) and Andy (Mackintosh Muggleton). If anything, it’s the people unlucky enough to come across them like a pre-Hawkeye Jeremy Renner as the highly flammable solider Doyle, Rose Byrne as Scarlet and Harold Perrineau as pilot Flynn, these are the ones I wanted to root for.
Basically, this is the type of movie that’s designed to be “mainstream”. Still, I appreciate the linear storytelling, well structured action sequences and effective score that made 28 Weeks Later a flawed but memorable sequel.
#2 28 Years Later
28 Years Later and things have gotten…strange, as Danny Boyle’s vision of the apocalypse is one super imposed by retro videos of war propaganda creating a story that’s less linear (it also nullifies the ending of the previous film) but one that will definitely leave audiences talking. This movie plays with the genre like never before, with each Act delivering a different type of genre within the genre.
The first half focuses on a kind of rite of passage where Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) takes his son Spike (Alfie Williams) on his first “hunt”. Intercut with scenes of past battles as far back as medieval times, the look and feel here is more in line with 28 Days Later. As the second act unfolds though there’s a dramatic shift with Spike’s journey into manhood unveiling secrets as he works towards finding a cure for his mother’s illness. Then there’s the finale which stopped me in my tracks and for a second I thought cut scenes from Shaun of the Dead somehow ended up in this movie. Basically, we have an action horror, a dramatic (or “elevated”) horror and then an abrupt shift into a horror comedy all in one.
Don’t get me wrong, the story here of a boy becoming a man in a world ravaged by violence, finding his own way of dealing with death by seeing both the beauty of it and the ugliness, is a good one. But does it fit into the world of “28”? Ralph Fiennes, Jody Comer, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Jack O’Connell and even young newcomer Alfie Williams all deliver solid performances in their roles while the stunning cinematography makes beautiful work of the locations delivering moments that are gorgeous to behold one minute and terrifying the next.
Scenes of Spike (Williams) and his dad Jamie (Taylor-Johnson) being chased through the woods by a rabid horde, forced to take shelter in a dilapidated building while a lone Alpha stands on a hill, these are the moments that shine and effortlessly pulls you into this world. Unfortunately, these moments will be followed by strange imagery and long conversations that grind the pace to a halt, sucking any energy that came before right out of the screen, leaving you scratching your head as to the point of it all.
Speaking of which, what exactly was that ending about?! I’ve experienced some tone shifts in my days, but nothing as jarring as this. In a moment that feels like it belongs to an entirely different story, the only answer I could come up with is Danny Boyle is hinting to the direction he would take the story (if given the opportunity) in future movies. Either that or some nutter broke into the editing room and pulled the biggest prank in movie history!
When it comes to zombies, I prefer what I like to call the 60/40 rule. It should be sixty percent action and forty percent character focused. Anything more than that I start to lose interest. I’m all for style in a horror movie, but not every story needs to be a metaphor wrapped in a riddle. Sometimes all audiences need is heart-stopping adrenaline action packed scenes of rabid infected chasing down would -e victims like it’s Black Friday at Walmart. Yet, I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to sit down and watch this again.
#1 28 Days Later
There just isn’t anything like it. A shining example of the road to Hell being paved by good intentions, an incurable and violently efficient virus is released on the UK when a group of animal rights activists break into a lab that’s working on a cure for rage. Cut to Jim (Cillian Murphy) waking in a hospital, completely unaware of what awaits him outside. Jim quickly discovers London has gone to bits and as he teams up with hard-edged Selena (Naomie Harris) loveable father Frank (Brendan Gleeson) and his daughter Hannah (Megan Burns), the group are forced to make tough decisions in the hope they can find a way out of this madness.
28 Days Later is one of those rare movies that reinvigorated the genre in a way that can still be seen emulated to this day. Whether you’re a fan of fast zombies or not, it’s hard not to give props to Danny Boyle for creating them. Gorgeous, gritty cinematography (not to mention a kick-ass score) and characters who, whether good or bad, captivate you and completely immerse you in their fight for not just survival, but a return to a world worth existing in, this movie made on a shoe-string budget is a modern-day classic. It’s also one of those horror movies where no matter how many times you’ve seen it, it still manages to evoke emotion and keep your attention. I honestly can’t find any fault with it!
28 Days Later is a shining example of why horror fans love horror movies and what happens when talent meets tenacity.
So, that’s my ranking. How would you rank the 28 movies? And you can rage at some zombie articles below:
Sommerleigh of the House Pollonais. First of Her Name. Sushi Lover, Queen of Horror Movies, Comic Books and Binge-Watching Netflix. Mother of two beautiful black cats named Vader and Kylo. I think eating Popcorn at the movies should be mandatory, PS4 makes the best games ever, and I’ll be talking about movies until the zombie apocalypse comes. Double Tap Baby! Read More