28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Delivers a Wild Ride
Nia DaCosta’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple shakes up the franchise with a bold mix of horror and dark comedy, featuring standout turns from Ralph Fiennes and Jack O’Connell.
Before its official release, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple was quietly shown to crowds of diehard fans across the globe, and the response was nothing short of electric. Nia DaCosta, teaming up again with Alex Garland on the script, picks up the story right after Danny Boyle’s last chapter, but the mood here is a whole different beast. This instalment is easily the most off-the-wall and unpredictable entry in the revived not-quite-zombie series.
The action kicks off just moments after Boyle’s film wraps up. Spike (Alfie Williams) finds himself tangled up with the Jimmys—a violent cult decked out to look like the infamous Jimmy Savile, constantly spouting a twisted version of his catchphrase,
“How’s about that then?”
Their ringleader, Jack O’Connell’s “Sir” Jimmy Crystal, was a bit of a mystery at the end of the last film, but here his nastiness is front and centre. Spike, after a lucky escape, ends up under Crystal’s wing as the cult tears through the infected mainland.
Meanwhile, Dr Kelson (Ralph Fiennes)—who we come to know as Ian—continues his experiments on Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry), the “Alpha” from the previous story. He reckons he’s found a cure for the infected, but first he’ll have to survive a run-in with the Jimmys himself.
Smaller Scale, Stranger Stakes
Plot-wise, things are kept pretty tight. This chapter is more focused and less interested in big-picture metaphors than Boyle’s effort. Instead, The Bone Temple sets up a near-biblical clash between good and evil, played out through the two adults circling around Spike. DaCosta’s take on these themes is anything but ordinary. There’s a home invasion by Savile-worshipping cultists, and even a stoner bromance between a bloke and an infected. Both play a big part, and that’s not even touching on the wild energy of the final act. The ending, a tragicomic mix of music and chaos, is sure to split opinions. DaCosta leans harder into comedy than the series ever has, but it’s handled with a light touch—a dry quip from Kelson here, a bit of showmanship from Crystal there. Even Samson gets a laugh in.
Spike, though, isn’t having much fun. Williams was the breakout in the last film, but here he’s more of a bystander, caught between Kelson and Crystal. His attempts to get away keep getting shut down, which gives the story a bit of a stuck-in-place feel.
Standout Performances and Unsettling Villains
Jack O’Connell and Ralph Fiennes are both in top form. Crystal, especially, stands out as a truly memorable villain—full of swagger and menace, but with a believable pull as a cult leader. DaCosta’s horror chops come in handy, especially in one scene that’s probably the nastiest the series has seen. The film wisely sidesteps the real-world baggage of Crystal’s inspiration, instead using Teletubbies as a nod to the darker side of ‘90s British pop culture. Fiennes brings a quiet dignity to Kelson, who takes on a more active role this time. There’s a hint of his turn as M. Gustave in The Grand Budapest Hotel—not in fussiness, but in his stoic sadness. A line from that film springs to mind:
“There are still faint glimmers of civilisation left in this barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity.”
It fits Ian Kelson to a tee.
Plenty of punters will be curious about Jim—Cillian Murphy’s character from the original 28 Days Later and the planned lead for the next film. Without giving too much away, his cameo in The Bone Temple neatly ties together the first and, possibly, the last of the series, depending on what Boyle and Garland have in store.
Brutal Action and a Fresh Direction
While The Bone Temple is clearly part of the bigger 28 Years Later puzzle, it feels more self-contained than the last outing. It almost seems like a test run for other directors to have a crack at this universe, in a more deliberate way than the misfire that was 28 Weeks Later. Or maybe not.
Either way, The Bone Temple is a tough, full-throttle, and mostly satisfying follow-up to Boyle’s film. Fans who wanted more gore will be happy with some of the most brutal scenes yet, while those invested in the ongoing story will appreciate the hints at what’s next and the strong character work. It’s DaCosta’s best effort so far, and proof that gripping stories in this world aren’t just Boyle’s domain.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple hits cinemas on 14 January. For more, check out our 28 Years Later review and keep an eye on all the upcoming horror films.