Movie Review: 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE

By ABBIE BERNSTEIN / Staff Writer

Posted: January 16th, 2026 / 03:20 AM

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE movie poster | ©2026 Sony Pictures

Rating: R
Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Chi-Louis Parry, Erin Kellyman, Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Emma Laird
Writer: Alex Garland
Director: Nia DaCosta
Distributor: Sony/Columbia
Release Date: January 16, 2026

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE picks up almost immediately after the end of last year’s 28 YEARS LATER. While it’s not absolutely necessary – the essentials become clear soon enough – it’s probably handy to be acquainted with the earlier film, which introduced most of BONE TEMPLE’s protagonists.

Both movies are follow-ups to 2003’s 28 DAYS LATER and its 2007 sequel 28 WEEKS LATER. Alex Garland, who wrote the first film and last year’s 28 YEARS LATER, returns as screenwriter. Director Nia DaCosta is new to the franchise, but takes up the reins with a marvelous feel for the LATER-verse.

For those completely unfamiliar with the films, a “rage virus” broke out in the United Kingdom. The infected aren’t undead, but they are very strong, very fast, very contagious, and inclined to rip whoever or whatever they catch limb from limb. This being almost three decades after the initial outbreak, there have been a few mutations.

While the virus has been driven out of mainland Europe, the “mainland” U.K. is still infested, with survivors living alone, in small enclaves or, as introduced at the end of 28 YEARS LATER, like Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell), who leads a small roving band of followers.

Jimmy Crystal and his gang are expert at killing the Infected, thereby rescuing young Spike (Alfie Williams) in the denouement of 28 YEARS LATER. Alas, Jimmy’s offer of friendship to Spike turns out to be loaded and potentially deadly.

Spike is deeply unhappy (an understatement) to be stuck as part of Jimmy’s cadre – all called “Jimmy” (with an identifying suffix) by their leader – but doesn’t have much choice about it.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), who we also met last time around, continues to tend the massive towers of bones he has erected around his home, an ossuary that is a monument to the countless dead he has found over the years.

The doctor is also fascinated with a gigantic Infected fellow he calls Samson (Chi-Louis Parry), trying out a drug cocktail on his unaware patient to see if it can bring the man’s diseased mind a measure of peace and maybe something more.

For a while, 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE moves back and forth between these two separate strands and, admittedly, momentum is not strong here. While the point of most of the 28 YEARS movies (maybe excepting 2, 28 WEEKS LATER) has always been that humans be our own worst enemies no matter what other monsters are out there, a little of Jimmy Crystal’s arrogant sadism goes a long way. O’Connell is perfect in the role and, as intended, we build up a vigorous dislike of the character, but we hope to get away from him possibly sooner than we should.

Fiennes is wonderfully affecting as Kelson. He radiates humanity and intelligence, and his performance delves into fearlessness in ways we can’t anticipate.

The sight of the doctor, orange from his self-administered iodine treatments, with his massive patient in the ossuary is so continually striking that we, like Kelson, are transfixed and delighted, even when nothing major is occurring.

Then the plotlines converge and 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE comes into its own. There is an especially spectacular sequence that we have no way of expecting, although it completely fits in context, one of the best of its kind ever on film (and no, it does not involve violence). It is funny, dark, massively weird and inspired, worth the price of admission in itself.

As before, Williams is soulful and sympathetic as Spike, Parry is powerfully physical, and Erin Kellyman has impact as a logically deductive member of the Jimmies.

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE does leave a few dangling threads, although we can respect the film for going its own way instead of tidily tying all its knots. It is also uneven. But at its best, it is magnificent. If leaves the door wide open for another sequel. If it’s as good as this, by all means bring it on.

Follow us on Twitter at ASSIGNMENT X
Like us on Facebook at ASSIGNMENT X

Latest Buzz

Movie Review: 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE

Essentially the second half of last year's 28 YEARS LATER, with payoffs galore

Article Source: Assignment X
Article: Movie Review: 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE

Related

Related Posts:

Leave a Comment

Assignment X Poll

Newsletter subscription status

Latest Buzz

Movie Review: 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE

Essentially the second half of last year's 28 YEARS LATER, with payoffs galore

Article Source: Assignment X Article: Movie Review: 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE

Related

Related Posts:

Leave a Comment

Assignment X Poll

Article Source: Assignment X
Article: Movie Review: 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE