Culture | Infectious storytelling

How zombies explain Brexit: the satire of “28 Years Later”

In a post-apocalyptic horror sequel, monsters and mockery co-exist

Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Alfie Williams in a scene from “28 Years Later”
Taking back controlPhotograph: AP
|3 min read

THE ZOMBIES in “28 Days Later” are not actually zombies, as any horror aficionado will tell you. In the film of 2002, the ravenous monsters are simply people who have contracted a “rage virus” which turns them into homicidal maniacs. True, these swarming fiends are as mindlessly brutal as any zombie, but, as they have not died and been reanimated, they do not meet the traditional criteria.

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This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Infectious storytelling”

From the June 28th 2025 edition

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