28 Years Later: A Reflection on the Rage Virus in Our World

In 2003, Danny Boyle's groundbreaking zombie film "28 Days Later" introduced the world to the Rage virus, a bloodborne pathogen that infects its host in seconds and turns them into raving, vicious, and homicidal members of the walking dead. The film's unique blend of style and emotion, combined with its complicated, human characters, made it a departure from the subgenre's conventions. The rapidity of change in the film paralleled the infestation of anger, and this was further explored in the highly anticipated third film in the series, "28 Years Later." Set nearly three decades after the initial outbreak of the Rage virus, "28 Years Later" follows Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), his son Spike (Alfie Williams), and wife Isla (Jodie Comer) who live on a quarantined island in Great Britain. The island is cut off from the mainland and protected by an armed causeway that can only be accessed during low tide. The uncontaminated society works together to provide schooling, social lives, and extremely rudimentary medicine, which has left Isla suffering from an illness that can't be properly diagnosed. When Spike turns 12, Jamie takes him to the mainland to learn how to hunt and gather to provide for the island. The film's setting is a reflection of our contemporary world, where we are constantly confronted with our own version of the Rage virus. Whether it's walking out the door to grab some milk, turning on the news, or scrolling through social media apps that bring us nothing but strife, our modern variant of the Rage virus is unavoidable and contagious. The fury is already here, just as it was in Boyle's film, but with less frequent hemorrhaging. Boyle's experimental filmmaking bolsters some of the missing tension in "28 Years Later," but the film still feels too similar to the ways we try to quarantine ourselves from violence and rage daily. It becomes an experience that skews more sadly redundant than terrifying. The funhouse mirror that Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland use to look at our world is less distorted than ever, showing a reflection that is still grisly and depressing but no longer so difficult to look at. In conclusion, "28 Years Later" is a thought-provoking film that challenges us to look at our own world through the lens of the Rage virus. It is a reminder that the fury and anger that we see in the film are not just fictional; they are real and present in our own lives. As we continue to grapple with these emotions, we must remember that we are not alone in this fight, and that there is hope for a better future.