![[REC] 3: Genesis](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/sash/4FyxwxECzL-U1J8.png)
There were two ways that a third instalment of the Rec series could have gone. They could have the Paranormal Activity route and expanded the histories of the characters from the previous film or they could introduce a bunch of new characters and throw them into a similar scenario.
Rec 3 goes the latter route and tags on a fairly meaningless appendage – this doesn't tell the story of the genesis of the lovable demonic rage zombies explained in the second film at all. In fact, whilst it doesn't ignore the expanded mythology from Rec 2, it does play fast and loose with some of the ideas.
This doesn't make it a weak film and it is never less than entertaining. Its just very different from the previous instalments and the expansion of scope reduces a lot of the claustrophobic tension that the first two films so eloquently expressed.
Spoilers follow:
We start familiarly, wedding videos shot by an amateur relative of the groom and footage shot by the professional employed to cover the video, so professional he uses a steadicam rig, alluding to the way the film is going – "cinema quality".
There is some fairly skillful character establishment of the bride and groom and their respective wedding parties and a hint that the demon rage transmission can happen through animals too.
Once chaos erupts and the familiar attacks begin, we get a title screen and the film moves from the first person video footage we've become accustomed to and tells its tale in a more traditionally cinematic way.
The crux of the plot has our gallant groom and blood spattered bride attempt to survive to reunite.
Although, it propels itself along nicely it is more a series of nice sequences strung together than a coherent film in its own right. Some of these sequences are excellently staged – a priest holding a posse of demons back by reciting passages from the bible is terrific as is a CCTV view of a demon attack on survivors hiding in a coach. Some sequences utilising a real view of the demons by reflection or by flashing lights verge on the Spielbergian (which is quite a heady compliment if you think about it). However, many of the other sequences are fairly perfunctory, traditional jumps and gore.
Attempts at humour are mostly misplaced, although there is one very funny Spongebob Squarepants moment.
Overall, the film barrels along at a fair old pace and doesn't trip over itself to give us a happy ending that would be out of place with the overall tone of the series
What's disappointing is that the plot almost completely ignores the characters and events from Rec and Rec 2, there are no mentions of the Medeiros girl or Angela Vidal at all. Its biggest failing is probably that it doesn't even give us a context – i.e. are these things happening at roughly the same time as events in the Barcelona tower block or later or earlier?
This final failing overall gives the film the feeling of an aside in the (presumably) broader storyline. It's a lot worthier than Twilight Of The Dead as an entry in an ongoing series, for example, but that isn't really saying a lot.
Rec 3 goes the latter route and tags on a fairly meaningless appendage – this doesn't tell the story of the genesis of the lovable demonic rage zombies explained in the second film at all. In fact, whilst it doesn't ignore the expanded mythology from Rec 2, it does play fast and loose with some of the ideas.
This doesn't make it a weak film and it is never less than entertaining. Its just very different from the previous instalments and the expansion of scope reduces a lot of the claustrophobic tension that the first two films so eloquently expressed.
Spoilers follow:
We start familiarly, wedding videos shot by an amateur relative of the groom and footage shot by the professional employed to cover the video, so professional he uses a steadicam rig, alluding to the way the film is going – "cinema quality".
There is some fairly skillful character establishment of the bride and groom and their respective wedding parties and a hint that the demon rage transmission can happen through animals too.
Once chaos erupts and the familiar attacks begin, we get a title screen and the film moves from the first person video footage we've become accustomed to and tells its tale in a more traditionally cinematic way.
The crux of the plot has our gallant groom and blood spattered bride attempt to survive to reunite.
Although, it propels itself along nicely it is more a series of nice sequences strung together than a coherent film in its own right. Some of these sequences are excellently staged – a priest holding a posse of demons back by reciting passages from the bible is terrific as is a CCTV view of a demon attack on survivors hiding in a coach. Some sequences utilising a real view of the demons by reflection or by flashing lights verge on the Spielbergian (which is quite a heady compliment if you think about it). However, many of the other sequences are fairly perfunctory, traditional jumps and gore.
Attempts at humour are mostly misplaced, although there is one very funny Spongebob Squarepants moment.
Overall, the film barrels along at a fair old pace and doesn't trip over itself to give us a happy ending that would be out of place with the overall tone of the series
What's disappointing is that the plot almost completely ignores the characters and events from Rec and Rec 2, there are no mentions of the Medeiros girl or Angela Vidal at all. Its biggest failing is probably that it doesn't even give us a context – i.e. are these things happening at roughly the same time as events in the Barcelona tower block or later or earlier?
This final failing overall gives the film the feeling of an aside in the (presumably) broader storyline. It's a lot worthier than Twilight Of The Dead as an entry in an ongoing series, for example, but that isn't really saying a lot.