There’s more to fear in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. It continues the story started by the previous film of the series. Set in Britain, quarantined from the rest of the world, sparse pockets of survivors make up a society that has little hope of a return to pre-rage order, and a lot of monsters. The Bone Temple offers a commentary on contemporary societal flaws. It suggests that our vices are forgettable, while our connections to the people we care for are precious. And this film examines who is left in a ravaged world. The Bone Temple has a strong cast of vibrant characters. Dr. Ian Kelson (played by Ralph Fiennes), finds purpose, grotesque beauty in his isolation, building and maintaining his monument to humanity.
Chi Lewis-Parry is particularly good as Alpha Samson. Even though his story is scarcely told with words, Lewis-Parry delivers depth, emotion and even a bit of humor as an evolved infected. Jimmy Crystal (played by Jack O’Connell) is more of a monster (modeled after pedophile Jimmy Saville). He tortures the kids he surrounds himself with, calling them all Jimmy, and forcing them to commit barbaric acts. Jimmy Crystal is blood thirsty and sick. As his story unfolds it’s easy to see that he’s scared by what happened to his family; a lost little boy looking for his fathers love. O’Connell is good in the role. Still, the character embodies the common post-apocalypse fiction cult leader trope. The Bone Temple spends too much time on Jimmy Crystal’s gory evils. Fortunately it’s not entirely in vain. Spike (played by Alfie Williams) is stuck with the Jimmy’s, encountering Dr. Ian Kelson again and learns that the infected are not the only monsters he has to worry about.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is not shy about nudity, about imagining our most drastic behaviors, about blood and gore, or about music. A vinyl record collection keeps Dr. Kelson company. When he’s not tending to his bone temple, Kelson is often engaged deeply in music, Duran Duran for example, immersing the audience into Kelson’s moods. It makes for some of the film’s most memorable and stunning scenes. Even down to its eerie trailers, this movie franchise doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to music use.
There’s beauty in horror and horrors to be found in idyllic landscapes. All come together beautifully in this film that’s less about surviving the frightening, undead infected, and more about surviving our own worst selves. This movie is in theaters January 16th. I rate the film a (3/4) 🍿
