’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’: A Great Middle Chapter For Better And Worse

28 Years Later is perhaps one of the best horror films released in this decade. Danny Boyle and Alex Garland return to their nearly 20-year-old franchise, which is often credited for revitalizing the zombie horror genre and inventing the concept of sprinting infected, and deliver a surprisingly moving and poignant film, full of confident and unique filmmaking choices. Sufficed to say, the sequel has a very tough act to follow, especially as a direct follow-up with an entirely different director with their own style. Fortunately, Nia DaCosta proves she’s more than up to the challenge and delivers a solid, if somewhat standard, middle chapter.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is a post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Nia DaCosta and written by Alex Garland. It is the second part of a planned trilogy and follows directly on from 28 Years Later, which ended with protagonist Spike, played by Alfie Williams, encountering the Fingers, a satanic cult led by Jimmy Crystal, played by Jack O’Connell. Half the film follows Spike as he is forced into the cult and witnesses their horrific actions. Meanwhile, Dr. Ian Kelson, played by Ralph Fiennes, continues to develop his relationship with the Alpha Infected Samson, played by Chi Lewis-Parry. Through this, Kelson makes a discovery about the nature of The Infected, one which could have massive consequences going forward.

This is certainly a film of two halves, and it has all the pros and cons of being the middle chapter of a trilogy. There are lengthy stretches that, while captivating, nonetheless, feel like filler to pad out the runtime. A lot less happens here compared to the immediate predecessor, and it seems Garland is writing with the certainty of a third chapter, which means he is granted freedom to leave in as much content as possible. While it’s nice to see his complete unfiltered vision, it definitely leaves the first half feeling uneventful and stale. There is a lack of intense action that 28 Years Later provided in good amounts. The Fingers and Jimmy Crystal are the main draw of the first half, and they behave like any insane cult in a post-apocalyptic world. Given how well Garland explores the place of The Infected in the world in his previous works, it is disappointing that The Fingers offer no new perspective on them, seeing them as little other than Satan’s creatures.

This disappointment is further compounded by the lack of input Spike has on the plot, which robs the film of a strong emotional core that its predecessor possessed. Nothing about his family is touched on, nor his perspective on events. He simply wants to get out of the situation he finds himself in and only really gets a defining moment in the ending. Spike suffers the most from the middle chapter problems, since it’s likely he will take center stage in the final film, and thus, Garland felt little need to develop him in this film. However, Spike’s time spent with the cult is still fun and brutal as he unravels their unique dynamics, makes friends within the group, and uncovers the lies of Jimmy Crystal. They stand out among other fictional cults due to their connection to British culture and history and their love of Teletubbies.

The highlight of the plot is definitely Ian Kelson’s storyline, which feels more thematically consistent with 28 Years Later. Getting to see Kelson in his element and day-to-day life is simply marvellous after he was such a mythic and rich character in the previous film. This is, of course, aided by a masterclass in acting by Ralph Fiennes. He continues to prove why he is one of the best actors working today, adding so many layers and unique quirks that make Kelson one of the best horror characters of the past decade. Chi Lewis-Parry also delivers as Samson. In the previous film, he was a joy as the ferocious and monstrous brute that tore people’s heads off, but here he’s allowed to be calmer and more nuanced. When Samson finally speaks his first words, Lewis-Parry makes it feel magical.

The film really finds its stride in the second half. The directing and cinematography become more assured and confident, and the final act feels like a satanic fever dream that only Garland could come up with and that could only exist in this franchise. The scene where Kelson and Jimmy Crystal first meet feels like the first time the script embodies the themes of the franchise and feels in conversation with British history, religion, and how that evolves in the present day. From then on, the film deconstructs the nature of cults, the power of image and spectacle, and wraps up the story of Dr. Kelson in a poignant way. Everything fires on all cylinders.

