28 Years Later Film Features Prominent Alpha Zombie Amid Mixed Reception

The 2025 film 28 Years Later, a sequel to the 2002 cult hit 28 Days Later, revisits a post-apocalyptic Britain devastated by the Rage Virus nearly three decades after the initial outbreak. The movie features a notably distinctive infected alpha zombie, dubbed 'Samson,' who is unusually large and prominently displayed naked, sparking widespread social media attention and distraction from the plot due to his pronounced anatomy. This sequel shifts focus to a small group of survivors on an island off England’s coast and explores evolved infected subtypes, including this powerful Alpha leading other zombies, while maintaining the franchise's intense and raw atmosphere. Critics noted the film’s return to its British roots with a stripped-down, punk-rock aesthetic and praised its atmospheric world-building, though some found the plot meandering and the legacy sequel less compelling compared to earlier entries. The film also addresses unresolved threads from 28 Weeks Later, specifically the fate of the Rage Virus and immunity, though it moves the story forward with new characters and a darker tone. Overall, 28 Years Later continues the franchise's tradition of blending horror with social commentary but is often overshadowed by the unusual focus on the alpha zombie's physical traits.