28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE - Review

Nia DeCosta's latest film is the most sadistic and humorous entry of the franchise while bringing a different viewing experience to its predecessor. With 28 Years Later (2025) being a more thematic look at processing death, this direct follow-up intriguingly expands on the knowledge of the virus while showcasing how one's experiences define how they perceive the world, especially for different generations. These themes are brought to life by Ralph Fiennes and Jack O'Connell, representing the two most wild and intriguing characters of the franchise yet with stronger material to work with. While the drastic tonal shifts when jumping from each of their perspectives during the beginning might feel off-putting at first along with Alfie Williams as Spike not being given as much to do despite delivering the standout performance from the previous entry. As their stories collide, it builds to a truly surprising and satisfying climax with exciting revelations, some breathtaking timelapses, and purposeful music choices used throughout. A worthy follow-up that doesn't shy away from capturing the unpleasant tone and raw violence from the situations it displays.

Still Courtesy – Columbia Pictures

Right after 28 Years Later (2025), Spike (portrayed by Alfie Williams) has no choice but to join to join the savage group of the "Jimmies", led by their leader who claims that he's son of Satan, Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (portayed by Jack O'Connell). Meanwhile, Dr. Ian Kelson (portrayed by Ralph Fiennes) begins his journey of trying to treat the infected using an Alpha to see if the supposed incurable disease is not what it's perceived as.

After director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland reunited to bring another instalment to the franchise they helped create with the iconic outbreak horror film 28 Days Later (2002), he now hands over the directing job to Nia DaCosta to helm the direct follow-up to 28 Years Later (2025). With that film being the most experimental and dramatic of the franchise, the sequel brought possibly the most daring blend of cruelty and dark humor, confidently distinguishing itself from what came before. While earlier films leaned heavily on immediacy and survivalist tension, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026) offers a noticeably different viewing experience—one that feels more reflective even as it remains relentlessly brutal. DaCosta pushes the franchise into riskier tonal territory, embracing discomfort and irony in equal measure, and the result is a film that feels both viciously entertaining and intellectually provocative.

At its core, 28 Years Later (2025) is less concerned with simple apocalypse mechanics and more invested in the emotional and psychological aftermath of prolonged catastrophe. The film approaches death not just as an inevitability, but as something that must be processed differently depending on age, memory, and lived experience. By expanding the mythology of the virus, the story reframes it as both a biological threat and a generational marker, shaping how characters interpret morality, survival, and the world around them. This thematic depth gives the sequel a weight that distinguishes it from its predecessor’s more straightforward urgency.

Still Courtesy – Columbia Pictures

These ideas are most vividly embodied through the performances of Ralph Fiennes and Jack O’Connell, who portray two of the franchise’s most unpredictable and compelling characters to date. Each represents a radically different worldview shaped by time, trauma, and adaptation, and the film smartly gives them stronger material to explore these contrasts. Their presence injects the narrative with an unsettling energy, making their scenes some of the most memorable and thematically rich in the entire series.

That said, the film is not without its growing pains. The early sections, which sharply alternate between the perspectives of Fiennes and O’Connell’s characters, can feel jarring, with tonal shifts that may initially alienate some viewers. Additionally, Alfie Williams’ Spike—despite Williams delivering one of the standout performances in the previous instalment—is given comparatively little to do here, making his reduced narrative impact somewhat disappointing even if his screen presence remains effective.

As the film progresses and its narrative threads begin to converge, these issues gradually give way to a powerful and rewarding payoff. The collision of character arcs builds toward a climax that is both surprising and emotionally resonant, punctuated by striking visual choices such as stunning timelapses and a score that feels deliberate rather than ornamental. Ultimately, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026) proves itself a worthy continuation of the franchise—unflinching in its depiction of harsh realities, unafraid of tonal boldness, and deeply committed to preserving the raw, unsettling spirit that defined the series in the first place. If the quality of the expected third instalment is as consistent as these past two legacy sequels, it honestly can't come soon enough.

Verdict

7/10

Still Courtesy – Columbia Pictures