28 Years Later Gets Best Rotten Tomatoes Score & Reviews in Trilogy

Following strong early buzz, 28 Years Later has earned glowing reviews from top critics, securing a certified fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. Danny Boyle’s return to the franchise delivers a harrowing and emotionally grounded sequel that blends visceral horror with powerful character drama.

Critics are loving Aaron Taylor-Johnson-led 28 Years Later in reviews

Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later has earned widespread critical acclaim ahead of its June 20, 2025 release.

Jonathan Sim (ComingSoon.net) gave the film a 7/10, calling it a “bold horror experience” with “images that are truly nightmare fuel.” He praised Comer and Alfie Williams for their performances. He also highlighted the iPhone cinematography and called its seamless integration with traditional formats “astounding.”

Perri Nemiroff described the film as “well worth the wait,” adding that it “benefits from the lengthy gap between installments” and “takes an unexpected turn that’s staggeringly refreshing and effective” (4.5/5). Bill Goodykoontz (Arizona Republic) called it a “technical marvel” and noted, “Boyle controls every frame – don’t let the mind-bending chaos of the chase scenes fool you” (4.5/5).

Matt Singer (ScreenCrush) referred to the film as evidence that “a great zombie series refuses to die” (7/10), while Rocco T. Thompson (Slant Magazine) said its depiction of the future “looks back to humankind’s primeval past” (3/4). Philip De Semlyen (Time Out) called it a reinvention of the genre, saying Boyle transforms the zombie movie “into a bloody pop-art installation” (3/5).

Jake Coyle (Associated Press) described it as “an unusually soulful coming-of-age movie considering the number of spinal cords that get ripped right out of bodies.” Alonso Duralde (The Film Verdict) highlighted the directors’ maturity, stating that “they’ve figured out a way to check off the boxes of thrills and gore and suspense while also finding something real to say about perseverance, hope, and love.”

Richard Lawson (Vanity Fair) remarked that the film is “grim and strange” and noted Boyle is “once again following the irregular rhythms of his brain.”

28 Years Later beats 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later on Rotten Tomatoes

28 Years Later currently holds a 95% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 87 reviews. This makes it the highest-rated film in the franchise. 28 Days Later (2002) has an 87% score, while 28 Weeks Later (2007) holds a 72% rating.

All three films are certified Fresh, but 28 Years Later leads with the highest critical acclaim. Critics praised its visuals, characters, and themes. Directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, it stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, and Alfie Williams.

Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on SuperHeroHype.

Source: Comingsoon.net