POPCORN REVIEWSS

I have always admired the writing of Alex Garland, simply because of the room that he provides his viewers to interpret his writing. Here, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple can be viewed from multiple angles – one being that of the parallels that can be drawn with the Covid-19 pandemic, and the kind of destruction that the world of witness to. Humanity did die a silent death even as medical infrastructure collapsed, and people were left gasping for air before dying, whilst some people enjoyed the privilege of stacking up inventory without being empathetic of the reserves of others. Likewise, the setting of the drama here will make you question the antics of Jimmy, even as you witness him going on a killing spree with his group. Ironically, the most intimidating Apex Predator called Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry) is undergoing ‘experimental treatment’ at the hands of Dr Ian.

The other way to interpret the drama is through the young eyes of Spike who had previously witnessed the death of his mother, whilst being separated from his father and his community. The horrors that unfold before him is so much more than the annual killing spree that he was introduced by his father. You see the softness within him, almost being stuttering with fear during his ‘first’ kill in the film, while also repenting the fate of a family who would soon be skinned by the Jimmies (whom Sir Lord Jimmy refers to as his ‘fingers’). It is an interesting paradox in play on how Spike did not hesitate in killing Alpha zombies previously, but severely hesitates in repeating his actions with humans.

It is also interesting to note on how Jimmy and Spike have similar starts to their childhood – both are witness to deaths early on in their lives. Yet, the perception of death remains drastically different for each of them. In a scene, you see Jimmy recounting on how Teletubbies formed an integral part of his childhood, even while witnessing his father being attacked by the zombies. The effect of the incident is similar to a fever dream for him, wherein he has gotten himself to believe that his father is a Satan, and that God is dead. Donning an inverted cross, you witness his wicked and absolute power in drawing the pleasures of killing innocent people, other than zombies. Perhaps had Spike met Jimmy before Dr Ian, his worldly outlook would have been different.

The overlapping parallels between Dr Ian and Jimmy cannot be overlooked either. Both recognize death to be the ultimate goal – but both pave very different paths to it. While the antics of Jimmy remains inhumane, Dr Ian perceives death to be the final goal, even as you see him uttering the words ‘Memento Mori’ (but ironically, his orange skin makes him resemble the devil). It is a reminder on how everything would lead to ‘death’ one day, something that he chooses to celebrate via The Bone Temple – a monument created from the skulls of the dead, to commemorate the dead. Even when he chooses to ‘treat’ Samson, it is out of a genuine sense of care and empathetic, even as you witness him reminisce times when law and order formed the basis of humanity before the virus outbreak. And you can sense his thinking being stemming from the fact that he is a self confessed atheist, not bound by religion (unlike Jimmy whose father was a priest), and hence always thinking rationally without being shackled in anyway by regressive thoughts, and using Science for progress.

The few moments of respite is introduced through Jimmy Ink (Erin Kellyman), who shows bouts of empathy towards Spike – shielding him from her group, or covering up for him. The subtext in play remains on how children are often pushed into the world of ‘killing’, a significant subplot in Weapons (2025) too. In fact, Ink can be termed as a middle-ground between Dr Ian and Jimmy – not quite fully committed to be an atheist, but also not quite comforming to the orders of Jimmy.

There is that one sequence in the final 40 minutes that would be a significant talking point of the film. It is trippy and energized while blurring the boundaries between heaven and hell, almost representing the day of the wrath when judgment would be served. It is a passage where religion and science blend in a pivotal representation of ‘the circle of life’ that is symbolized by a ring of fire with death at its center (read: the bone temple). The concepts of crucification are key points in what is a perfect representation of sacrifice and justice, making it one of the impeccable highlights of the film. And with an outro that clearly offers a glimmer of hope with an unexpected cameo, and a way to tie up with elements of the first film of the franchise – the screenplay here remains dark, nihilistic and supremely immersive in a ‘transition’ drama that knocks it out of the park. And it made me resonate with the famous lines of the American-Spanish philosopher George Santayana (used in the film) – ‘Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it’.