October Horror Movie Challenge - REC 3: Genesis (2012)

Two of my dear friends are getting married today. That's why I saved this review for this particular day. Jared and Chelsie, you two are amazing and I'm sure you're going to have a long and happy marriage. The little one will have Uncle Pun and Grayson watching out for him or her.

Also, all of these posts have had some spoilers. This one has a pretty big one about the ending. You've been warned.

Synopsis: A couple's wedding day turns horrific as some of the guests start showing signs of a strange illness.

The Good: The movie is self-referential to the series, but in a good way. It starts out with the classic shaky cam style of the first two REC films. It even has a camera man discuss this style of film and more traditional styles. When all Hell breaks loose he has the exact same lines as Angela from the first movie, claiming that he's filming because "People need to know what happened." His camera is then destroyed by the protagonist Koldo and the film turns into a typical third person view flick. Unlike the previous films, this movie, while firmly horror, is also humorous. It's more Evil Dead 2 than Shaun of the Dead though.

The Bad: While this film takes place at the same time as the original (Uncle is bitten by Max, the dog mentioned in the first movie and you can see a news report about the quarantined apartment in the background), these zombies feel very different than the previous film's. The possessed in the first REC were fast. While the initial possessed in REC 3 are fast (and can apparently leap), they quickly turn into classic shamblers. While it didn't stop me from enjoying the movie, this did bug me.

Final Thoughts: I think I liked this one better than the original.  The main story wasn't shaky cam and I appreciated the humor. Also, the movie is very romantic, in a totally fucked up way. That's my favorite kind of romance.

In Your Game: Though it takes place at the same time as the first movie, the possessed zombies in REC 3, were very different.

The Possessed (Shambler)

Str: 2 Dex: 2 Con: 2 Int: 1 Per: 2 Will: 2

DPs: 26 EPs: n/a Spd: 4 Essence: 6

Skills: Brawling 2

Attacks: Bite damage d4 x 2 (4) slashing

Weak Spots: All, Blessed Objects (see below) 

Getting Around: Life-Like

Strength: Dead Joe Average

Sense: Like the Living

Sustenence: Who Needs Food?

Intelligence: Animal Cunning

Spreading the Love: One Bite and You're Hooked (see below)

Power: 13

The Possessed (Fast)

Str: 2 Dex: 2 Con: 2 Int: 1 Per: 2 Will: 2

DPs: 26 EPs: n/a Spd: 4 Essence: 6

Skills: Brawling 2

Attacks: Bite damage d4 x 2 (4) slashing

Weak Spots: All, Blessed Objects (see below)

Getting Around: Life-Like, Leaping

Strength: Dead Joe Average

Sense: Like the Living

Sustenence: Who Needs Food?

Intelligence: Animal Cunning

Spreading the Love: One Bite and You're Hooked (see below)

Power: 16

Possessed cannot enter holy ground. Holy water damages them as acid. Blessed objects do double damage. In addition characters with Inspiration can paralyze the possessed by reciting appropriate scripture. The possessed must be able to hear the verses for this to work (for example, deaf possessed are unaffected).

Victims bitten by these zombies must make a Difficult Constitution Test every hour thereafter. Every time the Test is failed, the victim loses d6 x 2 (6) Life Points. Upon reaching -10 Life Points, the character becomes a Possessed, rising in d4  minutes. Any Cast Member who is killed outright by a possessed attack rises again in d6 minutes.

New To Me Movies Watched: 15
Total Movies Watched: 24