Jack O’Connell introduced himself to audiences as Sir Jimmy Crystal, a strange and unpredictable villain, in 28 Years Later.
We first meet Jimmy as a boy, narrowly escaping a home in the Scottish Highlands when the Rage virus begins to spread. He runs to a church, but tragically witnesses his father’s death as infected people attack, with the minister bizarrely seeing it as a divine judgment. The story jumps forward in time, and we don’t see Jimmy again until the end of the film, when another boy, Spike, encounters an older Jimmy leading a group of children who seem to follow him like a cult.
Just before the new movie comes out, Dominic O’Connell talked to MovieWeb about his character and whether he truly has a special, almost spiritual ability. Or, is this ability just a creation of the character’s imagination, brought on by the trauma of growing up in a dangerous, ruined world?
He really twists the original material to suit his own purposes. In the film, he genuinely believes he has a direct connection to something divine, and it’s presented in a way that makes it hard to argue with.
I believe he’s completely convinced of something, and it sounds like he may be experiencing auditory hallucinations. He seems to lack empathy and might be mentally unstable, but he’s definitely using the situation to benefit himself in a twisted way.
Watch the trailer for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple below.
’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ Director Explains ‘Hopeful’ Message
While 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple doesn’t hold back on scary and unsettling post-apocalyptic imagery, director Nia DaCosta recently told Deadline‘s Crew Call podcast that she sees a surprising amount of hope in the film. She believes the sequel thoughtfully explores big questions about life and what it all means.
She explained that while many zombie stories feel bleak and critical of humanity, she saw this film as genuinely optimistic.
The story contains some difficult and violent moments, but I was really drawn to the hopeful message at its core. The character Kelson, played by Ralph Fiennes, believes in the power of human connection and finding beauty in supporting each other, and that really resonated with me. It felt different and stood out as a positive theme within the darkness.
She highlighted the contrast between Kelson, played by Ralph Fiennes, who has discovered inner peace and a connection to nature, and the turbulent world of Sir Jimmy’s criminal group.
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She described Kelson as someone who lives a quiet, peaceful life connected to nature. This is contrasted with the arrival of ‘the Jimmies,’ who are chaotic and violent. She envisioned depicting these two contrasting worlds with different filming styles – calm and measured for Kelson, and fast-paced and jarring for the Jimmies – ultimately creating a dramatic clash when they meet. She felt this contrast would be visually exciting, like ‘fireworks.’
Catch 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple in theaters on Jan. 28.
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2026-01-15 23:50