Doctor Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) calls an ossuary the environment in which he is hiding. Around him, next to bare tree trunks, are trees made of bones. A tapering tower of hundreds of skulls forms the centerpiece of the awe-inspiring ossuary. In his bomb shelter there are (medical) books and records, reminders of a bygone past. He likes to sing and dance along to the music of Duran Duran, which creates funny scenes.
In the sequel to the movie released in theaters last summer 28 Years Later – itself a sequel to a cult classic 28 Days Later (2002) – Kelson encounters a dangerous zombie that he neutralizes with darts soaked in narcotics. He calls the zombie Samson because of his long hair. Samson returns the next day, he appears to be looking for the much-needed anesthesia, a need that Kelson’s morphine meets. Being a zombie all day isn’t a cure-all. In a beautiful scene, the blissfully drugged Samson stares at the starry sky, where a full moon shines.
In 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple the story of Kelson and Samson alternates with the brutal adventures of young Spike, who went on a zombie hunt as a ‘rite of passage’ in the first part. Spike has ended up in a religious sect, whose leader Jimmy Crystal, who calls himself Sir, is not up to much good. In Alex Garland’s screenplay, both storylines ultimately come together cleverly: Kelson’s science and civilization versus the mendacious leadership and senseless violence of the evil false prophet Crystal. The parallels with the present, such as fascism and populism, are mentioned a little too explicitly by filmmaker Nia DaCosta in the climax through a well-known character who will return in part three.
We see little else of the zombies infected with a rage virus, so this part cannot really be qualified as a zombie film. And compared to the previous film, which was quite experimental and elusive The Bone Templeapart from a few putting jokes into perspective, quite traditional. It is therefore not directed by Danny Boyle, but by Nia DaCosta (Candyman2021). Boyle will return to direct the closing part. An intermediate part in a trilogy is always difficult, the maker builds on the previous film but cannot yet conclude with a real climax. That plays The Bone Temple a bit of a problem, although one of the closing sequences is a memorable highlight. The song ‘The Number of the Beast’ by heavy metal band Iron Maiden plays a glorious role in this – we even hear the ominous song about Satan and the end of times almost in its entirety. This is followed by an amusing dessert that already anticipates part three of 28 Years Later.
The journalistic principles of NRC