New 28 Years Later Movie’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Best in Franchise

The early reviews for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple are in, and critics have responded strongly. Ahead of its U.S. release, the new post-apocalyptic horror film has debuted with the highest critical rating in the history of the long-running franchise on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’s reviews are in

Directed by Nia DaCosta and starring Ralph Fiennes, The Bone Temple continues the story of the infected world first introduced in 28 Days Later. The film was shot back-to-back with 28 Years Later and is the fourth installment in the series.

Critics largely praised DaCosta’s direction and the film’s craft. Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post wrote on Rotten Tomatoes, “DaCosta’s got a real knack for fear… She doesn’t conceal much with her gorgeous and unsparing direction as she makes us wince and ‘Oh. My. God’ over and over.” Peter Debruge of Variety added, “For genre aficianados, it’s bold, mind-bending work which satisfies that so-often-frustrated craving for a zombie movie with brains.”

Kevin Maher of The Times (UK) highlighted Fiennes’ performance, writing, “Fiennes’s commitment is so total that it occasionally feels as if The Bone Temple is a riveting and vivacious one-man West End show.” David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter praised the score, sharing, “The standout craft element here is a powerful horror score by Hildur Gudnadottir.”

Not all responses were glowing. Jonathan Sim of ComingSoon.net described the film as “strange, uneasy, and often frustrating,” calling it “deeply tonally confused” despite its ambition.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’s Rotten Tomatoes score tops all past films in franchise

With a 93% Tomatometer score, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple now leads the franchise critically. 28 Years Later (2025) holds an 89% score, 28 Weeks Later sits at 73%, and 28 Days Later remains at 87%. Audience scores on the Popcornmeter are expected once the film completes its wide U.S. release on January 16.

A sequel to The Bone Temple is already in development, so the franchise’s momentum is far from slowing down.

Source: Comingsoon.net