28 Days Later (2002) Ending Explained

28 Days Later (2002) ending explained

28 Days Later (2002) is a British post-apocalyptic zombie film directed by Danny Boyle. There’s a mysterious virus “Rage” that wreaks havoc in the UK, leaving a small group of survivors to cope. The movie is well directed and every small description is beautifully drawn in the movie till the end.

28 Days Later  Ending Explained and Plot Story in Details

* * * Spoiler Alert – If you haven’t seen the movie yet, turn back now! * * *

A group of animal activists breaks into a Cambridge research lab at the beginning of the movie. Tests are being conducted on monkeys to determine whether they have a disease called “Rage”. To prevent the so-called ‘torturing treatment’ for the animals, they are here.

Scientists tell them these monkeys are now infected, so they cannot let them go free. However, activists aren’t interested in hearing from them.

One of the activists unlocks a container after refusing to listen to the doctor’s pleas not to release the monkeys. In a flash, the environment changes and a monkey bites her. As a result, she vomits blood and becomes infected.

Here, the scene cuts, but it is clear that this is the virus’ outrage.

28 Days Later after “Rage”

After 28 days, the scene changes to a hospital. Four weeks after a car accident, Jim wakes up from a coma. Initially, he discovers that the hospital has been abandoned. Not only the hospital but the entire city is abandoned, which shocks him.

Neither a human nor a machine exists. He screamed for help, but no one answered. Electricity and phone services are damaged. HA newspaper is found in a dustbin where it states that London is being evacuated. He finds a lot of money on the street and collects some of it. In reality, however, money is no more than a piece of paper.

Jim enters a nearby church. There is a pile of dead bodies on the ground.

His call for help is answered by two bodies rising, staring blankly at him. Suddenly, a priest bursts into the room. Jim is chased outside by him and the other infected.

Luckily, two people intervened and saved him. I get a clear message from the director that in case of an apocalypse no church or father could save us. During that time, people must be protected from disasters and ask God for help.

Jim meets Selena and Mark, his rescuers. In a nearby shop, they find shelter. She explains that they are infected. By touching or ingesting their blood, you become infected.

Jim’s wondering what happened to his parents. With Selena and Mark, Jim visits his parents’ house. They are dead when Jim finds his mom holding his picture.

They decide to spend the night there. They are later attacked by zombies, and Mark becomes infected. In front of Jim, Selena kills Mark without hesitation. It suggests that you shouldn’t compromise with the virus if you have to survive.

A quite high apartment building’s balcony has Christmas lights, so they wander around London and see them. The two decide to go there.

They meet Frank and Hannah, two other survivors. Frank is a well-organized man who takes several smart steps to survive. Additionally, he finds a signal that the army is urging people to seek shelter in Manchester.

Frank drives them in a taxi. They find Manchester burned and destroyed with no people in it when they arrive. Frank searches for other people and cars. But the place seems abandoned.

A crow catches his attention as he sits to think. After shooing it away, he gets a drop of blood in his eye from a dead zombie. He warns his daughter not to go near him. Soldiers shoot him as he transforms. They then take Jim and the others to their hideout.

Zombies Inside the Soldiers’ Heart

They are introduced to Major West and the soldiers at a secluded hideout.

He shows Jim around the house and the kitchen. A soldier with the same infectious disease, Mailer, is present in the courtyard. He was chained. His primary purpose was to see how long it would take to starve a zombie to death. By doing this, they could estimate how long it would take until the whole thing was over.

The secret behind the soldiers’ rapist feelings for Selena and Hannah is revealed to Jim later that night.

West explains that the nine soldiers were already in a desperate state nine days ago. Considering suicide was even a possibility for one of them in this hopeless situation.

The Major promised his troops that they would have a future together after the virus outbreak was over if they had women by their side.

Jim tries to rescue the girls from the soldiers by gathering them up and escaping from the camp. He is knocked unconscious after being caught.

After an unsuccessful execution attempt, the soldiers take Jim to the forest to kill him.

Hannah and Selena are trying to escape the house.

One of the soldiers is killed by Jim back at some kind of junkyard. Upon arriving at the house, Jim shoots Mailer’s chain and sets him free. Mailer then infects soldiers and kills them, infecting them in turn, which leads to the chain reaction of killing or infecting more soldiers.

Jim, Selena, and Hanna eliminate all the hoggish soldiers after a suspenseful action scene. However, Jim was shot in the abdomen during the fight and lost consciousness. They then left the place in a car driven by Hannah.

Another 28 Days Later

Jim wakes up. The three of them now live in the middle of a green village.

Jimmy walks into the kitchen where Selena is sewing a large cloth with the word “Hello” on it.

In a puddle of tears, Hannah rushes into the house “they are here!” The cloth was quickly spread on the ground.

It appears that a fighter jet has seen them as it flies past them!

The movie ends here as they all dance in joy.

Summary

Original Title: 28 Days Later…

Other Titles: 28 jours plus tard (Canada – French title), 28 dage senere (Denmark)

Genre: Science fiction/ Horror

Runtime: 01hr 53min

Original Language: English

Directed by Danny Boyle

Written by Alex Garland

Tagline: His fear began when he woke up alone. His terror began when he realised he wasn’t.

Release date: November 01, 2002 (UK)

Origin Country: United Kingdom

Filming locations:

Official Website: Searchlight Pictures – 28 Days Later

Awards 10 Wins, 32 Nominations

Brainless Pen Rating!

Cast of Characters

Actor/Actress Name Characters Name
Cillian Murphy Jim
Naomie Harris Selena
Megan Burns Hannah
Christopher Eccleston Major Henry West

Continue reading the sequel,

1. 28 Days Later (2002)

2. 28 Weeks Later (2007)