They’re taking their commitment to the number 28 mighty seriously: First they gave us 28 Days Later, then Weeks…. okay, they skipped months but the leap to an entirely new generation brought us Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later, and now Nia DaCosta’s direct sequel, The Bone Temple, filmed immediately after. Alex Garland, who created and wrote most of the “28 Universe” saga (he sat out Weeks), has scripted this entire new trilogy that’s been unfolding since last year, and he wastes no time reminding us what a savage world this is, never the same once the experimental rage virus got loose. The infected are still scattered across the British countryside, and we’re introduced to a sadistic gang of “Jimmys” who perform unspeakable acts on any innocent folk they encounter. (I had to avert my eyes at least once.)
Amid all of this post-apocalyptic tension, a lone National Health Service doctor (Ralph Fiennes) has been developing a means to overcome the effects of the virus and even befriends the current alpha, Samson, offering a glimmer of hope for the future. It’s a fine entry in the series, but there is an air of sameness to it, as certain characters and plot developments will seem strikingly familiar if you’ve watched more than a few tales of zombies and their ilk.
We’ve come a long way since the hazy sub-HD video of the first film back in 2002, shot as it was on consumer-grade MiniDV camcorders. Such beautiful cinematography on Bone Temple for such brutal content is a bit ironic, giving us crisp, subjective focus on some lovely landscapes but also no shortage of disturbing sights. Colors are gorgeous, even when they’re in service of the indelible image of a bald, shirtless, iodine-covered Fiennes and his piercing blue eyes. The HDR earns its keep in the many dark, dark scenes, often lit by a plethora of small candles and lanterns.
The Atmos soundtrack displays an engrossing three-dimensional presence across a range of environments, most frequently the birds, insects and miscellany of the living forest. Trebles get their due, be it the sharp clang of a steel blade or the sometimes tinny renditions of Duran Duran hits playing on an old, entry-level turntable. Oscar-winner Hildur Guðnadóttir’s eclectic original musical compositions effectively enhance the emotions in a variety of scenes.
Director DaCosta provides a solo audio commentary track, popping up in the trio of behind-the-scenes featurettes as well. A deleted scene centers on the boss Jimmy (Jack O’Connell) from late in the story, and the two minutes of bloopers are extra-funny, born as they are from such sinister doings. Presently, the 4K edition is only available in this lovely, single-disc SteelBook package, no HD Blu-ray provided but there’s a digital copy with all of those same extras.
At turns gruesome and unabashedly cruel, but ultimately daring to suggest some optimism, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is a disquieting rumination on the nature of evil and what it actually means to be human.
Movie Details
- STUDIO: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
- FORMAT: Ultra HD 4K Blu-ray (April 21, 2026)
- THEATRICAL RELEASE YEAR: 2026
- ASPECT RATIO: 2.39:1
- HDR FORMATS: Dolby Vision, HDR10
- AUDIO FORMAT: Dolby Atmos with TrueHD 7.1 core
- LENGTH: 109 mins.
- MPAA RATING: R
- DIRECTOR: Nia DaCosta
- STARRING: Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman, Chi Lewis-Parry
Our Ratings
★★★★★★★★★★ Picture
★★★★★★★★★★ Sound
★★★★★★★★★★ Extras
Where to buy:
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