Filmmaker Nia DaCosta is scoring a lot of critical and audience praise for her work on “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,” a welcome sight following the hiccup of “The Marvels” on an otherwise strong resume that included the “Candyman” reboot, “Little Woods” and “Hedda”.
‘Bone Temple’ had to walk a tricky line of continuing on from the groundwork that Danny Boyle laid in the first of the new trilogy, and Boyle is expected to return for the third and final outing.
MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD FOR “THE BONE TEMPLE”
Not only does the film provide an ending for multiple characters – including Dr. Ian Kelson (Dr. Ian Kelson) and Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) – but now shifts the focus to five people for the final film.
Alfie Williams’ Spike, Erin Kellyman’s Jimmy Ink/Kelli, Chi Lewis-Parry’s Samson, and the return of Cillian Murphy as Jim along with his daughter Sam (Maiya Eastmond) appear to be that key line-up for the next film.
The other big element was that Kelson has found something of a cure for the Infected – a combination of opiate and anti-psychotic medication which returned the Alpha Samson’s psychosis to a more human-like state allowing him to communicate, recall memories and think.
Speaking with THR shortly after the premiere in a spoiler-laced conversation only now being released, DaCosta says that while Dr. Kelson hasn’t found a full cure, Samson is no longer the same being he was at the start:
“I was talking to Alex [Garland, writer] about it last night. I think I’m good to say that [Samson is] not fully cured, and the level that he is healed is permanent. He’s not what he was [at the start of the movie], but is he one of us? I don’t know. But he’s not what he was.”
The film’s coda sees Cillian Murphy’s Jim reintroduced and DaCosta says:
“[Jim] is definitely a father to a girl named Sam, and all those other questions will be answered in the next film. I know things. I literally cornered Alex last night at the premiere. I was like, ‘So what’s going on?’ But I’m really excited about it. That’s all I can say.”
Last month it was reported Sony was moving forward with a potential third installment, even as this film opened below expectations last weekend. It’s hoped the good reviews and reception from audiences will be able to keep it in cinemas.
