3 FROM HELL REVIEW
Starring: Sheri Moon Zombie, Bill Moseley, & Richard Brake
Directed By: Rob Zombie (Halloween – 2007, The Devil’s Rejects)
Rated: R
Runtime: 1 hour 51 minutes
When Rob Zombie released his directorial debut “House of 1000 Corpses” in 2003, it was a terrifying and loving homage to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.It is still to this day one of the most unnerving movies I have ever seen in my life.That movie’s sequel in 2005, “The Devil’s Rejects”, saw Zombie switch the genre up unexpectedly into a Bonnie and Clyde type of film.To great effect.It is still Zombie’s best feature to date.The end of that movie, spoiler alert, saw our heroes (or is it villains) drive straight into a hail of police gunfire.We long thought the characters were dead and a third movie would be impossible.Well, enter “3 From Hell”.
The third movie in the “Firefly Family” trilogy sees our heroes (again, or is it villains) 15 years older and in prison for their actions in the first two films.They inevitably break out of said prison and wreak more havoc on unsuspecting victims.
Zombie has said repeatedly that he only wanted to tell another story with these characters if he had a good story to tell.He didn’t want to make a movie purely for fan service.Except this movie is purely for fan service, has no story worth telling, and is almost a carbon copy of The Devil’s Rejects. I will take this opportunity to mention that I LOVE the films of Rob Zombie.They’re not all great, he’s got some duds.But I find him to be an excellent filmmaker…just not here.It’s a toothless version of his prior films.
3 From Hell is very reminiscent of when Freddy Krueger began telling one liners in his movies instead of focusing on being terrifying.Most of the violence in 3 From Hell is played for comedic effect.There’s very little tension like the first two films in this series.That could be because we now know the beats of these characters, OR because the movie is poorly written.Again, I like Zombie, so I’m willing to cut a little slack.But just a little.
This new film sees an additional member enter The Firefly Family, Winslow Foxworth Coltrane, the half-brother of Bill Moseley’s Otis character.The two have a great back-and-forth dynamic, but it’s used for laughs instead of screams.Sheri Moon Zombie’s Baby character is kept away from the others for the majority of the movie, and while she’s probably the highlight of the film, she isn’t enough to save it.
Going in, my expectations were fairly low.3 From Hell is essentially another straight to video movie from Rob Zombie.Much like his last two movies there is an EXTREMELY limited theatrical run.15 years after The Devil’s Rejects I just wasn’t sure this was anything more than Rob Zombie grasping at straws to get another movie made.I’m sad to report, I might have been right.
On a scale of “See It/Stream It/Skip It” – Skip It – I’m a big fan of the series, and this is one of the worst movies of the year.“It wasn’t scary” isn’t a good way to review a horror movie, but this didn’t even try to be scary.It was merely violence used to make the audience laugh or cheer.It all lacked a purpose in my eyes.
If you liked Rob Zombie’s 31, The Devil’s Rejects, or House of 1000 Corpses you might like 3 From Hell.
1.5 out of 5 stars for 3 From Hell.