Movie: 28 Years Later now with more Bone Temple (1-16-26)

[VinylGuy]

The first film has a pretty bleak and uncharitable take on humanity. Fienne's character in this is essentially the mirror/opposite of Eccleston's character in the first one.

Eccleston was the military guy right? he was kind of the villain; I loved that message of "militarised human violence is the real enemy", and I liked that 28 Weeks expanded on that theme by bringing the Americans in to save the day

Totally!

I love how Eccelston is presented as a hero (the army will save us!) and reveals himself to be a sort of nihilistic villain.

And then in this one, Fiennes is sold as a dangerous, insane villain that then reveals himself to be a healer, kind and empathic. He's a sort of hero.

He could kill Sampson. But he never does. Even as Sampson tries to kill him. It's a fascinating turn. Fiennes' relationship to his infected vs the way Eccelston treats his. I love that stuff.

yeah, and its such a wild contrast to everyone in the, supposed civilized, village.

[epilogue]

I'm having a hard time unpacking the Power Rangers of it all. Does anyone have thoughts about that? Or has anyone read any articles that dig into that?

I read a few theories

Spoiler: show

Seems the main guy is inspired in Jimmy Savile, a guy who was a dj and some kind of tv figure who was later found out as a child molester. Seems the next movie will be about that as a new form of evil, specially for the main kid

Fascinating. That helps connect it to children's entertainment and makes sense of the inclusion of the Teletubbies and the Power Ranger in the film.

But how interesting that Spike leaves the Power Ranger action figure behind to go on his first mission. He chooses to leave it. And then he's saved by essentially people dressed in multicolored tracksuits, the color of The Power Rangers, and flipping around and doing martial arts just like the characters from the show. It's wild and bold and I'm not totally sure I get what Garland and Boyle are going for there. But it's clearing intentional and super interesting.

[VinylGuy]

I think its going to be a way to lure him into the group, by being super flashy and colored and cool.

[epilogue]

Totally. From a plot perspective I think that makes sense.

Just also wondering what larger theme/idea Garland is communicating with his choices. What's he saying about the world?

The same tricks and trappings that entertainment uses to seduce and perhaps capture children are the same tricks and trappings that actual monsters use? The things that save you also harm you?

Just so many interesting potential concepts to unpack.

[VinylGuy]

yeah, i think this last movie was the contrast between science and empathy vs ignorance and violence and probably the next idea is what you say here, and probably how our society or humans might be as dangerous or as dangerous as the zombies.

Its also interesting to see whats going to happen with the little kid that was born out from a zombie, and how cool was Finnes with it and how he unduerstood why vs the village people with her.

[Ms Harmless]

Spoiler: show

yeah, epilogue, look up Jimmy Saville

famous British children's and family entertainer and philanthropist of the 80s and 90s mainly; there were many many people working for the BBC exposed as pedos and predators (in an investigation called Operation Yewtree), and Saville was one of the worst; Rolf Harris was another

so yes, the Jimmys have some Power Rangers in their fighting style, but their look / hairstyle / clothing (and their name Jimmy) is definitely supposed to be inspired by Jimmy Saville

subtext: in the universe of 28 Later, Saville was obviously never exposed because the infection broke out in 2002; so to our Jimmy gang, Saville is still just an object of British TV nostalgia; it's an amazing bit of dramatic irony really because of course, we as the audience know that Spike is probably in a whole lot of trouble; of what kind? we'll have to wait and see!

[Ms Harmless]

Totally. From a plot perspective I think that makes sense.

Just also wondering what larger theme/idea Garland is communicating with his choices. What's he saying about the world?

The same tricks and trappings that entertainment uses to seduce and perhaps capture children are the same tricks and trappings that actual monsters use? The things that save you also harm you?

