Zombie movies or movies about infection are nothing new. When The Walking Dead premiered, we had something of a zombie craze. Zombies were freaking everywhere, whether it was movies, books, television, or video games. Sometimes, when we get too much of something, it can start to become stale. The Walking Dead has been over for a while now, but that doesn’t mean people aren’t still zombie-fatigued. A new zombie movie doesn’t automatically mean money is coming with it. So, in a world where there is too much of something, how does The Bone Temple fare?
First, we have to realize just how big 28 Days Later is. The movie is a landmark that helped revitalize the zombie genre back in 2002. The style was fast and gritty. The infected had insane speed. The keyword here is infected. These aren’t the undead, these are people still alive with a virus. This gave the movie and franchise as a whole way more humility. The film influenced countless others and helped launch Cillian Murphy’s career as well. It seemed like a return to the franchise would be inevitable and a smart move.
28 Years Later was released in 2025 as part of a planned trilogy. Original director and writer Danny Boyle and Alex Garland returned as well. The movie also had one of the scariest horror trailers in recent memory, and anticipation was high. This should have been a big hit, right? Well, not exactly.
28 Years Later had fantastic reviews from critics, but it didn’t exactly blow up the box office the way people believed it would. Audiences were mixed. Some loved it, and some felt sort of cheated. While the movie did have some horrific moments, overall it was a coming-of-age story that really focused on character development. The sequel was set to debut less than a year later. So is it better than the last one?
Is It Any Good?
What this movie has that the last one lacked is focus, even though it is essentially telling two stories. One story follows the character Spike from the last movie as he follows the “Jimmy” cult on their journey to cause suffering to anyone in their way. The other story follows a returning Dr. Kelson as he tries to discover a possible cure for the infection. Both storylines blend very well and are done perfectly.
Nia DaCosta (Candyman, The Marvels) directs this time around, and she is able to make the movie her own while respecting the style of the other films. This is easily her best film. She delivers a great balance of beauty and disgust.
The “Jimmy” cult is terrifying. They are truly evil in what they do, and the audience is glued to the screen, wondering what they will do next. Scenes with Dr. Kelson and the Alpha are slower but not boring. The whole point is trying to discover what the infected are feeling and thinking. The movie does a good job when it wants to be a horror and an even better job when it wants to slow down and make you think.
This is not your traditional horror film. That will probably deter audiences, but stay with me here for a second. Are you looking for a zombie survival flick with zombies picking off victims left and right? This is not that at all, but once again I urge you to stay with me here. The reason this movie honestly works so well is because of the lack of attention to infecteds. Don’t get me wrong, there is still plenty of zombie violence here; that just isn’t the point.
What is the Point?
The point has to do with finding out what happens to the people living for years during the apocalypse. We are afraid of the infected, but we are even more afraid of the “Jimmy” cult and how psychotic they are. We know, for the most part, the rules of the infected. Humans are much more unpredictable.
Dr. Kelson’s search for an answer to why the infected do what they do is such an interesting idea to dive into. It is a concept that hasn’t been explored too much in other movies. What do they see when they attack? What causes them to be so enraged? Do they have memories of who they used to be? If they are simply just infected but still human, can’t a virus be cured? We have seen zombies just eating people time after time. The ideas that this movie talks about are just so fascinating and I loved the direction they took.
The Acting
The acting here is truly phenomenal. Ralph Finnes gives us a likeable and mesmerizing performance. The character of Dr. Kelson is the light in a dark apocalypse. He understands life has to go on and he does what he can to contribute to this dying world. It is easily one of my favorite performances of his.
The other person to talk about here is Jack O’ Connell as the head Jimmy and the leader of the cult. The guy is a star and is great at playing villains. If you thought that his character in Sinners was evil, wait till you see him here. There is something so uncomfortable about an unhinged character who is obviously insane but is also fully aware that what he is doing to people is wrong. He just likes to hurt others.
Overall
Even though it is only January, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is the best movie of the year so far, horror or not. It is horrific yet beautiful in its tone and structure. The cinematography and acting are top-notch, and this movie has one of the best needle drops I have ever seen. It is nowhere near a traditional zombie movie, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It is filled with creepy, funny, and sad moments that all work so well together.
The film gives the audience all sorts of interesting ideas that are well-focused on throughout. As I said, it may not work for everyone, but it really worked for me. The film ended, and I sighed. I wanted and was ready for more. It has not done great at the box office so far, and that was almost to be expected based on how the last installment did. If it doesn’t make enough, there is a chance we won’t get a third, and I need that conclusion badly. Either way, I was very pleased with what we got this time around.
Is this one of the scariest zombie movies ever made? No. Is it one of the most inventive and fascinating ones? Hell yes.
