28 Years Later: The Bone Temple picks up right where last year’s film ended. Spike has been waylaid by Jimmy Crystal and his (completely psychopathic) gang, each of whom is also named Jimmy (or Jimmima, as one of girls goes by). The end of the last movie was a bit controversial, as it was a very dark film until Jimmy showed up at the very end with a zany, off-the-wall intro, but it makes sense when put in the overall context with this follow-up. Jimmy and his group are batshit crazy, and it shows right away when Jimmy offers Spike a choice of fighting one of his fellow Jimmy’s to the death, or to be given “charity,” meaning killed as a sacrifice to Old Nick, their deity. Of course Spike chooses to fight, and though outsized and out-muscled, he miraculously survives and kills the bigger fighter by dumb luck. Spike is given a blonde wig to match everyone else, and becomes a new Jimmy.
Meanwhile, we catch up Dr Ian Kelson, the eccentric doctor Spike befriended in the last movie. Ian lives in his bone graveyard and has been experimenting with the Alpha in the area, the leader of those infected with the rage virus. Ian is convinced that it is indeed a virus and that, unlike mythical zombies, the infected can be healed. Because the Alpha is huge with long flowing hair, Ian has grown accustomed to calling him Samson. At first, Ian shot Samson with a blowdart of morphine, in order to pacify Samson before he could reach Ian to kill him. However, when they cross paths again, Samson does not immediately charge Ian, and Ian realizes Samson wants the morphine again. They form an uneasy relationship, with Ian eventually feeling comfortable enough to leave himself vulnerable around Samson even when Samson isn’t high as a kite, and sure enough, Samson still does not kill him. Ian makes it a goal to find the human that is still inside Samson and somehow bring that back to life.
In the countryside, Jimmy and his cult attack a family and skin them alive in the barn, more sacrifices to Old Nick. We learn that Old Nick is Jimmy’s version of Satan, and Jimmy claims himself as Satan’s son on Earth. Spike is revolted, and gets a little sympathy from one of the female Jimmy’s, who seems to only be going along with the group for self survival, and doesn’t agree with everything Jimmy Crystal does. When the group spots Ian from afar one day, covered in red dye (the iodine Ian uses to repel the virus from himself) and converting with demons (Samson), they think that it is Old Nick come to Earth in the flesh. Jimmy Crystal obviously knows it is not, but he must play along to keep his flock, leading to a grotesquely sublime climax in the shadow of the bone temple.
This isn’t a deep movie, and while engrossing (and wonderfully gross!), it lacks a bit of the depth and overall “creepy” feeling of 28 Years Later. It has a different director (Nia DaCosta) but Alex Garland is still handling writing duties, and while I still really enjoyed it, just as much as the previous entry, it is a more of a straight-forward thriller. It does set up a third film, and while Boyle and Garland have said from the beginning that they saw this as a trilogy, another sequel isn’t guaranteed yet. Depends on how this one does in theaters. As much as I’ve liked both entries, I hope it happens. ★★★★
Jons Movie Takes 