28 Years Later unearthed some stellar performances from its main cast, though there is a clear hierarchy in the strength of the acting on display. The long-awaited third entry in the 28 Days Later film series, 28 Years Later takes a look at what life on a small island off the coast of Britain is like nearly three decades after the initial Rage Virus outbreak.
For the cast of 28 Years Later, director Danny Boyle utilized a mix of casting principles, creating a character roster performed by a mix of well-known actors, up-and-coming stars, and complete unknowns. It’s interesting to see how the performances of this eclectic cast stack up to one another considering the vast differences in their experience and notoriety.
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Chi Lewis-Parry
Alpha Samson
The world of the 28 Days Later saga gets some interesting updates in the long-awaited sequel, most notably in the evolution of how the Rage Virus infects its hosts with new “Alpha” variants of zombies. The most noteworthy of these terrifying new monsters is a ferocious Alpha nicknamed Samson, after the biblical hero, due to his long, flowing hair.
Samson is played by Chi Lewis-Parry, known for playing Phoebus in Gladiator II. He also co-starred alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson previously, doing stunt work on Kraven the Hunter. Samson the mindless killer isn’t exactly a deep character that gives a lot to work with, and Lewis-Parry is simply fine as the musclebound brute.
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Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Jamie
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is an interesting anomaly in Hollywood. Sometimes, in movies like Kick-Ass, he gives amazing performances, but he can feel as stiff as a board leading other films like 2014’s Godzilla and Kraven the Hunter. In high-profile horror movies such as Nosferatu, Taylor-Johnson can feel outclassed compared to the rest of the cast.
Sadly, the latter seems to be the case for 28 Years Later, as well. Taylor-Johnson isn’t a bad actor by any means, but there’s certainly something lacking in the cold anger and indifference he applies to Jamie. He works well as a grizzled survival guide who seems genuinely proud of his son, but his more fiery emotional scenes could be better.
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Edvin Ryding
Erik Sundqvist
One interesting element to the post-apocalypse of the 28 Days Later franchise is the idea that the Rage Virus is entirely contained within Britain, creating a quarantine zone which other European powers ruthelessly enforce via naval power. The character Erik Sundqvist, played by Swedish actor Edvin Ryding, explores this idea further.
Edvin Ryding is a great source of comic relief for the few scenes in which he’s present, almost stealing the show with his window into the “normal” outside world unaffected by the apocalypse. It’s great fun seeing him interact with Spike, but his performance could have sold the terror of being abandoned more.
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Jack O’Connell
Sir Jimmy Crystal
Though he’s barely in the film at all, it would be a crime not to mention Jack O’Connell’s efforts among the cast of 28 Years Later thanks to his role in the bizarre ending scene dominating the movie’s discussion since its release. O’Connell plays Sir Jimmy Crystal, an adult version of the child from the opening scene.
It seems as though Jimmy has begun to revel in the absurd, becoming the charismatic center of a strange tracksuit-wearing cult that chops up zombies with a little too much glee. Jack O’Connell made a name for himself recently as in the cast of Sinners, and he eats up yet another lovable villain role here with charm and swagger.
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Ralph Fiennes
Dr. Ian Kelson
Perhaps the single most high-profile actor among the cast of 28 Years Later is the one and only Ralph Fiennes, who plays the eccentric lone survivor Dr. Ian Kelson. Fiennes is known for roles in The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Menu, and as Voldemort in the Harry Potter franchise, knocking it out of the park in all of them.
28 Years Later is no exception, as Fiennes positively embodies the kind, yet eerie empathy of an intelligent survivalist who balances the sweet with the macabre. The only thing keeping him from ranking any higher is the certain degree of detachment Dr. Kelson has for his fellow humans, comforting them while still being able to boil them to bones with no problem.
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Jodie Comer
Isla
The emotional core of the movie, Jodie Comer’s Isla pulls double-duty as the primary mechanism driving the plot forward. The mother of Spike and wife of Jamie, Jodie is suffering from a non-Rage Virus disease that seems to be worsening her condition over time. This prompts the young Spike to set out on his own in search of Dr. Kelson.
Known for series like Killing Eve, Jodie Comer has rapidly been breaking into blockbuster movies with appearances in Free Guy, The Bikeriders, and now 28 Years Later. She’s stunningly able to balance the dramatic mood swings of Isla as she’s affected by her condition, demonstrating the powerful bond between mother and son.
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Alfie Williams
Spike
The protagonist of the film, Alfie Williams’ Spike is sure to go down in history as one of the greatest child performances of all time. After going out on his first scavenging mission at only 12 years old, Spike has to grow up fast in the face of the horrors of the Rage Virus, leaving his idyllic island community in search of a cure for his mom.
With only a handful of small roles prior to leading a hugely-anticipated feature film, it’s amazing how well Alfie Williams is able to drive the action. He’s believably scared, but not cripplingly so, behaving like a child who grew up in such desolate times realistically would. It’s a great thing that the best performance in 28 Years Later is the leading role.