The standout performance of this film, aside from Ralph Fiennes, is Jack O’Connell as Sir Jimmy Crystal. Having been foreshadowed and built up in 28 Years Later, The Bone Temple puts him center-stage for all to see. One could argue that he is even the main character, having the most characterization and development throughout the film. Having previously played a vampire cult leader in Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, O’Connell continues his run of excellent performances here. He plays the psychotic cult leader with a god complex to perfection. There is constant tension whenever he is on-screen, and it is a joy to witness. But what makes this character really work are the moments of humanity O’Connell imbues him with. He is a pitiable and detestable man, manipulating others to satisfy his twisted game whilst also grappling with the trauma he faced at the beginning of the outbreak. From beginning to end, O’Connell is a delight, and he makes the somewhat stale first half bearable.

What unfortunately contributes to the film’s lack of momentum is DaCosta’s direction and editing choices. By no means is it bad. In fact, it ranges from good to excellent across the film, but compared to the filmmaking of its predecessor, The Bone Temple feels lacking and standard. Boyle’s choices in 28 Years Later resulted in a film with a distinct look and style, one that not only reckoned with British history and folklore, but also provided gorgeous spectacle unlike anything the genre has seen. It felt like a natural evolution from the original 28 Days Later, but at no point felt experimental for the sake of it. Each choice felt meticulous and intentional. It certainly could be off-putting to some, and in that respect, The Bone Temple certainly feels more palatable and easier to follow. But it lacks the rich layers of its predecessor, which wrestled with British past, present, and future through its editing and cinematography. That is by no means DaCosta’s fault, since the script’s lack of action and spectacle hampers her ability to really shine. 28 Years Later pulled off a masterful balancing act, one that is hard to top, and there is no shame in falling short.

DaCosta’s direction and filmmaking choices certainly shine in moments of high intensity. The scenes with Jimmy and his cult are made nerve-wracking with shaky, handheld cameras and visceral close-ups. DaCosta excellently imbues a strong sense of tightness and encroaching danger, keeping the audience on the edge of their seat. There is a welcome lack of jump scares, which allows the fear to come from the anticipation of character action. Where the filmmaking becomes truly spectacular is the final act. While Garland is responsible for writing it, DaCosta truly brings it to life. She utilizes the already impressive set of the Bone Temple to remarkable effect in ways that even the previous film didn’t. DaCosta pulls out every trick and is allowed to go wild with handheld cameras, shaky close-ups, electric editing, gorgeous wide shots, and tops it off with a beautiful bird’s eye view of the satanic display. Every performance is at its very best, and the lighting, music choices, and character moments enhance the spectacle. It is a glorious finale that feels totally one-of-a-kind, that brings an end to a decent film and makes it all feel worth it. Much like its predecessor, The Bone Temple ends with a tease for the sequel, and as such, is difficult to discuss without having the full picture. As it stands, it promises a final chapter that connects all the way back to the original 28 Days Later and will hopefully resolve the trilogy and the story of Spike in a spectacular manner.  

Perhaps the only other aspect that lends towards the idea that The Bone Temple is a small step back in most aspects is the score. Hildur Guðnadóttir is the composer as opposed to Young Fathers, and she does a good job at complementing the events on-screen. Her style of minimal orchestration and heavy strings unfortunately makes the soundtrack feel generic compared to the previous film’s score, which was another weird but confident quirk of filmmaking. By no means is the music bad, but it definitely could have been stronger given her previous bodies of work.

On the whole, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is still a great time. It is tough to follow such a monumental triumph, and there are a lot of criticisms to make of the script rather than the filmmaking. While it is all a step down from 28 Years Later, it is still leagues ahead of a lot of horror films. DaCosta’s direction shines in the film’s best sequences, and the performances from the entire cast are excellent, especially Fiennes and O’Connell. The final act is worth the uneventful first half. If a third one is made, it could retroactively enhance this middle chapter and dictate its place in history, but as it stands right now, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is a more than worthwhile addition to the franchise and an excellent post-apocalyptic horror film.