Review: “28 Years Later” brings new life to franchise with “The Bone Temple”

“28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” goes to surprising lengths that were seemingly lost in this franchise.

While its predecessor, 2015’s “28 Years Later”, dissects the idea of acceptance over mourning and grief during desolate times, “The Bone Temple” offers hope.

Ralph Fiennes’ Dr. Kelson discovered after putting a drug over his nemesis, the alpha-infected Samson. A few shots made the undead learn a few words and feel things as if he were slowly turning back into his human self.

Meanwhile, Spike (Alfie Williams) was recruited by Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) to his Satanist cult with no other choice. Threatened for his life, he looks for ways that could bring him to freedom from someone far more sinister than a herd of the undead.

“The Bone Temple” can be a difficult watch for some, as it doesn’t hold back on gruesome violence that at one point felt endless. This unease is welcome for this franchise that lacked it after the first movie. A horrifying scene set in the barn received the biggest gasp in my cinema, as if they thought a big studio would never go for something as graphic.

I feel director Nia DeCosta improved the franchise by going for a less tacky approach in this sequel. No cheap cameras or abrupt editing. Only laser-sharp storytelling. Being free from these gimmicky distractions brings a new life to “The Bone Temple” and makes it the most immersive of the franchise.

I’m personally more excited to see where this goes in the next movie.

“28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” is now showing in cinemas.

Photos from Sony Pictures.