28 Years Later (2025) review

It's like a technical demo rather than a cinematic experience. From a producer’s standpoint, medyo sayang ang budget. Multiple iPhones, but every shot looks like it’s using three frames lang per moment. The visual gimmick of freezing on arrow impacts or motion blur sequences doesn’t add to the storytelling. Instead, it pulls you out of the moment, feeling more like a student experiment than a professional evolution of the 28 Days/Weeks Later legacy. Danny Boyle’s attempt to blend handheld realism with emotional intimacy is clear, but inconsistent. The tone shifts from horror survival to coming-of-age drama halfway through, and though surprising, it feels unearned. The stakes don’t escalate, every problem gets solved by sudden convenience, which weakens tension. The intent is there, but the execution feels like a “flex project” instead of a genuine continuation of the franchise’s dread. The first half looks like it was shot on phones: flat, wide, and lacking depth. But somewhere mid-film, the sharpness kicks in, suddenly turning cinematic, almost as if a new DOP took over. Comparing the image sharpness to The Creator (shot on FX3), this one doesn’t come close. The upgrade in visuals mid-way does improve immersion, but it highlights the inconsistency more than the artistry.