Danny Boyle and Alex Garland's post-apocalyptic eco horror movie 28 Days Later was released in the UK in 2002. After a chimpanzee with the "Rage" virus is released from a Cambridge lab by a bunch of animal liberation campaigners, it spreads throughout Great Britain and causes aggressiveness amongst individuals. It quickly spreads and turns into an epidemic, leading to the dissolution of society. Bicycle courier Jim emerges from a coma in London's St. Thomas' Hospital 28 days after the catastrophe, a place remaining unaffected by the epidemic. Jim is ambushed by infected people but is saved by two survivors: Selena and Mark. The gang goes to Jim's parents' home in Deptford at his request, where he finds that they attempted suicide. That evening, Mark suffers a cut to his arm that is hit with contaminated blood, leading Selena to murder him.

Jim and Selena hear of a military broadcast promising security from a cab driver Frank and his daughter Hannah. Frank invites Jim and Selena to go with them. When Frank gets there, he becomes infected when a blood drop gets into his eye. Soon later, the soldiers murder Frank.

The final survivors are taken to a guarded mansion under Major Henry West's direction. However, the major discloses to Jim that the broadcast was meant to seduce female survivors into sexual slavery in order to repopulate the earth. After Jim refuses to cooperate with their plan, the soldiers try to kill him, but Jim manages to flee. West gets into the back seat of Frank's cab and shoots Jim as they try to escape.

Another 28 days later, Jim recovers in an isolated Cumbrian cottage. Jim, Selena, and Hannah spread out a giant cloth banner that reads "HELLO" while a Finnish fighter plane flies overhead. As soon as the pilot notices them, the three wait for the jet optimistically.

Even though it was composed before the historic incident and released in the wake of it, it reflects the crisis mentality that Western culture experienced in the wake of 9/11. It was impossible to resist thinking back to the heartbreaking images of the Twin Towers collapsing and the disturbingly deserted city streets as the movie's last-man-on-Earth protagonist went through the desolate streets of London. It draws a parallel between the social conflicts and our loss of tolerance for other people during 9/11 and in the film’s epidemic.