[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

Children Of The Corn: Genesis (2011)

To my surprise, Children Of The Corn: Genesis (the eight instalment in the Children Of The Corn franchise - not including the 2009 remake/reinterpretation) managed to defy the odds and not be a complete stinker, like most of the movies to have come before it. It's not a good film, but the fact that it's almost passable for 90 minutes is pretty amazing. Or should that be . . . . . a-maize-ing? Sorry, I'll try never to make that gag again.

Tim Rock and Kellen Coleman play a young couple, Tim and Allie, who end up stuck in the middle of nowhere after their car breaks down. Allie is expecting their first child, so Tim wants to get them safe and comfortable as quickly as possible. When they knock on the door of a stranger (Preacher, played by Billy Drago) they are hoping for kindness, but instead encounter mild hostility and then some disturbing revelations about the man's wife (Barbara Nedeljakova), and child. But it quickly becomes difficult to figure out what's true and what's false. All Tim and Allie know is that they're not getting to go anywhere soon.

Writer-director Joel Soisson has been slogging away for a while now in the world of franchise sequels (his past efforts include movies in the Prophecy series and the follow-ups to the Pulse remake) and this is in line with his previous directorial outings. He manages to make movies that are watchable, even if they're not movies that you'd rush to rewatch.

He's helped here by the cast. Rock and Coleman do well in the lead roles, they may not be star names or overly endowed with talent, but they're far better than anyone given the leading role in the previous few movies in the series. Billy Drago does his usual good work, Nedeljakova is adequate in her role and Duane Whitaker is good to see when he pops up for one or two scenes.

At this point, after enduring so many of them, I'd be hesitant to recommend any of these movies, but if you absolutely have to watch them all, as I did, then "Genesis" is one of the best of a bad bunch.

4/10

http://www.amazon.com/Children-Of-The-Corn-Genesis/dp/B0052XU4BK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381779805&sr=8-1&keywords=children+of+the+corn+genesis