28 years later: The Bone Temple it is a miracle. Fast forward to 2025 After 28 years left, it first answers many of the questions you’ve had since then, then expands the world, challenges expectations, and gives you plenty of scares and laughs along the way. What’s more, it does all that and more while being smaller and more compact than its predecessor. It’s an excellent sequel that advances its franchise, stands alone, and will entertain us in the future.
Director Nia DaCosta (Candyman, The Marvels) takes over from Danny Boyle here, working from a script by franchise founder Alex Garland. And, as we said, things pick up where we left off After 28 years. Spike (Alfie Williams) had left his tropical island home to live on his own but met an evil gang led by Jimmy (Jack O’Connell). A pop culture worshiping, satanic group then takes one part Temple of Bones as we learn about their code, survival tactics, and a different kind of violent past that has kept them thriving. All of this is completely against Spike’s personality, but he does what he has to do to survive.
Then there is Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes). In the previous film, we saw her not only providing comfort and solace to Spike and his family but also becoming obsessed with the alpha zombie she nicknamed Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry). That relationship continues Temple of Bones as Kelson examines what this virus really is and if there is a way to change it. Which is to say, yes, there is a lot of zombie dong in this movie. Like, and much more.
On their own, each story goes to the most unexpected places. For Jimmy, Spike, and their crew, those places are often filled with tension and disgusting body horror. For Kelson and Samson, their story goes from great fear to unexpected joy, in a few sequences you’ll be happy to discover for yourself. And, in the end, these two stories come together, leading to a third act that not only touches your heart and keeps you on the edge of your seat but also had my theater burst into spontaneous applause due to its sheer brilliance. You’ll know it when you see it, and it will surely go down as one of the best scenes of the year.
And while those two narratives are a big part of why Temple of Bones it works so well, it’s taken to another level by what those characters have to say about this world. From Jimmy and Spike’s side of the story, we see the lengths people will go to in order to deal with this impossible disaster. Who is to blame for the fact that, 28 years ago, the world got rid of pollution? People need someone to blame. You need a way to fix it. And it’s a mindset that yields terrifying results.
On the other hand, that Dr. Kelson not only survived but made it through this time is a miracle. He found a new purpose and, in the hulking zombie Samson, a chance to be saved. He believes that the zombie outbreak was the result of science, so science should, hypothetically, be able to solve it. Then, as you can imagine, those two ideas come to a head. Science versus religion. Faith versus faithlessness. Whatever you want to call it. But wrapped in a fast-paced, tense, preachy story, it instead allows the themes to languish below.
All of this is possible in large part because of Garland’s script, which is tight, focused, and always going in unexpected directions, and the performances of its cast. Fiennes, as expected, is excellent in the film, somehow embodying every good or bad role you’ve ever seen in this wild, lovable man. O’Connell is also utterly captivating as Jimmy, especially when we see his evil exterior slowly crack, revealing its tragic roots. Another standout is Lewis-Parry as Sampson, who has a very large (ahem) role this time around, balancing his imposing physical presence with a serious emotion expressed almost entirely in the eyes.
Then Erin Kellyman. I star WarsMarvel, too Willow The star is one of Jimmy’s students in the film, and he is, as always, a revelation. She is the most skeptical of the group but also confident and talented. His ability to walk the line between being a killer on Jimmy’s behalf and a sympathetic friend to Spike is a joy to watch. Whenever he’s in anything, he proves he’s a star, and maybe this will end up being a role that cements that.
One thing you can think of is down to it Temple of Bones that it is clear that it is the second film in this country After 28 years a trilogy. So, when things come to their conclusion, there is a coda that will have people talking and setting up the final piece of the puzzle. However, the last, and best, surprise is Temple of Bones that is not a bad thing. The film does such a good job of standing alone and expanding the world of After 28 yearswhile it’s also scary and exciting, it would be great if that follow-up didn’t happen. It does happen, though, and we’ll be the first in your line, but this film delivers on so many levels that it’s satisfying on its own and as a sequel.
28 years later: The Bone Temple opens January 16.
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