’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ Review: The Franchise’s Best Movie Yet

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It’s a common joke to excitedly claim a January movie is the best of the year – it’s easy when there hasn’t been much else released yet! But when I say 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple could be one of the best films of 2026, I genuinely believe it will still be a top pick even months from now.

It’s unusual for a fourth installment in a series to be so strong, but The Bone Temple truly delivers. This is especially remarkable considering how good last year’s reboot, 28 Years Later, already was. Writer Alex Garland and director Danny Boyle, who started this series in 2003, brought fresh energy to their world of a devastating “rage virus” in Britain – and it didn’t just repeat old ideas. Now, with The Bone Temple, Garland teams up with director Nia DaCosta (while Danny Boyle stays on as a producer) to push the boundaries even further, allowing the world of 28 Days Later to evolve in exciting and welcome new directions.

Ralph Fiennes, who played a supporting role in the previous film, is now the main character, Dr. Ian Kelson. We already knew he seemed a bit eccentric, living in this ruined world, but the movie reveals he’s actually a brilliant and caring man. He’s built the Bone Temple – a structure made of human remains – as a strange but understandable way to remember those who have died. Fiennes delivers a fantastic performance, adding subtle details that make Kelson a compelling character. Many scenes feature him alone, listening to music and finding ways to cope, and Fiennes brilliantly carries these moments all on his own.


Sony Pictures Releasing

The film also features significant scenes with Samson, the powerful, rage-filled infected character known as “Alpha,” who was first seen in 28 Years Later. As Kelson works with Samson, he starts to think there might be a way to do more than just sedate the infected – he wonders if he could actually help them regain some of who they used to be. He cautiously uses Samson as a test subject, and director Danny Boyle expertly builds tension and hope in these scenes. Chi Lewis-Parry’s mostly silent performance makes the audience believe Kelson might be onto something, while still keeping everyone on the edge of their seats, fearing Samson could turn violent at any moment.

The new film, The Bone Temple, picks up after the controversial ending of 28 Years Later. Remember when young Spike was rescued by a group wearing tracksuits and blonde wigs? It was a strange but surprisingly enjoyable moment! The Bone Temple tones down the over-the-top antics of this group – who all insist on being called Jimmy – making their fighting moves a little more realistic. However, the Jimmys remain a highly effective and skilled fighting force, and the film quickly reveals just how disturbing their leader truly is.


Sony Pictures Releasing

Nia DaCosta’s previous horror film, 2021’s Candyman, was already promising, despite a somewhat hurried ending. But her latest, The Bone Temple, following the captivating Hedda, showcases a significant leap in her filmmaking. The script, by Garland, boldly shifts between heartfelt moments, humor, unsettling tension, and outright madness, and DaCosta seamlessly blends these tones into a cohesive and logical narrative. For instance, Jimmy’s obsession with Teletubbies—and his demand that a follower perform the “Dipsy dance”—is amusing, but also deeply disturbing, hinting at a much darker side. That seemingly silly scene carries a lot of unsettling implications. This builds to a particularly shocking sequence revealing the horrifying things Jimmy and his followers do to people – those they don’t attempt to recruit, like Spike. It’s brutal and disturbing, even by the standards of notorious horror villains like Art the Clown.

We’ve seen a lot of post-apocalyptic stories about the infected (let’s just call them zombies for simplicity!), and they often show the worst of people trying to survive. But The Bone Temple still feels fresh and exciting. It cleverly contrasts the terrible character of Jimmy with the surprisingly hopeful Kelson. The first meeting between these two is a standout scene – Fiennes and O’Connell (who proved his villainous talent in Sinners) have incredible chemistry as these two odd, yet different, men try to understand each other. And it’s surprisingly funny too! The Bone Temple has a great sense of humor that doesn’t diminish the real danger.


Sony Pictures Releasing

The meeting leads into an incredible scene – one I don’t want to spoil. Let’s just say Ralph Fiennes delivers an astonishing performance, taking his character to a truly spectacular level. It actually prompted the audience at our critics’ screening to break into applause.

Alfie Williams delivers a solid performance, even though his role in The Bone Temple isn’t as prominent. The film largely centers on Spike’s desperate attempt to escape Jimmy. However, Williams shares a compelling connection with Erin Kellyman (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), who plays Jimmy Ink. She’s the only member of Jimmy’s group who doesn’t seem completely devoted to him, and the reasons behind her reservations are initially mysterious and intriguing.

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Look, everyone knew going in – director Boyle himself told us months ago – that we’d see a familiar face pop up in The Bone Temple by the end. And honestly, while it was a nice surprise, the film deserves credit for not relying on that cameo to artificially boost the excitement. It stands on its own two feet, and that’s a good thing.

Someone in the movie perfectly describes something as both strange and wonderful, and that really captures what 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is like. It’s a bit of a cliché to say a movie feels like a ride, but it truly fits here because the story dramatically shifts in tone and feeling. While it’s certainly entertaining, it’s more than just a fun action movie – it’s surprisingly deep and emotionally impactful, and the filmmakers aren’t afraid to be ambitious. DaCosta and Garland handle all of this expertly, creating what is currently the strongest film in the 28 Days Later series.

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2026-01-14 00:35