Review: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

Image courtesy of Columbia Pictures.

The middle chapter of a planned trilogy often ends up being a placeholder – the film that is intended to bridge the first and final chapters, often through dense plotting or delving deeper into themes already explored in the first chapter. With a few notable exceptions – “The Empire Strikes Back” or “The Godfather Part II,” although I’m not sure that was a planned trilogy – the middle chapter is often the one with the least amount of personality.

So, I’m pleased to report that Nia DaCosta’s “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,” the second chapter in a planned trilogy that was kicked off last year by Danny Boyle’s “28 Years Later,” not only does not fit into that pattern – it’s an extremely bleak and tense standalone picture – but it’s also the best film in the series since Boyle’s original 2003 movie.

Picking up shortly after the events of “28 Years Later,” young Spike (Alfie Williams) has fallen into the hands of the Fingers, a group of savage marauders led by the sinister Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell), a violent charlatan who has led his group of followers – all of whom go by the name Jimmy – to believe that he is the son of “Old Nick,” AKA Satan.

The film opens with Spike being forced to take part in the group’s ritual: He must fight another Jimmy to the death to decide which one of them will be in the group. Spike, although much smaller than his opponent, uses his wits and survives.

As the group makes its way through the countryside and to the home of a group of survivors – who will become the Fingers’ next victims in a series of ghastly scenes – Ralph Fiennes’ Dr. Ian Kelson has made an unlikely friendship with Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry), the gigantic and nude alpha zombie who has a penchant for ripping people’s heads and spines right out of their bodies.

Kelson’s home in the titular place becomes a laboratory of sorts, where he uses morphine to calm the hulking Samson and the two form a strange bond, sitting around getting stoned and listening to Duran Duran records. Eventually, he begins to believe he can restore Samson's humanity through medicinal means. Although seemingly mad, Kelson is among the few who have retained their humanity in this “28 Years” saga, a trait that can be seen in his dealings with Samson and, later, with Spike.

In many ways, “The Bone Temple” is unlike a typical middle chapter of a trilogy because it does not seem to really further the story in any meaningful way – that’s not meant as a slight – and there are only a few appearances of the rage-filled zombies, Samson excluded. It’s not until the films’ end – where audiences will be treated to a pleasant surprise – that the narrative takes a leap forward.

Regardless, “The Bone Temple” is the most memorable film in this series since the fantastic original film, which remains one of my favorite 21^st century horror movies. By not adhering to the rules of a trilogy’s middle chapter, the picture is a wild and gloomy standalone film that is brutal, very intense, visually memorable, and full of strong performances.

While O’Connell, paired with his “Sinners” performance, makes for a great screen villain, it’s Fiennes who steals every scene he’s in as the mad doctor. There’s a scene set to an old Iron Maiden tune that I doubt I’ll soon forget. This is the first movie of 2026 that I’d consider well worth seeing.