The Mosley Review: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

There is a rarity that happens in film franchises that has become VERY rare recently. This rare occurrence I speak of is when the sequel in a soon to be or planned out trilogy is better than original. The Empire Strikes Back, Godfather Part 2, The Dark Knight, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes are great examples of this and its about time that it has happened once again. The 28 Days, now Years, franchise has consistently been a staple in the survival horror genre for delivering not only intense and violent moments of terror, but great commentary on the different types of survivors there could be. The unrelenting and unforgiving brutal tone of the series continues in this new entry in the 28 Years trilogy and I have to say that this story was leagues better than the first chapter. In this second chapter, we get the best of both worlds. We get a continuation of the dark and violent coming of age story of one character and the more tranquil and sympathetic life of another. The tone of religion vs science is present, but the theme of surviving a traumatic event and how that could shape you that was introduced in the first film, is fully explored in a brilliant and fun way. The pacing of this chapter was excellent and I loved the many moments of calm that led to many revelations and more possibilities. All of the above is led by a stellar cast that deliver in evolving their characters in very little time.

Alfie Williams returns as the young teenager, Spike. Picking up merely minutes after the first film, the character is truly thrust into a new type of nightmare and I felt bad for the kid. In real time, you see him experience true brutality and evil from the group that pretty much kidnapped and forced him to join. He is truly terrified and almost too kind hearted for the world, but that is remarkably his saving grace. Alfie is doing a wonderful job as Spike and I hope to finally see him become more hardened in the next film. Jack O'Connell was truly sinister as the unpredictable and evil, Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal. He has such a twisted sense of humor when it comes to violence and an unbelievable amount of charm to his presence. I love that we get to explore his mentality and belief structure in a very vulnerable scene in the last half of the film. Jack delivers an outstanding performance that highlights his ability to keep you glued to even the most horrific acts the character decides for his followers or "Fingers". Erin Kellyman nearly steals the film as Jimmy Crystal's most prominent and lethal Fingers, Jimmy Ink. I loved the depth of the characters’ morality. Of course she is corrupted, but there is some shred of humanity left in her. It is brought out by her friendship with Spike and their chemistry was fascinating to discover. It felt like an older sister protecting a younger brother type of relationship being built. Ralph Fiennes continued being the most charismatic and soothing character of the franchise as Dr Ian Kelson. I was hoping that we get to explore his life in isolation and how he keeps his mental fortitude so strong. We got that here and so much more. I loved that even with civilization being pretty much wiped out, he still continues to honor the code of ethics that every doctor swore to uphold. There is an amazing scene between him and Jimmy Crystal that is the truly my favorite scene so far of this trilogy. Another interesting performance that was great to witness comes from Chi Lewis-Parry as the monstrous infected alpha, "Samson". I don't want to give anything away, but from what you see in the trailer, there is more to discover about the virus and his "fascination" with Kelson.

The score by the wonderful Hildur Guðnadóttir was striking, thrilling and emotional as she adds that special layer of unpredictability in a vast landscape of tension and intrigue. Visually, this film continues that same level of stunning quality the franchise is known for, but this time it was shot more traditionally. I loved the experimentation of the first film as it was through the eyes of Spike, but this one felt more pristine as it was more through the eyes of Dr. Kelson. Like I said before, this film was structured better as a story than its predecessor and by the end, it set ups what I hope is something equally satisfying and unique. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!