Summary
- "28 Days Later" was revolutionary for its portrayal of zombies and its realistic, quasi-documentary style.
- The movie's original ending, which showed the main character dying, was superior and more realistic than the optimistic final cut.
- The flawed ending leaves room for a potential sequel, "28 Years Later," where Cillian Murphy's character could have a more impactful storyline.
With 28 Years Later, Danny Boyle can finally justify why 28 Days Later's ending was controversially changed before its release. Written by Alex Garland, 28 Days Later follows the exploits of a group of survivors who navigate their world after an incurable virus turns nearly the entire human population into zombies-like creatures. Despite being a part of an oversaturated genre, 28 Days Later was revolutionary because it not only portrayed zombies in a different light but also adopted a quasi-documentary style that made its post-apocalyptic drama and action feel incredibly real.
While most zombie movies have elements of horror, 28 Days Later's terrors hit home because its characters looked like ordinary relatable folks, played by actors who were not so well known at the time of its release. Even the movie's depiction of a pandemic's origin and its themes surrounding the fragility of society and loneliness seemingly had many real-world allusions. However, despite all of these positives, 28 Days Later arguably had a flawed ending, especially when compared with its original climax. Now that 28 Years Later might finally happen, Danny Boyle can fix the movie series' conclusion by justifying the reason behind 28 Days Later's ending change.
28 Days Later's Ending Was The Wrong One
In 28 Days Later's theatrical ending, Cillian Murphy's Jim dies from a gunshot wound, but Selena revives him moments later. With what follows, the Danny Boyle movie concludes on a hopeful note where another 28 Days Later, Jim, Selena, and Hannah get spotted by a military jet. The film had three alternate endings, of which one was far superior to the ending that made it to the final cut. Although relatively more grim, the superior alternate ending realistically showed Jim succumbing to his wounds, with Selena and Hannah failing to revive him. Unfortunately, just to make 28 Days Later more crowd-pleasing, the movie's final cut adopted a more optimistic ending.
Although the final cut of 28 Days Later's conclusion is not terrible, it chips away at the realism the rest of the movie brings to the table. The main character's survival towards the end seems to give him a plot armor since, even in the movie's opening scenes, he had woken up from a coma after an accident had nearly killed him. While this ending would have worked just fine for most other run-of-the-mill zombie flicks, it does not seem to be in tandem with the dark themes and gritty realism of the events that lead to it. All these factors make it hard not to believe that 28 Days Later's final cut had the wrong ending.
28 Days Later's Ending Set Up Cillian Murphy's Return In 28 Years Later
Despite its lack of narrative cohesiveness with the rest of the movie, 28 Days Later's theatrical ending had a few upsides. For instance, Jim's survival left room for Cillian Murphy's return in a sequel. Now that 28 Years Later is potentially happening, the movie series can finally mark Jim's homecoming and portray the long-term implications of the pandemic on Jim and his fellow survivors. The ending also raised an intriguing question: if a few days of survival could bring such a significant change in Jim's demeanor and perspective, what would decades of survival do to him?
With this question as a cue, 28 Years Later can bring Cillian Murphy back as Jim and delve deeper into all the trials and tribulations that make or break him over a three decade span. While Danny Boyle and Alex Garland are already diligently pursuing a new idea, Cillian Murphy has also expressed his interest in returning for a 28 Days Later sequel. Owing to these prospects, 28 Days Later's flawed ending almost seems like a blessing in disguise, especially because 28 Years Later can now bring Cillian Murphy back as the movie series' lead.
Cillian Murphy's Jim Could Finally Die In 28 Years Later
After portraying how Cillian Murphy's Jim continues to be a beacon of hope and a symbol of morality for surviving humans like Selena and Hannah, 28 Years Later could finally give him 28 Days Later's original conclusion. While his death in 28 Years Later would still be controversial, bringing a harrowing closure to his storyline, it would reinstate the idea that survival and morality in an ungoverned world often come with a hefty cost. This, in turn, would reinforce 28 Days Later's realism by highlighting how no one is safe from the uncertainties and variables of the movie series' harsh world.
If 28 Years Later adopts all the details of 28 Days Later's alternate ending, Jim's death could also leave a lasting emotional impact on audiences, especially if he sacrifices his life for the greater good. His acts of bravery towards the final moments of the movie series could serve as a trigger for change that could encourage other surviving humans to live in harmony and fight against corrupt forces that abuse the system for their personal gains. This, unlike 28 Days Later, would ultimately end 28 Years Later on a positively realistic note where Jim's memory would sadden the ones who loved him but also inspire them hold on to their humanity and fight for survival and hope.
