A visually striking, drama-leaning chapter that bridges the franchise while carving its own lane
Over two decades ago, a horror/zombie apocalypse movie titled 28 Days Later premiered in theaters. The premise was about a group of activists who freed some animals from a testing lab that were infected with a deadly virus. When one of the animals bit a human, they too became infected, and thus a population of zombies was born. Four years later, the sequel, 28 Weeks Later, became a box office hit. This past summer, the third installment in the franchise, 28 Years Later, was released, and this month, the 4th film, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, will hit theaters.
Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes; Conclave) lives in isolation, surrounded by a shrine of bones from those who have died during the zombie apocalypse in Great Britain. He occasionally encounters a large zombie he has nicknamed Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry; Gladiator II) due to his large size and his long hair. Kelson will sometimes tranquilize Samson, which doesn't knock him out but calms him so he doesn't attack Kelson. When Samson says a word, Kelson is optimistic that the virus is curable and decides to try treating Samson.
Meanwhile, Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell; Sinners) and his disciples a.k.a. "fingers" follow him around killing zombies and humans alike. When one of Jimmy's fingers, who is also called Jimmy, spies Kelson with Samson, she assumes Kelson is "Old Nick" - the god that speaks only to Sir Jimmy Crystal. Stuck, Sir Jimmy Crystal talks to Kelson, and they strike a deal where the Jimmys will leave Kelson alone if he pretends to be Old Nick. However, things don't go as planned, and people end up dying.
As stories go, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is an interesting and enjoyable tale with some disgusting and bloody scenes. However, I did sit in the theater wondering why we needed it. Supposedly, it is the connection between the third and alleged fifth films, but I felt it veered away from the original premise of the movies, which was a good, old-fashioned contagious disease that gets out of control. And while there still is some fighting and violence in the film, I felt it was more story/ drama driven than its predecessors.
Written by Alex Garland (Ex Machina) and directed by Nia DaCosta (Candyman), the movie includes a strong cast that helps make the film as enjoyable as it is. Fiennes is incredible in the movie as Kelson, but I must say I am rather surprised he chose the role, as it is somewhat outside of the dramatic projects he typically chooses. However, to pull off the ending required a solid actor, and Fiennes does an incredible job with the scenes where the Jimmys meet "Old Nick". O'Connell is equally as strong and commands every scene he is a part of. Lewis-Parry is good, but I assume he was chosen as much for his size as he was for his acting skills.
The visuals throughout the film are amazing, and the look and feel of the bone temple seems to come across as authentic. Even the night scenes are well-lit, clean, and sharp-looking. Some of the wide shots and overheads are stunning and make an impact on the viewer. I also have to give a shout-out to whoever chose the music, as there are a few Duran Duran songs included and one well-placed Iron Maiden song.
While 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple was filmed at the same time as its predecessor, I feel the latter movie is more franchise "adjacent" rather than directly continuing the saga. If they make a fifth movie, we will have to wait and see how this one ties in and connects the dots from 28 Days Later to the end.
Grade: B-
