The first five-star movie of 2026 is available to watch from today

'Might be the franchise's most ambitious and crazy entry yet.'

The Bone Temple was shot back-to-back with last year's reboot, 28 Years Later, which reintroduced viewers to a vision of the UK in which a zombie-like virus has swept the nation, causing society to break down.

The new sequel picks up in its predecessor's immediate aftermath. Spike (Alfie Williams), the previous movie's 12-year-old protagonist, is now stuck in a nightmare from which he can't escape.

He was rescued from a pack of infected by a roving gang led by Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell) in 28 Years Later's closing moments.

It soon becomes clear that Spike's new circumstances aren't much better than death by zombie. Jimmy is a devil-worshipping, sadistic cult leader who forces his young members to pillage, torture and kill for him.

We begin The Bone Temple in media res with a harrowing sequence in which Spike is forced to duel to the death with one of Crystal's acolytes (who all go by some variation of Jimmy) to prove his worth to them.

Providing a much-needed contrast to the hard-hitting carnage of the Jimmys plot is the movie's other main storyline. This follows Dr Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), a kindly Duran Duran-loving former GP.

He is dedicated to memorialising the victims of the infection by building the giant monument that gives the film its title.

While also providing free healthcare to Samson (an imposing Chi Lewis-Parry), a giant "alpha" member of the infected, Dr Kelson makes a startling discovery that could change the world.

As the movie continues, it becomes clear that Sir Jimmy Crystal and Dr Ian Kelson are on a collision course.

We here at JOE loved 28 Years Later, particularly its cross of gnarly zombie carnage and ghoulish humour, with rich themes and genuine heart. That said, we can understand if certain viewers were frustrated with its unorthodox, circuitous plotting and the way it left certain story threads dangling for a follow-up.

What a treat then to say that The Bone Temple is a meaner-and-leaner sequel, one that gets into the action quicker, while giving viewers more of the horror, heart, humour and imagination that its predecessor already had in spades.

Here, Nia DaCosta steps into the director's chair, following in the footsteps of Danny Boyle. While Boyle's almost experimental visuals are gone, DaCosta gives The Bone Temple a more classic epic look. She populates her picture with gorgeously ominous shots of wide open plains and forests that we know hide unspeakable terrors, zombie or otherwise, waiting to jump out at a moment's notice.

She also keeps the energy levels extraordinarily high, delivering one memorable sequence after another. This includes Spike's opening knife duel, Dr Kelson and Samson's uneasy early bonding and the Jimmys' later invasion of a farm (run by an incredible Mirren Mack) and the subsequent chaos that ensues.

In a way, The Bone Temple might have needed a more traditional filmmaker like DaCosta at the helm to keep general audiences from thinking it was an art movie. That's because the screenplay by the returning Alex Garland might be the franchise's most ambitious and crazy entry yet.

You know, while watching the sequel, that Sir Jimmy Crystal and Dr Ian Kelson will eventually cross paths with dangerous results. That said, if you gave viewers a million chances, they'd never be able to guess the hilarious and horrible exact way that this much-fated meeting will play out.

Yet, it totally works because Garland and DaCosta set it up early, in ways that audiences probably dismiss as mere character building, not also foreshadowing.

Plus, Garland has always explored how people struggle to maintain their humanity within dystopias.

So, it makes sense to structure The Bone Temple as a double A-side. One spotlights Dr Kelson (played by a wonderful Fiennes as goodness personified), someone who has found an unconventional method of still caring for others. And the other highlights Sir Jimmy (a darkly funny but terrifying O'Connell), a man who has become a monster on account of unresolved childhood trauma and undiagnosed mental health disorders amidst the apocalypse.

The pair are both fascinating characters, built up over two movies. So, when they eventually meet and share an exchange of ideas, it is absolutely electric - perhaps being the high point of the entire franchise to date.

That is all without even mentioning the great and timeless storyline involving Spike and the rest of the Jimmys (of which Emma Laird and Erin Kellyman leave a huge impression). In this, we see how, in truly dire and hopeless circumstances, people would rather trust a sadistic madman, who has no idea what is going on but acts like he does, than be alone.

Only time will tell how 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple will rank in the 28 Days Later series. We feel confident saying that 28 Years Later and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple together are not just the best films of the franchise, they are some of the best films of the decade so far.

We say bring on that long-promised 28 Years Later Part 3 (On that note, there are no post-credit scenes, but make sure to stay for the movie's closing moments). 5/5

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