Greetings everyone and welcome to a brand new movie review! For this one, I am going to take a look at the follow up to one of my personal favorites films of last year, 28 Years Later. Serving as the third installment in the 28 *Blank* Later franchise, I found it to be an incredibly intense, but also shockingly emotional Zombie thriller that ended up sticking with me ever since I saw it. Knowing that a second part was already in the can and set for release very soon, I was more than ready to see what was in store, especially given the crazy way in which that film ended. The positive buzz for this one only furthered my excitement and I became so ready to see how this story continued! Was it able to live up to my hype? Let’s jump right in and see what madness the infection provided this time!
Taking place soon after the closing events of the previous film, we see the young boy, Spike, getting indoctrinated into a a gang of fighters led by one Jimmy Crystal, a satanist hellbent on enacting what he sees as just throughout the land. He becomes one of the so called Jimmys, much to his hesitation and has no choice but to bear witness to their chaos. Meanwhile, Dr. Ian Kelson continues to reside in the Bone Temple, as he begins to form something of a connection with the Alpha, Samson. Seeing this as an opportunity, Kelson continues to befriend Samson in the hopes of restoring his humanity, potentially unearthing a cure. As things keep progressing though, these two storylines will eventually connect and put our characters to the test in ways that could determine their fates.
While Nia DaCosta steps into the director’s chair this time, filling in for Danny Boyle, Alex Garland is still playing his part as writer and I think the two are able to work in tandem excellently, with DaCosta showcasing the vision at play with the perfect amount of style and intensity. This works very well at following up the events of the last film, plunging Spike’s character into the dark side of humanity which comes in the form of the Jimmys. Garland pulls no punches in showing the evil that people can be capable and how the worst of times can be a way for those to amplify that darkness and embrace pure cruelty as a way of handling with the unknown. There’s something scary about Jimmy being this person that the younger kids here look up to, with no other parental figures in their life and it makes for a messed up dynamic that speaks to the danger overzealousness and manipulation can cause. Contrast that with the more hopeful and comparatively light hearted (by comparison) storyline of Kelson trying to cure Samson which is an absolute joy to watch. The film turns into this odd friendship story that ends up building off what was established about Samson in the previous film and develops that in order to present new elements that have yet to be explored in this franchise and I really was surprised at the direction it went into.
It also prevents this film from having completely pessimistic (though can understand the mindset) view of the world, as like 28 Years Later, it taps into the importance of maintaining one’s empathy and kindness, even in the worst of times. This is perfectly conveyed with Spike’s journey as he is plunged into some of the worst things a kid could ever experience, even confronting others who have gone through struggles and have succumbed to their demons, but even through that he attempts not to lose sight of what people like his mother and Dr. Kelson have instilled in him. The two storylines end up colliding in a way I found unexpected, but absolutely worked for me as we get some truly unforgettable sequences that show DaCosta wanting to put her own stamp on the franchise and it is just glorious. Let’s just say if for some reason Universal got the rights to this franchise, they have some good inspiration for Halloween Horror Nights rock show here.
As far as DaCosta’s direction goes, she opts for a less flashy approach than Boyle, but it nonetheless works for the darker vibe of this picture and I think those who weren’t fond of the film’s presentation, will likely enjoy this a lot more. Shaky cam is not relied upon as much here as shots are positioned with a lot more stillness and everything just flows smoother, but the visual panache is still present, though in a different way. There’s less vast peaceful landscapes enveloped in an apocalyptic hell, as we instead are subject to a smaller scale that is meant to get into the down and dirtiness of this world. DaCosta and cinematographer, Sean Bobbit, go for a darker look in regards to the visuals to fit the tone, but are still able to present some truly stunning imagery of this landscape and present some striking stuff, with The Bone Temple itself just being an eye catching creation that is put to different kinds of uses throughout the picture, whether to invoke peace or menace, sometimes even both. Some also really cool ways of getting into the minds of the Infected with some solid distortion effects that are used when we are close up in order to feel what Samson is feeling and understand what he is going through. When it comes to the violence, the picture is arguably even more gruesome than its predecessor, with some horrific imagery of torture that is not for the faint of heart, but it does an effective job in revealing the dark side of humanity and how what they are capable is worse than the Infected, as they have a choice in their actions. I also highly enjoyed where the finale took things with there being some great use of fire and the camera being moved around in inventive ways that help enhance the context of what is going on and essentially sell our characters that they are in a literal living hell. Plus, DaCosta knows when to cut away and what to show in order to get her intended effect across without going so far as to just feel like she is going for pure shock value.
