In 2003 Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later was released; a post-apocalyptic tale, written by novelist turned-screenwriter-turned director Alex Garland.

It was followed four years later by its sequel, 28 Weeks Later, directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, written by four writers including its director.

Eighteen years later and both Boyle and Garland return to zombie ridden Britain for the latest instalment in the flesh-eating franchise.

It’s 2030, and the British Isles remain under an indefinite quarantine. Living Rage free on the island of Lindisfarne is 12-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams). His dad Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) has decided that he’s old enough now to venture onto the mainland to hunt infected zombies, in what is a rites of passage for the young on the island.

Whilst on the mainland Spike sees a fire in the distance, which his dad tells him that it’s probably Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), a doctor who has since gone insane.

Spike is intrigued by the fact that a doctor can be relatively close, especially as his mum Isla (Jodie Comer) is ill, and not getting any better. So he decides that the doctor could well be the person to save his mum, but getting off the island and making their way over the zombie-infested mainland won’t be easy.

This is an insular story within the franchise to date, focusing as it does on the coming-of-age tale of Spike. It’s a very stop start affair, with lots of quiet periods that are interrupted by some fine action scenes full to the brim with kinetic energy.

The story itself is slow, with very little happening. And even though the film doesn’t refer to it in any way, a sequel, which was shot back to back with this one, will be released in 2026. And that’s the problem.

You get the impression that this story could easily have been cut in half and attached to the forthcoming sequel, in what would probably have made a very tight singular zombie film. But of course it makes more sense commercially to release two films, even if it’s at the expense of a sluggish first part.

It’s also curious that the sequel - 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple - is written by Garland, but is directed by Nioa DaCosta; it’s been stated however that Boyle will return for a fifth, so far untitled, entry in the series.

It seems that producer Andrew Macdonald, who bought the rights back from Searchlight Pictures, unhappy with the way the series had stalled in development hell with them - hence the gap between Weeks and Years - is keen on making his money back and then some with this further trilogy.

We can only hope that the sequel to this is a more complete experience, as it does feel audiences were short-changed with this patchy effort. But with another film after that on the horizon, there’s every chance they could do the self same thing here, spending time setting up for the finale to this particular trilogy.

So if it feels the narrative is somewhat bare here, you know why.