’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ review: Nia DaCosta delivers an exhilarating horror epic

With 28 days laterdirector Danny Boyle and Alex Garland rewrote the rules of the zombie genre. With 28 years laterthey did it again by rejecting the tropes they had created for themselves. Zombies (or to be more precise, infected people) no longer simply ran around mindlessly, fueled by voracious rage. Some became intelligent and muscular, becoming Alphas, while others became slower and wriggled on the ground. The public no longer had to feed on the sinister carnage of a city decimated by a raging virus. Instead, the filmmakers offered a picturesque wilderness and a touching — albeit scary as hell — coming-of-age tale. Now, Boyle said The Temple of Bonesthe second chapter of Garland’s emergence 28 years later trilogy, with the American filmmaker Nia DaCostawhich makes this saga grow with sensational audacity and depth.

Just as the “superhero movie” has become a nebulous concept as more filmmakers push the boundaries of subgenre expectations, 28 years later: the Temple of Bones is a zombie film, but also so much more. Thanks to the captivating performances of Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Chi Lewis-Parry and Erin Kellyman, this horror offering – like its prequel and also like the other horror hit of 2025, Sinners – transcends the darker aspects of the genre to unearth something knotty and sublime.

28 years later: the Temple of Bones reveals the mystery of Jimmy.

Credit: Miya Mizuno / Sony

After wowing the audience with a vampire game SinnersO’Connell stunned us by appearing at the end of 28 years later like a dubious savior, modeled on the Teletubbies And Jimmy Savile. He’s a self-proclaimed prince with a band of maniacal servants, all dressed in his uniform of Lancelot blonde hair and velor tracksuits. They’re all named Jimmy (or some variation of it), and they took in Spike (Williams) on the run. But despite their wide smiles and exceptional skills at killing the infected, Spike cannot safely join this community.

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We first met Jimmy at the beginning of 28 years lateras a child who watches his pastor father willingly get eaten alive by a horde of zombies. Whether inspired by the scene or traumatized by it (or a bit of both), the adult Jimmy has since founded his own religion – a perversion of his father’s Christian father, a brand of Satanism that crowns him the son of Satan.

With a twisted sense of humor and an iron fist, he rules not only over his gang named Jimmy, but also over any survivors who are unfortunate enough to cross his path. But what will happen when Jimmy and his team encounter Dr. Ian Kelson (Fiennes), an apparent madman with skin dyed red by iodine and a house surrounded by human remains built into a bone temple? As announced in the film’s trailer, this becomes the central conflict of the 28 years old Later sequel, creating a fascinating collision between religion and science in a post-apocalyptic landscape. But that’s not all.

Garland’s script also delves deeper into the minds of Kelson and his Samson (Lewis-Parry), the infected Alpha, who stalks like a lion through fields and woods. And still beyond that, Spike – who is more of a secondary character here – tries to understand his place in a kingdom ruled by madness and blood. His only ally seems to be Jimmy Ink (Eleanor the Great‘s Kellyman), a sharp-eyed girl who spots the flaws in her demon prince’s preaching.

The Temple of Bones is bloody and glorious.

Credit: Miya Mizuno / Sony

I hesitate to tell you more about the plot of the film, because discovering it was exhilarating. Typically, zombie films have a fairly straightforward quest: survive the night. Even 28 years later exploited this, with a first act that featured Spike and his father running for their lives while relentlessly chased by an Alpha – a stunning, beautiful, heartbreaking sequence. As in this scene, the cold, bright stars shine over a landscape of human suffering, completely uncaring. But this time, there are men watching, finding a moment in the midst of pain and fear and surviving to breathe in wonder.

Kelson’s plot goes in this direction: stealing a line from Star Trek And Station eleven — “survival is insufficient”. Even a man who builds a temple of bones needs conversation, music and dancing. Kelson pursues these things with an open-mindedness that is both comforting and terrifying, because of the risks he takes in their pursuit.

