28 Years Later: The Bone Temple review – A step up from its predecessor
The Bone Temple is the only film in the current 28 Years Later trilogy to be directed by somebody other than Danny Boyle. He couldn’t be in two places at once, and since The Bone Temple was shot back-to-back with 28 Years Later, he needed some outside help. He called on Nia DaCosta, who easily rises to the occasion and brings us a gorier and more entertaining film.
The Bone Temple picks up just after the previous film left off, with Spike (Alfie Williams) being taken in by Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) after being saved from the infected. But Spike soon realises his saviours aren’t people he wants to hang around with. Jimmy – dressed like British TV personality (and renowned paedo) Jimmy Savile – is the sadistic cult leader of the Jimmys. He recruits children and young adults to be his ‘fingers’ and do his violent bidding. The film largely switches between their sick escapades and Dr Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) striking up an unusual friendship with the infected Alpha, Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry). These storylines come together brilliantly in the gripping final act.
You might expect this to be the dip in the trilogy as the only non-Boyle one, but it’s not at all the case. DaCosta does a fantastic job with Alex Garland‘s script, which has more of a satisfying narrative than the previous film. DaCosta doesn’t try to be Boyle either, giving us a different tone and different visuals without straying too far from the established look and vibe. Considering how violent and visceral the horror is, I didn’t expect it to laugh as much as I did, but DaCosta has impressively made a film that is both horrifying and surprisingly funny (not usually at the same time).
While the previous film focused on human vs infected horror, this is scarier as it’s human vs human horror. As I know well from The Walking Dead, other humans are just as dangerous as the undead in a post-apocalyptic world where resources are scarce. Especially when you have the Jimmys going around skinning, disembowelling and defiling people because the (alleged) voice in Sir Jimmy’s head commands it. There is a lengthy torture sequence that is truly disgusting and uncomfortable and I couldn’t wait for it to be over.
Running alongside this horrifying sequence, we have Dr Kelson’s lighter, amusing story. He was my favourite character from part one so I’m glad he has an expanded role. We get to see what his day-to-day life looks like, including him dancing around to 80s hits like Duran Duran’s Girls on Film. He’s a wacky guy anyway, but his friendship with Samson is both odd and funny. He’s the scene-stealer throughout but just wait until you see his bizarre, barnstorming performance in the climax. It has to be seen to be believed! It’s so great that everybody cheered afterwards.
O’Connell is another standout as the charismatic leader who can be funny one moment and chilling and disturbing the next. He actually seems quite nice and hospitable before he turns menacing, although he rarely gets his own hands dirty. He’s scary, unhinged and brings more light and shade to the character than you might expect. However, I don’t approve of the Jimmy Savile look or the fact that it isn’t even explained or addressed. Williams, the young breakout of the predecessor, doesn’t have much to do here, but he’s the connector of all three parts so he will presumably have more to do in the next one.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is a savage, brutal and gory horror and a significant improvement on the hit-and-miss first chapter. Judging by this, I’d happily let DaCosta direct the last instalment!
In cinemas from Wednesday 14th January