28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026)
Those Who Forget History are doomed to repeat it
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In 2025, 28 Years Later revived its franchise after a nearly two decade absence. I reviewed and mostly enjoyed it.
The Bone Temple, which was filmed back to back with its predecessor, picks up shortly after the cliffhanger ending of the previous installment. Spike (Alfie Williams) is now an unwilling member of the Fingers, a fanatical cult led by the charismatic Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’ Connell), who proclaims himself the son of Satan.
The cult ravages the countryside by committing gruesome Manson Family-style home invasions. They brutally torture and sacrifice the residents, much to Spike’s horror. He gradually befriends Kellie (Erin Kellyman), who is the only cult member who hasn’t completely lost her marbles.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) cautiously builds a rapport with Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry) a colossal, burly infected man who first appeared in 28 Years Later. Kelson has devised a sedative that reduces Samson’s bloodlust and paves the way for a potentially revolutionary treatment for the rage virus.
These two storylines predictably intersect in the film’s second half, but there are some interesting and amusing twists along the way. I found Dr. Kelson much more engaging this time. I didn’t know what to think of him in 28 Years Later, but Fiennes plays him brilliantly here. For all his eccentricities, Kelson is a genuinely kind person who is willing to risk everything to do the right thing.
Alfie Williams is good again as Spike. Unfortunately, the script turns his character into a punching bag. He spends most of the film being traumatized in one way or another. I can hardly even call him a protagonist. Of course, he’s a powerless orphan child living in a postapocalyptic wasteland, so it’s not like he’s going to have an easy time.
The most memorable character is Jimmy Crystal. O’Connell strikes the right balance by portraying Crystal as both menacing and pathetic. That’s how cult leaders and other evil people often are in real life. They seem terrifying until their power is threatened and their shallow weakness is exposed.
The Bone Temple concludes with a surprise cameo by an old friend. I dare not give away specifics, but the final scene left me hoping that there will be another installment.
Sony announced that plans for a third 28 Years Later were underway *beware of major spoilers in the linked article* prior to this movie’s release in January. That was before it underperformed at the box office, however, and Sony has been quiet since. I hope that the promise of this movie’s ending can still be fulfilled by a sequel.
Rating
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple doesn’t settle for treading the same ground as its predecessors. It’s an engaging and intriguing addition to the series. While the original 28 Days Later is still my favorite of the franchise, I rank this one as superior to its immediate predecessor.
Rating from 1 (avoid at all costs) to 10 (masterpiece): 8
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple streaming:
