28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026) Dir: Nia DaCosta

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Having thoroughly enjoyed part one, it was at last time for me to watch the second film in the new '28 Years Later' trilogy - the fourth film in the overall franchise. This time, it was directed by Nia DaCosta, with Danny Boyle and Alex Garland producing - the latter also writing the film. The fact that this marked my first 2026 release of the year also leant itself to my anticipation being very high, never-mind the fact that I was a big fan of both the original film and this one's direct predecessor.

Just as in the previous film, this was an audiovisual masterpiece. I loved the subtle yet emotive soundtrack, composed by Hildur Guðnadóttir, which guided the audience through the many emotions of the film, accompanied by an excellent selection of hits from before the film's apocalypse. I also adored Sean Bobbitt's cinematography, which felt very inkeeping with the rest of Danny Boyle's gritty and superb-looking world, particularly '28 Days Later' and '28 Years Later'. The intensely practical nature of almost everything in the film only aided in making everything look absolutely breathtaking.

Watching the continuation of the story was a riveting experience. I thought the returning characters were developed excellently, I thought the action was tense and even a little scary, I thought the story was well-written, interesting, and suspenseful, and I thought the emotions that governed over all of these things were beautifully wrought. I adored just about everything that this film had to offer.

Ralph Fiennes delivered another phenomenal performance, full of tenderness, expression, and emotion. His character has quickly become one of my favourites in the horror genre. He was fascinating and endearing in equal measure. Alfie Williams also gave an extremely compelling performance, which saw both he and his character continue to grow on the big screen. I love how believable he feels - his reactions feel not only genuine, but realistic - I can imagine a real child reacting the same way.

Jack O'Connell's eccentric portrayal of 'Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal' was wild, it was funny, it was entertaining, but, most importantly, it was absolutely terrifying when it needed to be. I really think O'Connell has begun to show everything he can offer - those of us who watched 'Skins' will have seen this rise coming, but it's so good to see him succeeding, and with such style.

Chi Lewis-Parry's character evolution in this film was wondrously good. I absolutely adored his performance, and seeing him convey his character's little alterations here and there was as fantastic as it was genuinely fascinating. I really liked the way Erin Kellyman increasingly imposed herself on her scenes as the film progressed. She became more and more likable, not only as a character, but as a performer, as the film progressed. It was very impressive.

Overall, I thought this was a near masterpiece of a sequel. So often a second film, particularly one in a trilogy, will feel unnecessary, it will drag, or it won't hold its weight - but this one was so much more. It was a striking and intense continuation of the '28 Years Later' story, and provided so many memorable and well-crafted scenes and sequences that I'll be thinking about for a very long time. I cannot wait for the third chapter in this so-far phenomenal trilogy.