'REC 3' Movie Review

Although the Quarantine franchise (as it were) has stopped at two films -- the second going straight to video -- the Spanish REC series upon which it's based keeps on chugging with REC 3: Genesis -- and another sequel planned for 2013.

Far removed from the urban chaos of the first two REC films, the wedding of attractive young couple Clara (Leticia Dolera) and Koldo (Diego Martín) takes place in an idyllic old church, followed by a reception in a secluded mansion nearby. Koldo's cousin Adrián (Àlex Monner) captures much of the festivities on his video camera, filling in the gaps missed by the pompous official wedding cinematographer, Atún (Borja Glez. Santaolalla).

When one of the guests, Uncle Victor (Emilio Mencheta), mentions that he was bitten by a dog in the clinic in which he works, no one thinks much of it. But later, when Victor begins acting strangely and takes a chomp out of people, it becomes clear that the dog is the infected one belonging to the girl named Jennifer who lives in the apartment building in the original REC. Soon, the wedding reception explodes in a wave of violence as the infected attack the other guests, spreading the demonic virus even further.

Clara and Koldo are separated, and though they don't know the other's fate, they try to make their way through the fray to reunite -- a task made all the more urgent when Clara reveals the fact that she's pregnant. People in hazmat suits show up, but they're less interested in rescuing the guests that confining them to the area, meaning it's up to the bride and groom to save themselves.

REC 3: Genesis is a dramatic departure from the first two films in the series. Other than the fact that it moves the action away from the Barcelona apartment building that has so far served as the setting, the most noticeable shift is that it abandons the shaky, first-person "found-footage" format that has been the franchise's hallmark. After an extended 20-minute, pre-title introduction that makes it seem like this will be shot in the same manner as the the previous movies, writer-director Paco Plaza ditches the POV with a knowing wink, having cameraman Atún proclaim that movies that don't use his state-of-the-art steady-cam are "unwatchable" and having Koldo immediately break Atún's camera in anger once the outbreak starts, upset that he would have the gall to film the death and destruction (a thought that no doubt has come to many viewers' minds while watching similar movies).

Plaza's behind-the-camera playfulness mirrors another major shift in REC 3: the tone, which adds more comedic elements to the story. This lighthearted approach -- granted, I wouldn't call it an outright horror comedy -- is sure to make many fans of the series groan, but the film's failings aren't tied to this decision. (Indeed, much of the humor -- such as a children's entertainer who dresses like "SpongeJohn" because of the copyright issues with "SpongeBob" -- works.) Rather, it's the ineffectiveness of the action and horror elements that doom the movie.

The action simply lacks the pop, the grit, the wow factor of REC and REC 2, something that could partially be attributed to the limited use of the edgy POV style. But more at fault is the bland design of the action set pieces. The main characters simply run from one location to another, fending off the infected with modest effort that often amounts to just slamming doors in their faces -- or, in one of the more questionable plot twists, praying them into submission.

Opportunities for scary or kick-butt moments are missed right and left. When the survivors are crawling through a dark, creepy air duct, the camera switches to a first-person night vision POV...and nothing happens. In a climactic moment, Clara whips out a chainsaw...and barely uses it.

Flatter than the comedic attempts in REC 3 are the attempts to construct a love story. The threadbare script never provides a backstory for Clara and Koldo, so it's hard to appreciate their bond, and any sense of drama is undermined by the prevalent humor. The script likewise doesn't -- despite the title -- delve into the origin of the virus, revealing little that furthers the overall mythology of the series and doing nothing to make viewers' mouths water in anticipation of 2013's REC 4: Apocalypse.

• Acting: C (Broad performances occasionally veer into melodrama.)
• Direction: C- (Attractive, but lacking in scares and thrills.)
• Script: D+ (Boldly steps outside the series' accepted format, but while the humor works more often than not, the story is thin and the set pieces lack imagination.)
• Gore/Effects: C+ (Solid gore effects with limited impact.)
• Overall: C- (An awkward attempt to blend horror, comedy and romance.)

REC 3: Genesis is directed by Paco Plaza and is rated R by the MPAA for strong bloody horror violence and some language. Release date: September 7, 2012 (on demand August 3).