As Coogler did with SinnersDaCosta unites horror, song and dance to tremendous effect in The Temple of Bones. Of course, there are scenes of zombie carnage and human depravity, in keeping with the franchise’s bloody record. And all of this is deeply troubling. However, the sequence that not only amazed the audience at my screening, but then applauded and cheered, was that of the dance. It was an extraordinary surprise, and the thrill from it still wells up in my heart and stings my eyes with tears from the sheer excitement. Afterwards, my reaction on Letterboxd was: “My brain sounds like pop rock.” »

Nia DaCosta makes her best film yet with The Temple of Bones.

Credit: Miya Mizuno / Sony

DaCosta started strong with the indie thriller Little Woods. Then she took on one bold sequel after another, reinvigorating candy man with a daring sequel, then leading the adventure of the superhero ensemble The Wonders. Certainly, amid these studio projects, his imprint was unclear and reviews were mixed. But then came Hedda, a sexy and thrilling interpretation of Anton Chekhov’s film Hedda Gabler which reimagines the classic anti-heroine as gifted, black, queer, and freshly furious from being thwarted.

With HeddaDaCosta reignited the fire that had broken out Little Woods, feeding it with its recurring leading lady, Tessa Thompsonwho delivers a blistering performance enhanced by composer Hildur Guðnadóttir’s seething score of orchestrated human moans and gasps. Guðnadóttir finds DaCosta for The Temple of Bones. Seamlessly, these artists pick up where Boyle left off, expanding his world without getting lost in it. The heat of emotion that swelled and strategically overwhelmed Hedda burns here. Music abounds to highlight the growing fear, fury or even happiness. However, this is not the only music that will fuel the fire of The Temple of Bones. A precious record player diegetically warbles familiar tunes which take on a more acute meaning in a world gone mad. And maybe that’s why we can relate, listening to songs from seemingly simpler eras with addictive nostalgia.

Jack O’Connell is menacing and wonderful in The Temple of Bones.

Credit: Courtesy of Sony Pictures

All that, and O’Connell too. That Sinners, 28 years later, And 28 years old: The Temple of Bones are all set to release within 12 months of each other, which feels like an embarrassment of riches for horror fans. That O’Connell sets the screen on fire in each of them is nothing short of extraordinary.

It delivers on the promise of Jimmy’s fascinating intro in 28 years later with the portrait of a power-hungry fool whose ego is dangerously fragile. Far from being downright creepy or simply unhinged, O’Connell grooms Jimmy with curiosity, charisma, and a terrifying spontaneity. At any given moment, Jimmy seems capable of any crazy demand. Then we shiver, but we cannot look away.

His tingling intensity creates a disconcerting chemistry opposite Fiennes’ serene doctor. And then in this mix are the young and sweet Spike and the enigmatic Jimmy Ink. Williams once again evolves like a little boy adrift in a big, bad world. Kellyman, however, is extraordinary as a smart girl who has learned the power of nastiness and strategic submission. SO. Lewis-Parry brings new depths to Alpha Samson, creating terrifying and terrific scenes.

Now, as you would expect from the second film in a trilogy, The Temple of Bones won’t tie all these threads. Fortunately, what’s left unresolved isn’t frustrating. This film tells a satisfying story, then promises another chapter – with a reveal that’s sure to delight fans of 28 days later shouts with joy.

Eventually, 28 years later: the Temple of Bones is a phenomenal film. As a sequel, it builds the Spike saga without retreading the steps of its predecessor. As a zombie film, it delivers scenes of harrowing violence and haunting loss. As a horror film, it is sublime, magnificent, rich in visual splendor, brimming with emotion and intoxicating with its unexpected twists and turns. In simple terms, 28 years later: the Temple of Bones fucking rules. I left the theater shaken and elated. I can’t wait to go back.

28 years later: the Temple of Bones opens in theaters on January 16.