PR in the Philippines

(SeaPRwire) –   It is far too early in the year, with March just ending, to declare anything the best of the year. However, a particular scene featuring Ralph Fiennes in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is so thrilling, enjoyable, and utterly audacious that it compels us to make an exception.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple premiered in cinemas on January 16, and its early release date means it arrives on Netflix by the end of March. The film is a direct follow-up to 2025’s 28 Years Later—which is also available on Netflix—and it concludes the storylines for characters introduced in the first installment.

The story continues with young Spike (Alfie Williams) suffering through a terrifying ritual as he is forcibly initiated into The Jimmies, a sadistic post-apocalyptic murder cult/gang that appeared at the conclusion of 28 Years Later.

For those unaware (primarily American audiences—this is a distinctly British element in a very British film), The Jimmies are modeled on Jimmy Savile, the disgraced comedian and TV host who was posthumously revealed to be a monstrous sexual predator in 2011. In the 28 Years Later universe, however, Savile was never exposed because civilization collapsed with the initial outbreak of the Rage Virus in 2002. (The alternate fate of the real Jimmy Savile is not explored, though one might hope he was torn apart by the Infected.)

Nevertheless, The Jimmies have instinctively embraced their most depraved tendencies—especially their leader, Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell), whose history links the cold open of 28 Years Later to the overarching series narrative. The Bone Temple focuses on a brutal torture sequence that director Nia DaCosta—taking over from Danny Boyle and working from a script by Alex Garland—shoots with an artful, detached perspective. This approach does not lessen the scene’s visceral impact, and it leaves no doubt about the group’s villainy.

Fortunately, The Bone Temple also reunites audiences with Dr. Ian Kelson, portrayed memorably by Ralph Fiennes. Although a secondary character in 28 Years Later, Dr. Kelson receives significant screen time in the sequel, revealing details of his daily existence and how he maintains his sanity while constructing a cathedral made entirely of bones. His secret is his vinyl record collection, and the film depicts him dancing alone in his domain to LPs by Duran Duran and Radiohead.

This leads to what is arguably the finest horror movie scene of the year. Since The Bone Temple concludes a story arc from the previous film, a confrontation between Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal and Dr. Ian Kelson is inevitable. Their encounter takes place during a fiery, hallucinogenic vision of Hell that drives The Jimmies into a frenzy.

Sir Lord Jimmy has persuaded his younger followers that their savage acts against other survivors are commanded by Satan, whom they refer to as “Old Nick.” Dr. Kelson, capitalizing on their fear, devises a pyrotechnic spectacle to intimidate these juvenile psychopaths. He douses the grass around the temple’s central pillar, suspends hundreds of candles from bone “trees,” and paints himself red with blackened teeth to appear demonic.

Kelson’s masterstroke, however, comes from his record collection: the title track from Iron Maiden’s The Number of the Beast. Even those who prefer “Run to the Hills” must acknowledge the song’s power, and context is key: while Dr. Kelson and Sir Lord Jimmy remember life before the virus and understand heavy metal, the younger Jimmies have no concept of the genre. (Are there even metal bands after the apocalypse? A question for a potential sequel.)

Viewing the scene with this knowledge enhances its brilliance. But fans of the band, in particular, can relish the Satanic grandeur of Ralph Fiennes baring his teeth and cavorting around the bone temple like a cartoon devil. He is terrifying yet clearly enjoying himself. Director Nia DaCosta described filming the sequence to Rue Morgue as “like a rolling train, or rolling snow down a hill until it was the perfect snowball.” It serves as the centerpiece of a sequel that exceeds expectations and is currently available on Netflix.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is now streaming on Netflix.