28 Years Later: Alfie Williams and Aaron Taylor-Johnson doing cardio, the post-apocalyptic way. 

28 Years Later (M18)

Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, Alfie Williams

Directed by Danny Boyle

Zombies are scary, but they’re even scarier in Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later. No longer are they walking corpses (technically, they aren’t zombies but rabid creatures with zombie-like qualities after being infected by the rage virus), they are sprinters, the kind that could outrun Tom Cruise (maybe, probably… further study is needed). Flash forward, Boyle is back in the post-apocalyptic sandbox. But right now, we’re so inundated with all things zombie, what new horrors can he bring to the table? Thankfully, the belated sequel (quick question: is 28 Weeks Later still canon?) proves there’s still gas in the tank. This time, it’s essentially a coming-of-age story of Spike (newcomer Alfie Williams), growing up 30 years after the rage virus has ravaged the UK. The first part sees Spike learning the ropes of survival — beware of the next-gen infected, the Slow-Lows and the Berserkers! — from his father (Aaron Taylor-Johnson); the second part follows him accompanying his sick mother (Jodie Comer) on a journey to find a reclusive healer (Ralph Fiennes). Amid the familiar decimated backdrop, Boyle has crafted moments of startling surrealism, including a heart-pounding chase sequence down a coastal causeway, and a bonkers cliffhanger (Part 2 is due next year) that offers some needed levity. The biggest surprise?  Fiennes’ character — who’s set up to be this Colonel Kurtz-like figure — provides some unexpected tenderness, and a haunting reminder of what zombie stories are really about: hope, and the potential for humanity, even in the darkest of times. (3.5/5 stars) out in cinemas

Photos: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Dangerous Animals: Jai Courtney prepares to feed his sharks. 

Dangerous Animals (M18)

Starring Hassie Harrison, Josh Heuston, Jai Courtney

Directed by Sean Byrne

Steven Spielberg’s Jaws turns 50 this year! Mark the occasion by (re)watching it — or dive into this high-concept survival thriller that’s so straightforward, you’ll wonder why no one thought of it sooner: a mash-up of shark and serial killer flicks. Hassie Harrison (Tacoma FD) plays the final girl — an American drifter living a nomadic life on Australia’s Gold Coast. No friends, no family, no baggage — in other words, the perfect prey for Jai Courtney’s homicidal shark tour operator, who gets his kicks feeding victims to apex predators… and filming it (on VHS, no less!). “God is down there,” proclaims the shark-worshipping nutter in a chilling pre-feast speech. The scenes on the boat play like Dead Calm meets 127 Hours. Let’s face it — on land, you can run from the killer; out at sea, your options are limited. The shark sequences — both real and CG — are intense. If you’re not fond of deep water (like yours truly), maybe don’t sit too close to the screen. (3/5 stars) out in cinemas

Photo: Shaw Organisation

Titan: The OceanGate Disaster: The late OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush with the gamepad he used to pilot his experimental submersible. 

Titan: The OceanGate Disaster (NC16)

Directed by Mark Monroe

We shouldn’t speak ill of the dead — but there’s plenty of that in this compelling documentary about the infamous Titan submersible, which imploded while descending to the Titanic wreck in the North Atlantic in 2023. Per testimonies from former employees and industry insiders, OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush was something of a, er, jerk (or a “borderline psychopath” as one interviewee put it). What killed him and four other passengers wasn’t just the crushing pressure of the deep — it was his hubris and ambition: from his decision to build the Titan out of cheaper but less durable carbon fibre (maybe he should’ve stuck with titanium), to his refusal to follow industry regulations (he declined to submit the vessel for certification), to how he ruthlessly quelled dissent (engineers who raised safety concerns were dismissed). This is as much a maritime disaster story as it is a cautionary tale in management. (3.5/5 stars) on Netflix

Photo: Balazs Gardi/Netflix