Plot: What’s it about?
Running a site in which you review movies can be a double edged sword. I say that in the sense that when studios send me movies, they want coverage. In my nearly three decades of running this site I can only count a few instances in which the studio has commented on my review in the sense that they’re asking about what I thought about the film. That’s a bit odd, given how many online reviews are out there and so forth. I mention this because I’m not going to be kind to this film and, truthfully, the fact that I’m even covering it at all is some sort of compliment to the filmmakers. Wow, how’s that for arrogant? Kidding aside, I’d not seen the previous entries in the franchise, but having seen that Renny Harlin directed it I figured it couldn’t be all bad. I was mistaken. Harlin, of course, has given us some fun films in the past with Die Hard 2, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, and Cliffhanger. Though I’ve always considered Harlin a “poor man’s” Ridley Scott, I did get a lot of pleasure out of the aforementioned films. Will that continue here? I hope so.
If you saw the second installment, then you’ll have a little backstory as to what transpires here as this film takes up directly after the events of that mess one. Maya (Madelaine Petsch) finds herself hiding from the Strangers. But this is short-lived in that they seem to know where to be so they can capture her again. Oddly, they seem to have it in their minds to make her one of them and she even seems to consider this. Having gone through the events of the second installment, she’s worn down physically and emotionally and has lost the most important people in her life. This answers the question as to “will she or won’t she?” And that, other than gratuitous violence and swearing, is the film in a nutshell.
Doesn’t make a lot of sense, does it? I found myself writing this and kept thinking “Ok, what have I missed? There’s got to be something as this seems rather disjointed and all over the place.” Well, it isn’t. It’s just that that’s how this is structured. And I’m often in amazement as to which films can qualify as something that will generate a sequel (or two). How this did that is beyond me. This one nearly had me hitting the power button, but I figured that given all the entertainment that I’ve gotten out of Harlin’s films that I could give the guy 91 minutes out of my life. But that’s it – we’re even now. Simply put – avoid this at all costs. I’m actually dumber for having seen it. It’s truly awful.
Video: How’s it look?
All of the films in this series seem to posess the same look, feel and tone and as such – there’s not much difference in the three. That said, the print is pristine and free of any noticeable grain or other flaws. This is a dark film (in tone and color), so having an idea of what to expect will also keep the expectations realistic. All things considered, Shout has given a fine new facelift to one of my favorite horror films. The transfers on both cuts are AVC encoded and feature a 2.39:1 ratio.
Audio: How’s it sound?
What was a bit unexpected was the inclusion of a Dolby Atmos track. How about that on a Blu-ray? Vocals are fine, though both of are lead characters are a bit soft spoken at first, but the audio is still clear. The film’s soundtrack does kick things up several times over the course of the film, especially after the strangers drop in. The rear channels really help add to the experience and help involve us. The bass kicks in a good bit. Sadly, no matter how good this sounds – really can’t save the film.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Given the film’s critical and commercial (lack of) success, there are no supplements to be found here. How strange.
The Bottom Line
This is just…a bad film. There’s really no other way to say it. It lacks direction, there seems be an “origin story” of sorts that made no sense. I can see some of the allure stemming from the other films in the series and, evidently, some of this movie was shot based on the audience reaction from the second installment, but still…this one is all over the place.
