Review: Ralph Fiennes provides levity in ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’

Horror enthusiasts are probably quite familiar with 2001’s “28 Days Later,” one of Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle’s earlier films that starred then-unknown, now Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy. There’s not much to the plot: a virus breaks out in the UK, turning the infected into rage-filled zombies. Six years later came “28 Weeks Later,” which told a completely different story but was based around the same pandemic and featured a cast of then-unknown names, notably Jeremy Renner, Rose Byrne and Idris Elba (Boyle did not direct but served as an executive producer).

The series lay dormant for 18 years until “28 Years Later,” which was released last summer and Boyle returned to the director’s chair with Murphy as executive producer. It was quite different from the first two films because it went in an artistic direction rather than scary.

Which brings us to “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.”

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While it wouldn’t hurt for viewers to watch the previous three films, it would be quite beneficial to at least watch “28 Years Later” since it takes place immediately after the events of “The Bone Temple” and features some of the same characters.

“The Bone Temple” tells two stories that ultimately conflict in the third act. The first follows teenage Spike (Alfie Williams) as he leaves the safety of his isolated island village behind and heads for the mainland – until he meets satanic cult leader Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell), who offers him protection in exchange for loyalty. The film opens with Spike attempting to become one of the “Seven Fingers”, his followers who wear blonde wigs and tracksuits and also take the name Jimmy.

The test: killing another Jimmy, something good-hearted Spike is sorely hesitant to do.

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Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) with the Jimmys in Columbia Pictures’ “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.” (© 2026 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved)

The latter follows mild-mannered Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), whom we also met in the previous episode. Before the epidemic, he was a doctor in normal society. He is now away from human interaction and has taken up the hobby of building a castle built entirely on skeletal remains (hence the name). When he’s not listening to Duran Duran or Iron Maiden on his record player in an underground bunker, he’s trying to develop a cure for the virus.

The test subject is a rather unexpected one: a Hulk-like zombie named “alpha” in the previous episode (played by 6’9 Chi Lewis-Parry), whom Ian has come to affectionately call Samson. One might think Ian is crazy to embrace an alpha zombie for his experiment, especially since Samson can rip the head off a body easier than I can open a glass jar (because Ian is a bit crazy. But lo and behold, he starts to make progress with the monstrous figure).

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“Bone Temple” feels like watching two different movies. The first is reminiscent of the 2008 movie “The Strangers”; We follow Jimmy’s torture horde and brutally torture a group of innocent non-zombies on their farm, with Spike feeling like a hostage. The latter is reminiscent of “Young Frankenstein,” with Ian and Samson forming a buddy comedy dynamic as the alpha zombie slowly remembers what it’s like to be human. And like recent greats Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle, they both make great dance partners!

Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry) in Columbia Pictures’ “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.”

Perhaps the most surprising thing about “The Bone Temple”, which is also similar to “28 Years Later”, is that there is no fear, even though it is a horror movie. While there are a few scares and plenty of gore, we, the audience, don’t feel fear throughout the movie the way many of us felt in “28 Days” and “28 Weeks Later.” That’s not to say “Bone Temple” is boring – far from it.

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Fiennes, whose introduction was delayed in the last film, gets plenty of screen time here as the likable, quirky doctor who offers courtesy to “The Bone Temple.” O’Connell gives a spirited performance as a twisted, religious, homicidal maniac whose confidence and dark sense of humor fascinate his impressionable young followers. Williams gives a sympathetic performance, but he shines much more in the previous film as Spike goes through adolescence. Erin Kellyman also deserves a mention as one of Jimmy’s “Jimmys” who plays mind games with Spike (and the audience) about whether or not he can be trusted.

Nia DaCosta replaces Boyle in the director’s chair. The up-and-coming filmmaker has dabbled in horror before, with the lauded “Candyman” remake, but the direction here feels like a softer version of Boyle’s vision in the previous film. Alex Garland, who wrote “28 Days” and “28 Years Later,” returned to write the script for “The Bone Temple.”

In Columbia Pictures’ “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,” Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes).

Decision:

While seven months might seem too soon to be releasing a sequel, “The Bone Temple” is able to differentiate itself enough from its predecessor to justify the quick turnaround. Devotees of the “28” series will welcome the fourth installment, but this film may be difficult to appeal to others. Still, “The Bone Temple” is an interesting chapter in this zombie universe.

★★★ — TRANSFER LATER

“28 Years Later: Temple of Bone” is rated R for strong gore, gore, graphic nudity, language throughout and brief drug use. Working time: 1 hour 50 minutes. In theaters now.

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