I’m blogging some of the movie reviews I’ve done in the past on Facebook.

Please don’t let this somewhat negative review dissuade you from watching the first two films in the [REC]” franchise — they were fantastic.  And, in retrospect, maybe my rundown here was a little too critical.  This could be a fun and campy throwaway horror film.

*****

“[REC]: 3: Genesis” was a disappointingly average entry into an otherwise fantastic series of Spanish horror films.  The first two “[REC]” movies were among the scariest I’ve ever seen, and maybe even more frightening than “The Exorcist.”  But the third simply has little in common with its predecessors, and deserves a 4 out of 10 at best.

Gone is the deadly serious story, the found-footage style, the kinetic action and shadowy setting.  This movie inexplicably abandons everything that put Spain on the map for modern zombie cinema.

This is a campy horror-comedy with more than a little slapstick and goofy setups – almost like an entry into “The Evil Dead” franchise.  Even the infected “zombies” seem like very different monsters here and, compared with the first two films, we actually see less of them.   The supernatural nature of the virus – a minor story annoyance “[REC]” and “[REC] 2” – was more prominent here, to the movie’s detriment.  Who the hell made all these creative decisions?!

Parts were even disjointed and confusing.  (And I’m not alone here – one glance at the imdb.com message boards shows that there were many, many people disappointed with this movie – which looked incredible it its trailers.)

The movie was partially redeemed by a new and creative setting, and an intense and unexpected ending.  (Wow.)

But let’s hope the planned “[REC] 4: Apocalypse” sees fruition and is a return to form.