Spike’s Stand in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’s Most Disturbing Scene

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple has stormed into cinemas, giving the much-loved franchise a fresh jolt and drawing in crowds across the country. Among all the chaos and carnage, one moment has left punters rattled: the notorious ‘Removal of the Shirt’ sequence, a scene that’s as confronting as it is unforgettable, thanks to its raw violence and the infected undead lurking about.

Spike, stepping into the shoes of the new Jimmy after the events of 28 Years Later, finds himself in a grim spot. He’s faced with a horrific ritual—stripping a victim and flaying them alive, all while their muffled screams echo through the barn. When Spike refuses to go along with the leader’s orders, he’s instantly marked as a dead man walking.

The Jimmies, a twisted group all sharing the same name, have a warped sense of ‘charity’. Their idea of helping out involves torturing people in a barn, a practice they reckon is for the greater good.

The ‘Charity’ Ritual and Its Sinister Roots

After the previous film’s finale, Spike is forced to join the Jimmies by taking out one of their own and slipping into his place. The infamous shirt removal scene is as gruesome as they come, with Spike’s refusal to target a pregnant woman nearly costing him his life. The origins of this so-called ‘charity’ are even more disturbing.

Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal, the group’s leader and self-proclaimed offspring of Old Nick, has a twisted take on charity. He’s a clear nod to the real-life figure Jimmy Savile, whose public persona masked a string of crimes. The film draws a chilling parallel, with Sir Lord Jimmy’s ‘charity’ echoing Savile’s habit of granting children’s wishes, and his flashy jewels mimicking Savile’s eccentric style.

For Sir Lord Jimmy, charity is just a way to justify his father’s death as some sort of satanic act, spreading his warped beliefs through his cult of Jimmies. When Spike lets a victim escape, the story kicks into high gear.

Old Nick, Dr Ian, and the Crew’s Reckoning

Old Nick, rumoured to be Sir Lord Jimmy’s dad, is central to the story. Jimmy Ink (Kelly) spots Old Nick—actually Dr Ian Kelson—and mistakes his bone temple and orange get-up for something demonic.

Despite doubts about Sir Lord Jimmy’s parentage, Jimmy Ink steps in when Spike’s life is on the line. She claims to have seen Old Nick and insists he should have a say in Spike’s fate. This move flips the script, sending the Jimmies off to confront Dr Ian in a wild, drug-fuelled scene set to an Iron Maiden soundtrack.

It’s all a ruse, though. Sir Lord Jimmy realises Dr Ian isn’t his father and cuts a deal with him to trick the rest. Dr Ian goes along, knowing the alternative is a one-way ticket out. It’s a classic quid pro quo.

Film Details and Franchise Connections

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is helmed by Nia DaCosta, with Alex Garland penning the script and Danny Boyle, Alex Garland, and Andrew Macdonald producing. Sony Pictures is behind the distribution, and the film hails from the UK. It’s a post-apocalyptic horror and survival thriller, following on from 28 Days Later (2002) and 28 Weeks Later (2007), and is set as the second entry in the new trilogy.

The film’s been well received, scoring 7.8 out of 10 on IMDb and a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s currently screening in cinemas across the US, keeping the spirit of the original alive while pushing the story into bold new territory.