Performance wise, the case is just as spectacular as last time with pretty much everyone being a returning player from last time, but certain ones are given a great deal more to do. The most prominent role would have to go to Ralph Fiennes’s Dr. Kelson, a stand out of 28 Years Later, who is promoted to one of the leads of this movie alongside Spike. With even more to do Fiennes gives a spectacular turn, doing excelling at the difficult role of showing Kelson’s eccentricities, while also portraying the character’s wisdom and empathy beautifully. I truly love how the expectation of what his character was assumed to be (crazy madman who serves as a threat) was subverted in such a wonderful way, where he becomes the most sane and kindest individual in the entire Apocalypse. Fiennes is also given a lot to stretch as far as his acting abilities go as he absolutely lets lose in a way that I really never expected from him and I applaud him so much for committing to some of the crazy stuff he does going from being a laidback stoner in one scene to a rock God to the next (I am not joking in the slightest). It is also fascinating seeing how he interacts with Samson (Chi Lewis-Perry) and the process he has in order to potentially find a cure as it is handled in an odd, but highly entertaining way. Lewis-Perry is also given a great deal more to do than snarl and act like an Infected (which he is very good at) as we see Samson’s evolution and hints at humanity underneath the surface that makes the way his arc unfold engrossing and unpredictable as I wasn’t sure how far they would go with him.
As far as other characters go, Alfie Williams shows himself to be an immensely talented young star with his turn as Spike as he excels at portraying a sense of innocence that is key to making one root for his character to get out of the horrific circumstances he has found himself in. He has found himself to be in the position of growing up young, but Garland is able to develop him properly as he tries to maintain his sense of morality in deeply immoral situations and it makes for a compelling conflict for him as a character. His dynamic with a young follower of Jimmy named Jimmy Ink adds to that thread as she begins to learn a thing or too from Spike’s way of seeing things, while questioning her faith in the man she calls her leader. Shout out to Erin Kellyman, who brings a quiet ferocity to this character that makes her stand out from the other Jimmys as she is the one of the group who seems to be there by lack of options more than anything else. When it comes to the main Jimmy himself, I knew we were in for something insane once he was revealed at the end of the last film and my expectations were indeed met. He makes for a truly menacing threat as he pushes his sadistic beliefs onto others and is able to use his charm and the desperation of the kids’s survival to get them to follow his biddings in a way that is genuinely unnerving to watch. Jack O’Connell kills it, showcasing some nasty charisma as goes about making and (and sometimes) acting upon horrendous threats in a way that can be darkly humorous (the movie does have a twisted sense of comedy) but also terrifying at the same time. However, I most appreciate his ability to showcase Jimmy’s faults as a leader, where he ends up deep down being a scared child who knows his lies aren’t true, but pushes them anyway to get what he wants. Garland also successfully presents some humanity to him, with a conversation between him and Kelson proving to be among the best scenes in the film as it is a rare glimpse of him actually reflecting upon who he is and his beliefs honestly.
Overall, I found 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple to be a phenomenal follow up that continues the story set up by 28 Years Later masterfully. It dives into deep themes so compellingly, is a darker follow up that still manages to have some hope to it, DaCosta’s style is striking and visually interesting, it is an incredibly shot film, the tone works incredibly well, the characters are well written, and all the performances knock it out of the park, especially in the case of Ralph Fiennes. If you loved the last film, then this is likely going to please you, but even if you weren’t huge on it, I can see there being more to appreciate here as it is a more “conventional” movie in a lot of regards than 28 Years Later, but that is not a criticism whatsoever. Do I have a slight preference to that film? Maybe, but I’ll have to think about more and that hardly matters when these are such incredible movies. The film ends on a note that absolutely sets up a third film (though the movies still works well as a stand alone just in case that doesn’t come to pass) and I am definitely curious as to where things can go from here with what is teased. Please, Sony, you have the money, you can afford to make one more for the sake of art.
Rating: A+
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