Review: Rec 3 Genesis

Holy. Crap. I'm so glad that this film was at Chicago's Fear Fest.

Okay, so I've never seen Rec 1 or 2, but now I'll absolutely have to check them out. Apparently Quarantine was an American remake of Rec 1, and I have seen that, but it didn't come anywhere close to the awesomeness of Rec 3: Genesis.

This movie was stellar for so many reasons. The beginning was strong, and it did a good job of using cinema verite at the onset of the film, but transitioning to a more traditional camera style after about fifteen minutes when cinema verite would be annoying and unrealistic. The normalcy of the beginning was unsettling, and the filmmakers did a good job of incorporating both foreshadowing and red herrings to keep you anxious and attentive.

When the zombies do attack, the wedding of our protagonists, Clara (Leticia Dolera) and Koldo (Diego Martin), turns into a bloodbath in one swift and realistic moment. From there, it's the job of our heroes to find each other and find a way out, and it was never a dull moment watching them try.

This film is commendable for its bloody and realistic effects, its commitment to realism (aka: killing off a whole crap-load of people), its ability to seamlessly mix horror, comedy, and drama into one authentic piece of fiction, and its cultural commentary of/connection to Catholicism. But in addition to all of those strengths, this movie is absolutely excellent because of Leticia Dolera's performance. She is absolutely beautiful, even when covered in blood and running eyeliner, but she's also an immensely talented actress. I believe her, but I also want to BE her. She's the ultimate badass femme without being bitchy or unrealistic. This balance is not an easy one to manage, but both Dolera, and her director, Paco Plaza, have managed to craft a likeable and realistic female protagonist.

If you have a chance to check this flick out, I very highly recommend that you do so! Watch this preview...