A quick recap.  28 Days Later (2003) starred relative unknown Cillian Murphy as a man trying to survive in London after a lab-created virus turned humans into flesh-eating zombies.  28 Weeks Later (2007) saw the U.S. military get involved in creating “safe zones” within the United Kingdom but the deadly infections continued to spread.  28 Years Later (2025) centred on a group of Brits who had found refuge on a zombie-free island, but the focus shifted when a 12-year-old boy, Spike, jetted off to the mainland in search of a doctor who could help his sick mother.

There was an 18-year gap between the release of the last two movies but that isn’t the case here.  28 Years Later: The Bone Temple arrives in cinemas just 7 months after its predecessor and based on chatter, there could be another film in the works soon.  It’s a strong franchise which continues to deliver.  It’s not afraid to take chances in terms of narrative with each film spinning off in a new direction with new themes.  The same applies to the production.  The crew push boundaries in creating gory action/horror sequences you won’t soon forget.  I’m surprised this film snuck through in Australia with just an MA rating!

The fresh protagonist at the core of The Bone Temple was introduced to us in the final scene of the last movie.  Capitalising on society’s destruction, Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (O’Connell) is a middle-aged shyster who proclaims to be the son of Satan.  He’s duped a bunch of orphaned teenagers into believing his nonsense as they have no education, no books, or no internet to learn otherwise.  It’s one thing to believe in Satan… but another to act on his “preachings”.  They do so by travelling around the countryside and terrorising families in bloody, brutal fashion.

There are two returning characters who have a part to play in stopping Jimmy’s madness.  The first is Spike (Williams), a kind-hearted 12-year-old whose “coming of age” tale is anything but orthodox.  He is forcibly drawn into Jimmy’s posse and seeks a means of escaping.  The second is Dr Ian Kelson (Fiennes), a savvy doctor who has spent decades looking for a cure to the virus and, thanks to an experiment on a well-endowed zombie named Samson, may have finally made a breakthrough.

English director Danny Boyle stepped aside for this instalment and handed the reigns over American Nia DaCosta (Candyman, The Marvels).  It’s been a smooth transition with no diminution in terms of quality.  Returning screenwriter Alex Garland does a terrific job blending several genres together.  There’s violence (a family being abducted), heart (Ian’s friendship with Samson), comedy (a musical dance number), and political themes (misinformation).  The strong performances deserve a shout-out.  Jack O’Connell (Sinners) has successfully created a repulsive villain and is the pick of the bunch.

Bring on the next movie!