The first social media reactions to Nia DaCosta's 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple have been shared online following the horror sequel's press screening on Tuesday night, and based on these initial posts, The Marvels director has definitely delivered.
The Bone Temple has been hailed as one of the best horror movies of the past decade by more than one critic, and it sounds like the gore and brutality have been taken up a few notches. The performances from Stars Ralph Feinnes and Jack O'Connel also come in for high praise.
Not all of the posts are glowing, but none are outright negative.
Danny Boyle's previous film mostly went over pretty well with fans, but did prove to be a more divisive experience for general audiences - particularly the batsh*it crazy, tonally-jarring ending. Though it may seem hard to believe after the mixed response to 28 Years Later, some critics believe that this follow-up may be destined to be even more polarizing.
Cillian Murphy's 28 Days Later protagonist, Jim, has been confirmed to return for what sounds like a cameo to set up a larger role in the final part of the trilogy.
“The thing that connects the two [movies] is that they’re both bonkers, idiosyncratic, and very artistically personal works,” DaCosta told Rolling Stone in a recent interview “My big pitch when I was talking to the producers, including Danny and Alex, before I came on was, ‘I’m going to make this my own. I’m not going to try to make a Danny Boyle movie.’ Because that’s impossible to make. He’s so special. And it didn’t really interest me. It’s so hard to describe the tone of the movie that I actually won’t even attempt to. But it keeps the same unique, off-the-wall, surprising energy.”
The most recent synopsis reads:
"Expanding upon the world created by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland in 28 Years Later but turning that world on its head – Nia DaCosta directs 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. In a continuation of the epic story, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) finds himself in a shocking new relationship – with consequences that could change the world as they know it – and Spike’s (Alfie Williams) encounter with Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) becomes a nightmare he can’t escape. In the world of The Bone Temple, the infected are no longer the greatest threat to survival – the inhumanity of the survivors can be stranger and more terrifying."