28 Days Later | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

87% Tomatometer 237 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings

A group of misguided animal rights activists free a caged chimp infected with the "Rage" virus from a medical research lab. When London bike courier Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from a coma a month after, he finds his city all but deserted. On the run from the zombie-like victims of the Rage, Jim stumbles upon a group of survivors, including Selena (Naomie Harris) and cab driver Frank (Brendan Gleeson), and joins them on a perilous journey to what he hopes will be safety.

28 Days Later

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Critics Consensus

Kinetically directed by Danny Boyle, 28 Days Later is both a terrifying zombie movie and a sharp political allegory.

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Critics Reviews

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28 Days Later | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Joshua Rothkopf In These Times Twenty-eight Days Later is a zombie flick, which makes it my kind of movie-dare I say, our kind of movie. No cinema zombie ever shambles into view without its agenda. Mar 16, 2020 Full Review 28 Days Later | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Cecilia Sayad Film Comment Magazine The possibility of renewal suggested by the survivors' attempts to start over certainly points toward hope. However, the circularity of the movie's plot is most likely to inspire dismay. Mar 22, 2018 Full Review 28 Days Later | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Kim Newman Empire Magazine The best purely British horror/science-fiction film in decades. And the first great apocalypse movie of the new millennium. Rated: 4/5 Sep 30, 2014 Full Review 28 Days Later | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Jorge Loser Espinof 28 Days Later is one of the most influential horror films of the 21st century. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 4/5 May 6, 2024 Full Review 28 Days Later | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Michelle Kisner The Movie Sleuth Many films since have used ideas from 28 Days Later, and it has entered the collective consciousness as one of the great horror classics of the early '00s. Mar 11, 2024 Full Review 28 Days Later | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh Manages to both pay respects to the zombie genre while entirely upending everything you expected from such outings, managing to be frightening throughout its run time, thanks in large part to the core cast. Rated: 5/5 Sep 22, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Dean E Possibly my favourite zombie/infected movie. Very intense. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/12/24 Full Review João V Esse é possivelmente o melhor filme de Zumbi de todos os tempos Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 09/29/24 Full Review Craig B Absolutely brilliant zombie apocalypse movie from the legendary Danny Boyle.Cilliam Murphy is fantastic in the lead role with a super supporting cast.A gripping plot and well-paced story make for one of the best zombie movies of the 25 years.A must watch for any horror fan. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/26/24 Full Review Audience Member Excellent foray in the "zombie" genre. Incredible performances, well written, and well directed. I just wish Boyle hadn't shot on digital in the early days when the quality was so poor... it really deters from the experience of an otherwise incredible film. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/25/24 Full Review zahraa m I didnt hate it but I didn't love it either. It was honestly just okay. Would I watch it again? No. Would I recommend it? No. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/01/24 Full Review Jimmy G **28 Days Later** (2002) is a film experience that left a lasting impression on me. I watched it alone in a nearly empty cinema with just five other people scattered across a massive, dark theatre. At 16 years old, I went in expecting a typical movie, unaware of the sheer terror that awaited me. I didn't even know it was considered a "zombie" movie, and that lack of knowledge made the experience all the more shocking.The movie starts with Jim (played by Cillian Murphy) waking up in a deserted hospital, finding London strangely abandoned. From the moment he stepped outside to the silent, empty streets, I felt a creeping sense of dread. But nothing prepared me for the moment the infected first appeared. These weren't the slow, lumbering zombies I'd seen in other movies—they were fast, violent, and completely terrifying. I was caught completely off guard, and the fear hit me like a punch to the gut.The cinema's near-emptiness only heightened the horror. The silence in the room seemed to mirror the eerie quiet of the on-screen city, making every sudden noise and movement even more startling. I remember sitting there, my heart racing, gripping the armrest so tightly my knuckles turned white. I was genuinely scared out of my mind. It was one of the few times I felt utterly alone and vulnerable, as if I were right there with the characters, struggling to survive.At 16, I wasn't prepared for the psychological intensity of *28 Days Later*. The film's raw, gritty cinematography and its unrelenting sense of dread were like nothing I'd ever experienced before. The scenes of a desolate London were haunting, and the palpable tension kept me on edge throughout. The fear was so real that it stayed with me long after I left the theatre.Looking back, watching *28 Days Later* alone in that almost empty cinema made it one of the scariest experiences of my life. The film didn't just scare me—it completely overwhelmed me, and I'll never forget that feeling.Rating: 4/5 for sheer terror and an unforgettable solo viewing experience. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/01/24 Full Review Read all reviews

28 Days Later

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Cast & Crew

Danny Boyle Director Cillian Murphy Jim Noah Huntley Mark Naomie Harris Selena Brendan Gleeson Frank Megan Burns Hannah
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28 Days Later

London is Deserted in ’28 Days Later…’ | Rotten Tomatoes’ 21 Most Memorable Moments London is Deserted in ’28 Days Later…’ | Rotten Tomatoes’ 21 Most Memorable Moments 3:32 28 Days Later: Trailer 1 28 Days Later: Trailer 1 1:28 View more videos

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28 Days Later

Left to right: Military advisor Henry Camilleri, director Danny Boyle, and camera assistant Simon Tindal. Left to right: Selena (Naomie Harris), Hannah (Megan Burns), Jim (Cillian Murphy), and Frank (Brendan Gleeson) watch a group of horses gallop over the field. Mailer (Marvin Campbell) jerks forward towards Jim and Henry Jim (Cillian Murphy) hides in the tangle of bodies at the execution site. Director Danny Boyle talks to Naomie Harris and Megan Burns on the set of 28 DAYS LATER. Production still from the film 28 DAYS LATER. Mailer (Marvin Campbell) escapes into the kitchen. Henry (Christopher Eccleston. Jim (Cillian Murphy) kills Private Jones (Leo Bill). Selena (Naomie Harris) and Jim (Cillian Murphy) look down the stairwell towards the noise. View more photos

Synopsis A group of misguided animal rights activists free a caged chimp infected with the "Rage" virus from a medical research lab. When London bike courier Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from a coma a month after, he finds his city all but deserted. On the run from the zombie-like victims of the Rage, Jim stumbles upon a group of survivors, including Selena (Naomie Harris) and cab driver Frank (Brendan Gleeson), and joins them on a perilous journey to what he hopes will be safety.

Director
Danny Boyle

Producer
Andrew Macdonald

Screenwriter
Alex Garland

Distributor
Fox

Production Co
Fox Searchlight, Film Council, DNA Pictures International

Rating
R (Nudity|Language|Strong Gore|Strong Violence)

Genre
Horror, Sci-Fi

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 27, 2003, Wide

Release Date (Streaming)
May 10, 2014

Box Office (Gross USA)
$45.1M

Runtime
1h 52m

Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR

Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
28 Days Later | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)
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