[REC]³ Genesis (2012)

[REC]³ Genesis is a very different movie to the two that preceded it. For one thing, it soon ditches the hand-held filming style. And for another thing, it's a lot funnier. While the first decision seemed to please many fans of the films, the second proved to be highly divisive. Although I don't like the movie as much as the first two, I think that some of the humour is enjoyable enough, and this is a series that has proven to be one of the more interesting takes on the zombie subgenre in recent years. In fact, it's fair to say that it's not even about zombies (but to say any more about that would spoil some surprises, so I'll stop).

Viewers are introduced to Clara (Leticia Dolera) and Koldo (Diego Martin), a young couple about to get married and enjoy a party, surrounded by their loved ones. Many moments from the big day are being filmed by Koldo's cousin, young Adrian (Alex Monner), but the camcorder is thrown aside when the big day is interrupted by a fatal infection that zombiefies all those afflicted by it. Clara and Koldo are separated, but both have faith that they will be able to find one another again. The odds, however, are stacked against them.

Directed by Paco Plaza, who also co-wrote the movie with David Gallart and Luiso Berdejo, [REC]³ Genesis may not be a resounding success, but it's rarely uninteresting. These movies have created a new, enjoyable mythos for horror fans to sink their teeth into, and this instalment, despite the humour, at least keeps the core ideas consistent.

Dolera and Martin are decent enough leads, with the former getting the best moments in the movie, but they're not all that memorable. That would be fine if there was a mix of characters to support them, but there isn't. Monner is a kid who quickly finds himself way out of his depth, while most of the other characters are either too quirky to care about, or they're just not onscreen for that long anyway.

It gets some bonus points for brilliant use of the song "Eloise", some enjoyable chainsaw carnage, and a gag about someone dressed up as a sponge-based character insisting that he's NOT Spongebob (due to copyright issues), yet that's still not enough to raise it up to the level of the two movies that preceded it.

It's an above average film, but only just.

6/10

http://www.amazon.com/Rec-Genesis-Triple-Blu-ray-Horror/dp/B00B29DWXA/ref=sr_1_13?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1406008626&sr=1-13&keywords=rec