Move over Danny Boyle, you’ve been beaten at your own game.
Reviews are now in for Nia DaCosta’s “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” and the reactions paint it as a film not only better than last year’s predecessor, but the best the franchise has done to date.
On Rotten Tomatoes it’s scoring a strong 93% from 85 reviews, above the 87% of “28 Days Later,” 73% of “28 Weeks Later” and 89% of “28 Years Later”. On Metacritic, it’s at 79/100, which beats the 73, 78 and 77 of the three previous entries.
The reviews particularly praise DaCosta’s skill, the performances of Jack O’Connell and Ralph Fiennes, the script by Alex Garland, and the score by Hildur Gudnadottir. Here’s a sampling of reactions:
“These movies have always been quick to remind us that people are much scarier than any of the monsters they might be afraid of, and ‘The Bone Temple’ — the least scary yet most disquieting of the lot — is happy to flesh that out on both ends.” – David Ehrlich, Indiewire
“As the fourth entry in a long-running franchise (written, like its ancestors, by Alex Garland), it is, to borrow a phrase uttered by its protagonist, “miraculous”—and marks this zombie saga as a nightmare with few equals.” – Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
“For genre aficianados, it’s bold, mind-bending work which satisfies that so-often-frustrated craving for a zombie movie with brains.” – Peter DeBruge, Variety
“Garland juxtaposes faith and reason and how they oppose one another in a world where the foundations and “order” have been torn asunder. Believing in something bigger than ourselves can feel comforting even if it’s false.” – Katie Walsh, Tribute News Service
“DaCosta’s got a real knack for fear, having done a bang-up job bringing “Candyman” into the 21st Century back in 2021. She doesn’t conceal much with her gorgeous and unsparing direction as she makes us wince and “Oh. My. God” over and over.” – Johnny Oleksinski, New York Post
“Director Nia DaCosta takes the reins with fearless gusto, making this entry wholly her own while pushing the overarching story and its richly layered themes into darker, grislier, funnier, and more poignant territory.” – Meagan Navarro, Bloody Disgusting
“The leader of this crew, Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal, is played by Jack O’Connell with a Jack Nicholson-esque fiendish allure and an impressively specific Fife accent. Both he and Fiennes are tremendous, veering rivetingly between madcap and subdued” – Robbie Collin, The Daily Telegraph
“This is a harrowing, thoughtful, and impeccably crafted film that enriches its franchise while standing powerfully on its own. It is a real triumph for DaCosta in one of her biggest and best films yet.” – Linda Marric, HeyUGuys
“The standout craft element here is a powerful horror score by Hildur Gudnadottir that ranges from solemn, quasi-ecclesiastical passages to gut-churning, droning soundscapes.” – DAvid Rooney, THR
“Your rapt attention is assured, but wrenching tonal shifts may leave you exiting the theatre feeling like your skull has been zipped open by a hungry Alpha.” – Peter Howell, Toronto Star
“28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” opens in cinemas on Friday and is currently tracking for a $20+ million four-day opening for the MLK holiday weekend, and the film likely to knock “Avatar: Fire and Ash” off the top spot.
