The latest installment in the '28 Days Later' franchise, '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple', is a masterclass in internal dread and horror. Director Nia DaCosta's slow-burning build of tension expertly weaves together a narrative that's both entertaining and thought-provoking.
Picking up where its predecessor left off, the film introduces us to Spike (Alfie Williams), who finds himself entrenched with a group of psychotic predators known as The Fingers. Led by Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell), these post-apocalyptic creatures roam Scotland, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
As we follow the story, Ralph Fiennes returns as Dr. Ian Kelson, a solitary man researching the virus that turned most of Scotland into rage-fueled zombies. He forms an unlikely bond with a massive Alpha zombie named Samson, and together they sit around and listen to music, adding a touch of humanity to the film's otherwise dark atmosphere.
While some may find 'The Bone Temple' dull due to its lack of traditional jump scares or crowd-pleasing moments, it's clear that DaCosta and writer Alex Garland were never interested in crafting a run-of-the-mill horror movie. Instead, they've created a film that expertly ratchets up tension and explores themes of human empathy and quietude.
The result is a movie that's both fun and exciting, but also thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. The addition of Fiennes' Oscar-worthy performance only adds to the film's impact, elevating horror into groundbreaking new places.
Ultimately, '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' is better than it should be, and fans of the franchise will appreciate its cohesion and ambition. While it may not be perfect, this installment has all the makings of a generational piece of dark, visionary art. With its beautifully set-up finale, it's clear that the final chapter in the trilogy could be something truly special.
Grade: A-
Picking up where its predecessor left off, the film introduces us to Spike (Alfie Williams), who finds himself entrenched with a group of psychotic predators known as The Fingers. Led by Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell), these post-apocalyptic creatures roam Scotland, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
As we follow the story, Ralph Fiennes returns as Dr. Ian Kelson, a solitary man researching the virus that turned most of Scotland into rage-fueled zombies. He forms an unlikely bond with a massive Alpha zombie named Samson, and together they sit around and listen to music, adding a touch of humanity to the film's otherwise dark atmosphere.
While some may find 'The Bone Temple' dull due to its lack of traditional jump scares or crowd-pleasing moments, it's clear that DaCosta and writer Alex Garland were never interested in crafting a run-of-the-mill horror movie. Instead, they've created a film that expertly ratchets up tension and explores themes of human empathy and quietude.
The result is a movie that's both fun and exciting, but also thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. The addition of Fiennes' Oscar-worthy performance only adds to the film's impact, elevating horror into groundbreaking new places.
Ultimately, '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' is better than it should be, and fans of the franchise will appreciate its cohesion and ambition. While it may not be perfect, this installment has all the makings of a generational piece of dark, visionary art. With its beautifully set-up finale, it's clear that the final chapter in the trilogy could be something truly special.
Grade: A-
️ I knew Nia DaCosta was gonna bring some serious heat with her direction, but this? Mind blown! The way she weaves together the story is pure magic 
and that twist with Samson tho... 
I need more of this in my life 
Ralph Fiennes' performance as Dr. Kelson though? 
Oscar-worthy, for real 
It's not your typical jump scare fest, but trust me when I say it's a masterclass in tension and atmosphere 
What do u think, did u catch the Bone Temple yet? 
It's like they took all the tension and horror from the first film and just... stretched it out 
. I mean, I get that DaCosta wanted to build up some serious dread, but couldn't we have had a few more explosive set pieces to keep us on the edge of our seats? 
And don't even get me started on how boring Dr. Kelson's character is 
... but not enough to save the movie from its plodding pace 
i mean, who wouldn't want to see ralph fiennes sitting around with a zombie listening to music 
?? but seriously, nia daCosta's direction is pure genius 
i loved how they subverted expectations and didn't go for traditional horror tropes 
, his character's storyline adds so much depth to the whole thing. The slow burn is on point, I found myself holding my breath for like 2 hours straight 
. I loved how they didn't just rely on jump scares, instead they made it all about building tension and making you feel uncomfortable. The themes of human empathy and quietude are so important, especially in a world that's constantly bombarding us with chaos. Can't wait to see what the final chapter has in store for us 
I mean, you got this post-apocalyptic world where folks are basically living in survival mode, but also trying to hold on to humanity. It's like they're saying, we can survive the zombies, but how do we heal ourselves after all we've been through?
! Nia DaCosta is a genius, slow-burning tension expert is so underappreciated. I love how they subverted my expectations with that unlikely bond between Ralph Fiennes' character and the Alpha zombie 
. The only thing that would've made it an A+ is if they'd included some more traditional jump scares 
and the theme of empathy is so cleverly woven into the narrative, its not just about surviving but also about finding humanity in the apocalypse. i'm not gonna lie, it was a little weird to see samson jamming out to music with doc but hey at least its quirky and that's part of the charm 
and the way he forms this bond with Samson, the massive Alpha zombie, is so beautifully done 
I love how Alex Garland and DaCosta are all about exploring themes of human empathy and quietude, it adds a whole new level of depth to the horror genre
and I love how they humanized the zombies by having them bond over music lol 
it's not your typical jump scare fest, but trust me when I say it's way more effective in building tension 
the way dr kelson forms this bond with samson is so haunting and beautiful 
ralph fiennes' performance was pure perfection, i'm still shaking my head over it 
... the way they got Ralph Fiennes to bring Samson to life as a zombie is just mind-blowing 
... can't wait for the next part in this trilogy 
and ralph fiennes as dr kelson is just wow he's so gentle yet intense at the same time 
ralph fiennes as dr kelson tho is just pure gold - he's got that whole 'grizzled scientist' vibe down pat 
anyway, i'm not mad at da costa for keeping it slow burn and all the tension but also some ppl might be all like "where's the jump scares?" 
. and can we talk about Ralph Fiennes' performance?! 
. Nia DaCosta's got some serious skills when it comes to building tension and those Fingers are straight up terrifying 
... But for me, it's all about that theme of quietude and empathy. We're living in crazy times, and the film reminds us to appreciate human connection in the chaos 
.