June 20, 2025

When movie sequels go off the beaten path vis-à-vis their predecessors, it often feels like an affront, and our instincts are to deride the filmmakers instead of giving them the benefit of the doubt that ensuring a follow-up meets the same standards as the original is probably incredibly hard. That's why sequels often, and usually by design, resort to giving us more of the same. Studios and filmmakers bet on the idea that what worked before should work again, although it's the best ones that mindfully and constructively build on top of the tested formula, attempt to refine and improve it, and hopefully move the story forward instead of around in circles.

"28 Years Later" is fortunately a sequel...