Overview: Ralph Fiennes offers levity in '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple'

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Avid horror followers are in all probability fairly accustomed to 2001's "28 Days Later," one in every of Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle's earlier movies that starred then-unknown actor Cillian Murphy, now an Oscar winner himself. There's not a lot to the plot: a virus breaks out within the U.Ok. turning these contaminated into rage-filled zombies. Six years later got here "28 Weeks Later," telling a very totally different story however based mostly on the identical pandemic and notably that includes a solid of extra then-unknowns like Jeremy Renner , Rose Byrne and Idris Elba (Boyle did not direct, however served as government producer).

The franchise laid dormant for 18 years till final summer season's "28 Years Later," bringing Boyle again into the director's chair with Murphy serving as an government producer. It was fairly a departure from the primary two movies because it veered extra in direction of artsy than scary.

Which brings us to "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple."

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Whereas it would not harm for viewers to see its three predecessors, it could be fairly useful to not less than see "28 Years Later" because the occasions of "The Bone Temple" happen instantly after and contain a number of the identical characters.

"The Bone Temple" tells two tales that in the end collide within the third act. The primary follows the adolescent Spike (Alfie Williams), who left his secure and remoted island village behind to embark on his personal on the mainland — that's till he meets Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell), a satanist cult leader who gives him safety in alternate for loyalty. The movie opens with Spike's initiation to change into one in every of his "Seven Fingers," his followers who don blonde wigs and tracksuits and likewise tackle the title Jimmy.

The check: kill one other Jimmy, one thing the good-hearted Spike strongly hesitates to do.

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The second follows mild-mannered Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), who we additionally meet within the earlier installment. Previous to the outbreak, he was a health care provider in regular society. Now, he is secluded from human interplay and has taken on a pastime of constructing a fortress fully constructed on skeletal stays (therefore the title). When he is not listening to Duran Duran or Iron Maiden on his document participant in an underground bunker, he is making an attempt to develop a remedy for the virus.

His check topic is kind of sudden: a Hulk-like zombie dubbed within the earlier installment as an "alpha" (performed by 6'9 Chi Lewis-Parry), who Ian fondly begins calling Samson. One would assume that Ian is loopy to embrace an alpha zombie for his experiment, particularly since Samson can rip a head from a physique like extra simply than I can open a glass jar (that is as a result of Ian is kinda loopy. However lo and behold, he begins to make progress with the monstrous determine.

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"The Bone Temple" seems like watching two totally different motion pictures. The primary resembles 2008's "The Strangers" as we observe the pack of Jimmys torment and brutally torture a gaggle of harmless non-zombies at their farm with Spike feeling like a hostage himself. The second resembles "Younger Frankenstein" as Ian and Samson type a buddy comedy dynamic because the alpha zombie slowly remembers what being human is like. And just like the late greats Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle, the 2 of them make nice dance companions!

Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry) in Columbia Photos' "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple."

Maybe essentially the most shocking factor about "The Bone Temple" is the shortage of horror regardless of it being a horror film , which "28 Years Later" additionally skilled. Whereas there's a couple of leap scares and loads of gore, we because the viewers do not essentially really feel frightened all through the movie like many people did in "28 Days" and "28 Weeks Later." That is to not say that "The Bone Temple" is a bore — removed from it.

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Fiennes, who has a delayed introduction within the final movie, will get loads of display time right here enjoying the pleasant, kooky physician, providing levity to "The Bone Temple." O'Connell provides a vigorous efficiency because the twisted religiously-tinged homicidal maniac whose confidence and darkish humorousness entrances his impressionable younger followers. Williams provides a sympathetic efficiency, though he shines rather more within the prior movie as Spike goes by way of a coming-of-age arc. Erin Kellyman additionally deserves a shout as one in every of Jimmy's "Jimmys," enjoying thoughts video games with Spike (and the viewers) as as to whether she ought to be trusted.

Nia DaCosta takes over for Boyle within the director's chair. The up-and-coming filmmaker has dabbled in horror earlier than along with her commendable "Candyman" remake, however the course right here seems like a blander model of Boyle's imaginative and prescient within the earlier movie. Alex Garland, who wrote "28 Days" and "28 Years Later," returned to pen "The Bone Temple" screenplay.

Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) in Columbia Photos' "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple."

The Verdict: Whereas seven months could seem too quickly to launch a sequel, "The Bone Temple" is ready to differentiate itself from its direct predecessor sufficient to justify the fast turnaround. Faithfuls of the "28" franchise will welcome the fourth chapter, nevertheless it is perhaps tough for this movie to cater to anybody else. Nonetheless, "The Bone Temple" is an fascinating chapter on this zombieverse.

★★★ — STREAM IT LATER "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" is rated R for robust bloody violence, gore, graphic nudity, language all through, and transient drug use. Working time: 1 hour, 50 minutes. In theaters now.

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Joseph A. Wulfsohn is a media reporter for Fox Information Digital. Story ideas may be despatched to joseph.wulfsohn@fox.com and on Twitter: @JosephWulfsohn.