While Danny Boyle and Alex Garland had every intention of expanding the 28 Days Later franchise with 28 Years Later, the potential of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple was somewhat less clear. Would it continue the major franchise beats? Serve as a detour for a handful of beloved characters? Much to the surprise of both Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle, the answer was even better: showcase Nia DaCosta's skill as a filmmaker and give us a 28 Days Later sequel that rivals the original in terms of its impact.
When we left our intrepid hero Spike (Alfie Williams), he was being rescued from a wave of the infected by the Jimmies, an adolescent group of killers led by the charismatic and heartless Jimmy (Jack O'Connell). Now Spike is reluctantly initiated in their group, roaming the countryside and causing pain among the survivors. Meanwhile, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), fresh off the heels of boiling Jimmy’s mom, has made a new friend: Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry), the infected Alpha who has begun to show the smallest signs of conscious thought. And soon Jimmy, Spike, and Kelson will find their roads - literal and metaphorical - converging in the temple of bone.
In this short excerpt from the episode, Matt Donato explains why DaCosta's approach keeps the various parts of The Bone Temple from ever feeling like an inconsistent whole:
I think DaCosta never loses a through line the entire movie. If we're with the Jimmies, it's gross and violent - these are bastards, and she keeps that gangland culture going. But we also get the Samson and Kelson stuff, and it is a bro comedy at times.
The 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple episode of the Certified Forgotten podcast is now available to stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, or the podcast platform of your choice.
