How Each of the ‘28 Days Later’ Films Analyzes Zombies and People Differently

## Humans Reverting to Their Primal Instincts

In 28 Days Later, the apocalypse is still relatively new. While England itself has largely broken down into a state of pure anarchy and desertion, it hasn’t been that way for long. Humans in the film are shown to have enacted their own forms of governance and territoriality throughout various parts of the region. It's in these instances that we see the violence and horror that certain characters are capable of in their desperation for survival. Sometimes, even, just because that’s who they are inside.

In one of the more climactic set pieces of the film, it is revealed that the apparent military safe house that the characters are brought to is secretly a front to lure uninfected women into the soldiers’ clutches for the purpose of sexual slavery. These characters clearly did not revert to this level of depravity and evil overnight; they’ve just been waiting for external circumstances, such as a zombie apocalypse, to have an excuse to do so.

This bit of characterization and conflict brings to the forefront of the film one of its most poignant questions: - are the zombies really the central monsters of the film? The film clearly seems to be arguing that they are not, as with many pieces of zombie media, the zombies themselves were once normal people who just became victims of some form of man-made illness. It’s still clear that the world-ending conflict is one that was preventable, and of our own making. Humans once again destroy themselves and place the blame on imaginary external circumstances.

## Desperation Leading to Further Destruction

‘28 Weeks Later’Credit: Fox Atomic/20th Century Fox

In __28 Weeks Later__ , the government fights very hard and, unfortunately, in the end, fails to contain the virus in the quarantine zones, with the film ending with a heavy expansion of infected invading Paris.

The film remains the most divisive entry of the franchise to date, with some arguing that, beyond the incredibly tense and heartbreaking opening sequence, the intelligence and decision-making of key central characters in the second and third acts inhibit a lot of the film’s believability. While these decisions may be frustrating, it is, by and large, intentional. The film’s thematics are more focused on the desperation of society to rebuild and reconnect with one another, and it subsequently clouding the judgment of characters, resulting in further dismantlement of control.

The film has often been cited as an indictment of George Bush’s post 9/11 invasion of Iraq, but if looked at on a more intimate scale, the characters, despite their hastiness being their downfall, are portrayed in a much more hopeful light compared to the film’s predecessor. It acts as a backside to the thematic pendulum, where the first film depicts humanity’s cynicism and depravity as its downfall. Whereas this film shows people’s innate desperation to save themselves without proper preparation, doing the same thing. But one thing remains constant throughout these films, as well as their modern successors - the zombies themselves remain the victims of human error.

## Finding Beauty and Tyranny Amongst the Trauma

‘28 Years Later’Credit: Sony Pictures

18 years after the release of __28 Weeks Later__ , 28 Years Later, and its newest sequel, __28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,__ follow a new cast of characters as the first two films in a proposed trilogy. The first film focuses heavily on the collective trauma that the central family has faced over the years.

Aaron Taylor- Johnson and Alfie Williams play a father and son who are caring for their ailing matriarch, played by Jodie Comer. Johnson’s character is one that is plagued by various forms of toxic masculinity and trauma repression, and is running the risk of passing these traits onto his son. Williams’ Spike sneaks Comer’s Isla across the island barrier into infected territory to seek treatment from Ralph Fiennes’ Dr. Ian Kelson. Isla passes away while under Dr. Kelson’s care, and Spike is tasked with placing her skull atop the massive bone temple constructed by Kelson.

This makes for perhaps the most moving scene in all of the films, highlighting the efforts taken by a child to properly grieve and remember his mother. In a world plagued by disease and faceless monstrous drones, the characters consistently make an effort to use these external forces as a catalyst for further empathy and love.

On the flipside, __The Bone Temple__ explores the character of Jimmy Crystal, and how he finds meaning in the apocalypse by perverting religion and positioning himself as a sort of prophetic figure who can control the masses. All the while, Kelson is effectively curing zombies of the virus with an antidote of his own making. Crystal is depicted as a deeply insecure character, fighting these demons by behaving in these oppressive ways.

These two films present two very clear paths that people can find themselves charting in seemingly hopeless situations. One, like the one Kelson and Spike lead, that may not necessarily lead to effective change, but will at the very least allow your soul and empathy to remain intact. And another, like the character of Jimmy Crystal, that may perhaps make your life “easier” in a selfish manner, but further aids in the oppression of people around you, and the perversion of religion and faith.

The final instalment in the __28 Years__ trilogy appears to potentially be finally moving forward after star Alfie Williams posted some cryptic photos to Instagram recently. With the cliffhanger that the previous film left the audience with, one can only assume that the final film will find an additionally ingenious way to use the zombies to further catapult its analysis of the human condition.