Creepshow III (2006)

Creepshow was a fantastic anthology horror movie. Creepshow 2 was a lesser, though still enjoyable, sequel. Creepshow III isn't quite as bad as I remember, but it's certainly a big step down from the first two movies.

Five stories, that's what we get this time around. Back in line with the original, after the second movie pared things down to three stories plus a fun wraparound tale. The makers of the movie were obviously hoping to make up for the lack of quality with some extra quantity. They may not succeed, but they come close, with only the second and final tale really outstaying their welcome.

First up, we join a young woman named Alice (Stephanie Pettee) who shows just how unpleasant she is before having her life made a lot more troublesome by a new universal TV remote control being used by her father.
The second tale is all about a young man (AJ Bowen) who finds a radio that starts to guide him through his life and push him into making some tough decisions. Things look as if they'll all end well, but only if he follows the advice of the voice speaking to him through the radio.
Third is my favourite. A call girl named Rachael (Camille Lacey) heads off to meet a client (Victor, played by Ryan Carty). But Rachel isn't really the best woman to call when you're feeling lonely and in need of physical contact. She likes to make contact with one of her many knives. Things don't look too good for Victor.
The fourth tale is the funniest of the lot, although all of the stories have some dark humour running through them, as a Professor (Emmet McGuire) invites two former students to his home to meet his new wife (Bo Kresic). The two students know that the Professor has always had a wicked sense of humour, and they start to think that they are having their legs pulled.
Last, and least, is a tale about a horrible doctor (Kris Allen) being haunted by the ghost of a homeless man who ate a bad hot dog. Yes, you read that right. I'll say no more about it.

With bad acting from almost everyone involved, AJ Bowen is the exception, as you'd expect, and no real care taken with the script or direction (both coming from Ana Clavell and James Dudelson), I can understand why fans of the previous Creepshow movies may view this as a bit of a slap in the face. It doesn't feel like a Creepshow movie.

As a standard anthology movie, however, it doesn't do too badly. People wanting to be more critical of the movie have a fair point when they mark it down for not living up to the name that it's cashing in on, but I felt that the good almost outweighed the bad. Almost. The humour running through every story may not always be successful, but it's occasionally enjoyable and at least shows that those making the movie remembered that it was supposed to be fun. The special effects are pretty solid, and there are some nice, gloopy moments here and there that should please gorehounds.

I've kind of painted myself into a corner here, getting a bit too defensive without articulating everything as well as I could/should. I guess, as ever, it's just a reminder that sometimes even a movie that so many others consider awful can do enough to make for a mildly entertaining time-waster.Not one to pay good money for, but if you get the chance to see it for free, or dirt cheap, then you might enjoy a few moments. Or you may just end up hating me for reminding you of its existence.

5/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creepshow-DVD-James-Glenn-Dudelson/dp/B001B182OI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381151387&sr=8-1&keywords=CREEPSHOW+3