28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman, and Chi Lewis-Parry
Director: Nia DaCosta
ADRIANO
The Bone Temple is an exhilarating middle chapter that continues to play into the franchise's experimental nature by going off the hinges in glorious, heavy-metal fashion. Anyone who wishes there was more zombie action won’t be satisfied, but I didn’t mind. Watching director Nia DaCosta take so many bizarre directions was enough, going from unhinged and gruesome in one moment to wholly human in the next, thanks to the strangely beautiful performance from a manic Ralph Fiennes. I could’ve used some more Spike (Alfie Williams) development, but that could be what the next one is for...
AMARÚ
The Bone Temple is fascinatingly unique, colliding three stories (one of peace, one of chaos, and one of survival) on the edge of the knife that is an uncertain world. It eschews the franchise’s frequent scares for more quiet contemplation, but utilizes shifting sounds and visuals from composer Hildur Guonadóttir and director Nia DaCosta, respectively (who, after Hedda, are becoming a dynamic pair), to remind audiences that peace, chaos, and survival are a blink away in a world torn asunder. Every errant laugh, fright, and shift in tone keeps you intensely locked-in and entertained, waiting with bated breath, wondering what will happen with each passing moment.
BODE
28 Years Later was one of my favourite films of 2025, giving me high hopes as to where else this franchise could go. However, The Bone Temple doesn’t quite measure up to that last instalment due to a more conventional shooting approach and an occasionally slower-than-necessary pace. Nevertheless, it’s a compelling enough middle chapter that not only finds writer Alex Garland and director Nia DaCosta (taking over for Danny Boyle admirably) expanding on its ideas in fascinatingly playful and gruesome ways, but also finds Ralph Fiennes acting up a storm once more. It’s a solid foundation for what comes next.
QUENTIN
Surprisingly, The Bone Temple is a substantial improvement on its great predecessor. To its benefit, the somewhat questionable flourishes that director Danny Boyle shoe-horned into 28 Years Later have been replaced by new director Nia DaCosta’s more viscerally grounded exploration of science v. faith. The two competing storylines intertwine perfectly, creating a sense of propulsive dread that never falters, all while being carried on the shoulders of a charismatically sinister Jack O’Connell and a soulful Ralph Fiennes. However, the true star is the expansive world created by Alex Garland, and I’ll return for each episodic chapter if they continue to be this enriching.
KATIE
I find that zombie content falters when it eventually shifts focus from the zombies to the monstrosities people are capable of, but The Bone Temple manages to keep its footing. Unlike the previous film’s community, we see a side of post-apocalyptic society that is far more gruesome and unforgiving, though still entertaining and energetic. Ralph Fiennes, as always, is absolutely incredible playing a deeply compelling character, and is responsible for the film’s most insane scene, which is impressive considering the murderous mayhem inflicted by the unhinged gang of Jimmies led by Jack O’Connell’s terrifying Jimmy Crystal.
PAIGE
While its predecessor struggled with tonal issues, The Bone Temple is far more straightforward and focused in its approach. Rather than leaning into typical zombie apocalypse territory, the film delivers a menacing yet engrossing look at what the outbreak has done to some of the people surviving this world. The material allows its cast to hand in solid performances all around, especially Ralph Fiennes, who gives a committed and fearless performance. My biggest concern, though, is the overarching direction for this intended trilogy. I truly don’t know what the endgame is, which is difficult to ignore.
ROBERT
Middle chapters of a trilogy can vacillate in quality, usually dependent on the overarching story being told, but a great Part Two needs to segue between the newness of the opener and the impending finality of the closer. The Bone Temple doesn’t quite meet the lofty aspirations of even its predecessor, but it deftly tells a story bisected between Dr. Kelson’s (Ralph Fiennes) quiet unpacking of his solitude and the Rage virus, and Jimmy Crystal’s (Jack O'Connell) loud and nasty rampaging and “charity work” across the English countryside. With these juxtaposed plots, there are some pacing concerns, but the acting and gore are still top-notch and worthy of this universe.
NICK
A highlight of last year, 28 Years Later rejuvenated my interest in the long-dormant franchise. Its follow-up, The Bone Temple, maintains that interest despite new director Nia DaCosta taking the reins. Although the film is a little uneven and disconnected early on, the storyline of Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) and Samson (Chi Lewis-Perry) keeps things engaging until the main story threads converge. Once that happens, this thing soars. The Bone Temple isn’t quite as good as its predecessor (it's very close), but it’s just as ambitious while setting itself up for a dynamic finale...even though I wish it was kept a surprise.