Just so many interesting potential concepts to unpack.

in short, I think he's kind of trying to say that the "magic of British innocent nostalgia" we're sold by the media is a lie, propaganda; the movie examines that visually with the war visuals at the start, our nation is obsessed with the "glory" of war

edit: also, maybe you could say that this message is carried through in the presentation of the movie / Holy Island culture and landscape as folk horror; we've gone backwards to base instincts in our future instead of progressing

[epilogue]

Spoiler: show

yeah, epilogue, look up Jimmy Saville

famous British children's and family entertainer and philanthropist of the 80s and 90s mainly; there were many many people working for the BBC exposed as pedos and predators (in an investigation called Operation Yewtree), and Saville was one of the worst; Rolf Harris was another

so yes, the Jimmys have some Power Rangers in their fighting style, but their look / hairstyle / clothing (and their name Jimmy) is definitely supposed to be inspired by Jimmy Saville

subtext: in the universe of 28 Later, Saville was obviously never exposed because the infection broke out in 2002; so to our Jimmy gang, Sammy is still just an object of British TV nostalgia; it's an amazing bit of dramatic irony really because of course, we as the audience know that Spike is probably in a whole lot of trouble; of what kind? we'll have to wait and see!

Brilliant! This is great context. Thank you for this. Definitely have some research to look forward to.

[Ms Harmless]

"your past won't save you"

[epilogue]

Totally. From a plot perspective I think that makes sense.

Just also wondering what larger theme/idea Garland is communicating with his choices. What's he saying about the world?

The same tricks and trappings that entertainment uses to seduce and perhaps capture children are the same tricks and trappings that actual monsters use? The things that save you also harm you?

Just so many interesting potential concepts to unpack.

in short, I think he's kind of trying to say that the "magic of British innocent nostalgia" we're sold by the media is a lie, propaganda; the movie examines that visually with the war visuals at the start, our nation is obsessed with the "glory" of war

edit: also, maybe you could say that this message is carried through in the presentation of the movie / Holy Island culture and landscape as folk horror; we've gone backwards to base instincts in our future instead of progressing

Also, the inclusion of the Kipling poem. Yeah, that totally makes sense. I love that.

[epilogue]

"your past won't save you"

BOOM.

That feels like the exact thesis.

[Ms Harmless]

[Ms Harmless]

Totally. From a plot perspective I think that makes sense.

Just also wondering what larger theme/idea Garland is communicating with his choices. What's he saying about the world?

The same tricks and trappings that entertainment uses to seduce and perhaps capture children are the same tricks and trappings that actual monsters use? The things that save you also harm you?

Just so many interesting potential concepts to unpack.

in short, I think he's kind of trying to say that the "magic of British innocent nostalgia" we're sold by the media is a lie, propaganda; the movie examines that visually with the war visuals at the start, our nation is obsessed with the "glory" of war

edit: also, maybe you could say that this message is carried through in the presentation of the movie / Holy Island culture and landscape as folk horror; we've gone backwards to base instincts in our future instead of progressing

Also, the inclusion of the Kipling poem. Yeah, that totally makes sense. I love that.

oh shit yeah! 100%

[Ms Harmless]

Kipling was kind of a racist dude (original Jungle Book was full of tropes apparently, I haven't read it) but he's one of our big dead white guy poetry "heroes"

also, a lot of "war poetry" is actually about how horrific war is; "Boots" is fucking terrifying, especially in the recording featured, WHAT a reading that is

[Ms Harmless]

boots! boots! boots! boots!
movin' up and down again!
boots! boots! boots! boots!
men go mad from seein' 'em
and there's no discharge in the war

*shudder*

[epilogue]

I gotta tell ya.... I saw the movie at Alamo Drafthouse and (if anyone here doesn't know) they often curate the pre-show entertainment to the specific film you're seeing. Part of the pre-show for this movie was a presentation of images with the entire recording of the poem playing over. And holy shit! I'm not sure I can remember anything so disturbing and upsetting.

[Ms Harmless]

I would have loved to see that

[VMCKen]

Can't wait to see this, as I loved the first two. I've seen middling reviews but also some great ones, so I'm encouraged.

[Ms Harmless]

oh by the way, did everyone who's seen it notice...

Spoiler: show

the name "JIMMY" carved on the torso of the hanging man near the beginning, and also graffitied on the walls of a house later on? nice foreshadowing of the Jimmys that I don't see mentioned much

[epilogue]

oh by the way, did everyone who's seen it notice...

Spoiler: show

the name "JIMMY" carved on the torso of the hanging man near the beginning, and also graffitied on the walls of a house later on? nice foreshadowing of the Jimmys that I don't see mentioned much

I 100% DID notice those things and I was tracking them the whole way. My wife and I had a big talk about those things after watching it.

This movie is smart.

I think it might be smarter than it is successful? I don't know, I need to keep thinking and reading about it. It's a good movie but is it great? Certainly the thought, care and work put into it are great.