[REC]³ Génesis (2012)
Starring: Leticia Dolera, Diego Martin, Javier Botet
Writers: Paco Plaza, Luiso Berdejo
Director: Paco Plaza
Synopsis:
A wedding turns into a fucking bloodbath when some of the guests begin showing signs of infection.
Review:
I don't wanna give much more away as far as the story goes, but WOW. I kinda fear that this film is going to suffer a similar hatred like Elm Street 2 or Friday 5, due to having some elements from its predecessors but ultimately going its own way. That's a shame, because [REC]³ is a fucking bonkers good time. As most of you probably know, the first two [Rec] films were co-written and co-directed by Paco Plaza and Jaume Balagueró. For the 3rd and 4th installment, the two have split up; Plaza took on part 3 while Balagueró is doing the final entry. It's gonna be interesting to see where he takes the finale, and I gotta say that if he doesn't do something as outlandish as what Plaza has done for Génesis, it could be a huge fail on his part. But ya never know, really.
The first two [Rec] movies have some fairly creepy moments and the confined setting enhanced the hell out of that. Plaza throws fear and claustrophobia out the window here and replaces them with over-the-top gore and hilarity... during a wedding reception in a huge mansion, no less. A lot of reviews online have compared it to the likes of Peter Jackson's Dead Alive, but I think it still plays it a bit more serious than that.
The big game changer for the series comes at the twenty minute mark in [REC]³. It was something I had already read about online, but when it actually happened my damn jaw dropped to the floor. It happens at the perfect time, in terms of the film itself (because at this moment you are in severe need of a breather) and for the series as a whole (because you can only keep treading the same territory for so long before people start throwing around that "kicking a dead horse" phrase). And talk about one mind-fuck of a juxtaposition- a daylight setting + colorful pink and blue lighting for a wedding + a mob of infected, blood covered wedding guests = one hell of a brainjizz fiesta for a horror fan.
Acting is all around pretty solid, but the two leads, Letecia Dolera and Diego Martin really own it as lovebirds, Clara and Koldo. While [REC]³ IS a horror gorefest, at the center it's an extremely charming tale of romance and never ending devotion. Paco Plaza doesn't lose sight of that within the story, and neither do Dolera and Martin in their roles. You feel the infatuation that Clara and Koldo have for one another throughout the film, whether they are dancing together or if they are fighting for their lives. It's beautiful, really. Gotta say that Clara is the badass of the couple, though, and it's crazy awesome to watch her hot badassness commence.
I won't go into a breakdown of favorite gore scenes or anything, but goddamn, the SFX in this film are awesome. I'm pretty sure this is the department that sparked the Dead Alive comparisons. While there is a lot of red flying in [REC]³, it never gets to the level of Peter Jackson's film, and to me it's much more realistic. Out of control sometimes, yes, but it all looks pretty freakin' good.
Final Thoughts:
I'm gonna wrap this up here and recommend everyone to check this out. As a fan of the series, you may be pleasantly surprised at how ambitious it is. And if you didn't like the two prior films, you very possibly could enjoy this one. I was really impressed at the change of pace and can't wait to check it out again. But most importantly, I am more excited than words can convey to see how this series is going to conclude. Bring it, Balagueró!
The first two [Rec] movies have some fairly creepy moments and the confined setting enhanced the hell out of that. Plaza throws fear and claustrophobia out the window here and replaces them with over-the-top gore and hilarity... during a wedding reception in a huge mansion, no less. A lot of reviews online have compared it to the likes of Peter Jackson's Dead Alive, but I think it still plays it a bit more serious than that.
The big game changer for the series comes at the twenty minute mark in [REC]³. It was something I had already read about online, but when it actually happened my damn jaw dropped to the floor. It happens at the perfect time, in terms of the film itself (because at this moment you are in severe need of a breather) and for the series as a whole (because you can only keep treading the same territory for so long before people start throwing around that "kicking a dead horse" phrase). And talk about one mind-fuck of a juxtaposition- a daylight setting + colorful pink and blue lighting for a wedding + a mob of infected, blood covered wedding guests = one hell of a brainjizz fiesta for a horror fan.
Acting is all around pretty solid, but the two leads, Letecia Dolera and Diego Martin really own it as lovebirds, Clara and Koldo. While [REC]³ IS a horror gorefest, at the center it's an extremely charming tale of romance and never ending devotion. Paco Plaza doesn't lose sight of that within the story, and neither do Dolera and Martin in their roles. You feel the infatuation that Clara and Koldo have for one another throughout the film, whether they are dancing together or if they are fighting for their lives. It's beautiful, really. Gotta say that Clara is the badass of the couple, though, and it's crazy awesome to watch her hot badassness commence.
I won't go into a breakdown of favorite gore scenes or anything, but goddamn, the SFX in this film are awesome. I'm pretty sure this is the department that sparked the Dead Alive comparisons. While there is a lot of red flying in [REC]³, it never gets to the level of Peter Jackson's film, and to me it's much more realistic. Out of control sometimes, yes, but it all looks pretty freakin' good.
Final Thoughts:
I'm gonna wrap this up here and recommend everyone to check this out. As a fan of the series, you may be pleasantly surprised at how ambitious it is. And if you didn't like the two prior films, you very possibly could enjoy this one. I was really impressed at the change of pace and can't wait to check it out again. But most importantly, I am more excited than words can convey to see how this series is going to conclude. Bring it, Balagueró!
