While fans were initially over the moon when 28 Years Later was added to Netflix, it has transpired that millions have been banned from watching the horror sequel, leading some to threaten to cancel their membership.
The film, a sequel to the Danny Boyle classic starring Cillian Murphy, was a huge success amongst fans and critics alike.
28 Years Later, starring Alfie Williams, Aaron Taylor Johnson, and Jodie Comer, received a score of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes with Robert Daniels of RogerEbert.com calling it ‘a deeply earnest film, a picture whose sincerity is initially off-putting until it’s endearing.’
Picking up, you guessed it, 28 years on from the first film, the movie follows a young boy venturing into the infected world for the first time.
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Now, people are able to watch the movie on Netflix just a few months after it appeared in cinemas.
It's bad luck for those outside the US, as this is currently the only region to carry the film, but between that and the bizarre Jimmy Saville-centric ending, it has still managed to climb to number one on the Netflix charts.
But this doesn't hide the fact that millions of subscribers are unable to watch the film, something which led to many threatening to cancel their membership.
One fan posted on the r/Netflix subreddit, complaining about the fact that they were unable to watch the horror film, which is due to the streamer’s newly introduced ad-free tier subscriptions.
The original price of $7.99 a month, or £5.99 a month in the UK, is now what you pay if you are willing to watch adverts with your Netflix.
In order to get the ad-free experience Netflix used to be known for, you have to pay even more, a minimum of $17.99 a month (£12.99).
Some films and shows, such as It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, cannot be watched on the ad-free tier, and you have to upgrade in order to watch them.
This unfortunately applies to 28 Years Later too, with one fan posting to r/Netflix saying of them being unable to watch the film on Netflix: “They are joking right? This sh*t made me cancel.
“How many more subscribers do you think they are going to lose because of this? I’m officially done with this disgrace of a streaming app.”
One fan commented saying: “We are going full circle. Streaming platforms started out cheaper and were a way to get away from ads that you dealt with on satellite, and allowed you to choose what to play.
“Streaming platforms are turning in to the new satellite and before long people will return to satellite I imagine.”
Another fan posted on r/28dayslater, complaining that it was added in the US and not the UK.
They said: “What bullsh*t f*ckery is this? How does any of this make sense. Is any of this true? Is it gonna come to the UK at some point?”
Currently 28 Years Later can only be rented or bought in the UK.
When asked in the past about why certain films and shows are not on ad-supported plans, Netflix explained on their website: “While the vast majority of TV shows and movies are available with an ad-supported experience, a small number are not due to licensing restrictions.
"These titles will appear with a lock icon when you search or browse Netflix."
Topics: Netflix, 28 Years Later, Horror, Cillian Murphy, TV and Film, Film
Michael Slavin