Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025)

Movie Name/Year: Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Length:  2h 13min
Rating: PG-13
Director: Gareth Edwards
Writers: Michael Crichton, David Koepp
Actors: Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, David Iacono, Audrina Miranda, Philippine Velge, Bechir Sylvain, Ed Skrein, Adam Loxley, Niamh Finlay

IMDb Blurb: Five years post-Jurassic World: Dominion (2022), an expedition braves isolated equatorial regions to extract DNA from three massive prehistoric creatures for a groundbreaking medical breakthrough.

Cat’s Point of View:
The fact that I wanted to watch Jurassic World: Rebirth pretty much went without saying. I am down for any trip into the universe created by the belated Michael Crichton. I adored the 2 books that spawned this expansive franchise, and I’ve been in love with the movies – every single one of them.

I know, I know… they messed with the plot from the books and have taken things into different directions. Not only that, not every foray into the world of these genetically engineered dinos has had the most effective plot. I don’t care about all of that. I love the thrill of watching the meticulously executed dinosaurs on the screen interacting with the modern world.

I will never forget my first experience with Jurassic Park (1993). It was the first movie I was dropped off to watch with a friend without an adult present. I had already read the books and I was so awestruck by what I saw on the screen that I didn’t care there were differences between the page and the production. I left the theater easing back from my adrenaline rush and awash in the glow of being mesmerized by the magic of the special effects.

Even to this day, this series holds a special place in my heart and I will stop and watch any of them, even if I catch them in the middle – especially that first Jurassic Park. They’re comfort movies for me.

Jurassic World: Rebirth brought me back to some of those more primal feelings and reminded me about my love for this franchise. There were moments that were heartwarming, awe inspiring, and the tension was also on point. It checked the box of plans going sideways unexpectedly, and I even accidentally squeezed my daughter’s hand too tightly during a particularly harrowing scene.

If there was one thing that I missed from the original book that wasn’t in the first movie, it was the river encounter. The 3^rd installment of the original trilogy did somewhat remedy the omissions with its aviary and river scenes. If you thought that the trip along the river in Jurassic Park III (2001) was even a little scary, though, hold on to your proverbial hat for Jurassic World: Rebirth. I had white knuckles and what felt like heart palpitations.

One of the themes that I really enjoyed about Rebirth was that it paid homage to the original Jurassic Park movie in so many ways. I was delighted by all of the Easter eggs that were sprinkled throughout the entire movie. It seemed to live up to the promise of a fresh start in the wake of the Jurassic World (2015) trilogy conclusion. Jurassic World: Rebirth showed that it is, indeed, possible to move forward with stand-alone stories that don’t depend on legacy characters, dinosaurs, or even locations. We're all just living in a fully immersive world where dinosaurs are now a fixture of life on the planet.

If you love the Jurassic Park franchise or are even curious about it and haven’t seen the 6 prior movies, Jurassic World: Rebirth would offer an excellent cinematic experience for you. It can be enjoyed on its own, or with the knowledge carried forward that lets the subtle reminders of the past layer in some extra depth.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 52%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score –72%
Metascore – 50%
Metacritic User Score – 5.5/10
IMDB Score – 6.2/10

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5

Movie Trailer:

Fear Street: Part Three - 1666 (2021)

Streaming Service: Netflix
Movie Name/Year: Fear Street: Part Three - 1666 (2021)
Original Title: Fear Street: 1666
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Length:  1h 54min
Rating: R
Director: Leigh Janiak
Writers: R.L. Stine, Kate Trefry, Phil Graziadei, Leigh Janiak
Based On: Fear Street book series by R.L. Stine
Actors: Kiana Madeira, Elizabeth Scopel, Benjamin Flores Jr., Randy Havens, Julia Rehwald, Matthew Zuk, Fred Hechinger, Michael Chandler, Sadie Sink, Emily Rudd, Olivia Scott Welch, Lacy Camp, McCabe Slye, Ashley Zukerman, Jordana Spiro, Jeremy Ford, Charlene Amoia, Mark Ashworth, Todd Allen Durkin, Ryan Simpkins, Ted Sutherland, Gillian Jacobs, Darrell Britt-Gibson

IMDb Blurb: In 1666, a colonial town is gripped by a witch hunt that has deadly consequences for centuries to come, while teenagers in 1994 try to put an end to their town's curse before it is too late.

Cat’s Point of View:

The third and final act of Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy made for a satisfying book-end to the three-film run of this story.

The first movie sparked so many questions, and the second offered few answers, whetting the appetite for more. Fear Street Part Three: 1666 offered not only an origin story to this tale of a curse enveloping twin cities, but also a fitting resolution in the “present day” where the narrative began in 1994.

Part Three offers revelations that aren’t quite as shocking as they likely were intended to be, and yet the twisty shenanigans still entertained.

I understand some of the detractors from this third installment complaining that it felt like this was 2 whole movies smushed together. In some ways, it could be seen that way. I, however, appreciate the way that the extended flashback occurred. It more viscerally brought us into the story of the origins of the curse that befell Shadyside. It pulled our present-day characters into the parallel scenario of the past.

The setting of 1666, while likely a year selected for the numerical significance with its dark connotations, did fall in a period of time when witch fever was still high between the general timeline of The Burning Times in Europe and the Salem Witch Trial era in the 1690s. The segment from the past felt plausible and harrowingly fitting to that time period.

The transition between the past and the present were done well. I enjoyed seeing how the familiar faces wove into the past and brought the situation in 1994 into greater focus.

Of course, the climax was as campy as you would expect based on the build-up from the first 2 teen slasher installments. There was still plenty of blood to be spilled and inventive plans to be hatched.

Over all, I really enjoyed the entirety of the experience of this trilogy. I do strongly suggest that anyone interested in Fear Street Part Three: 1666 go back and watch the movies in order. Just a reminder that they are a continuous story from Part 1 through Part 3. Netflix does offer skippable recaps, but why read the Cliff’s Notes when the whole of the tale is so entertaining? Each movie ends with a “to be continued,” and is nicely concluded with this third installment.

Sometimes trilogies don’t pay off in the way you would hope, and leave questions and missed opportunities in their wake. This was not the case with the Fear Street trilogy encompassing 1994, 1978, & 1666.

If you’re a fan of R.L. Stine’s work, or the nostalgic horror of campy teen slasher flicks, this trilogy and specifically its conclusion will be right up your alley.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 89%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 76%
Metascore – 68%
Metacritic User Score – 6.5/10
IMDB Score – 6.6/10

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5

Movie Trailer:

Speak No Evil (2024)

Streaming Service: Amazon Prime
Movie Name/Year: Speak No Evil (2024)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Length:  1h 50min
Rating: R
Director: James Watkins
Writers: James Watkins, Christian Tafdrup, Mads Tafdrup
Based On: A 2022 Danish-Dutch movie of the same name.
Actors: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy, Aisling Franciosi, Alix West Lefler, Dan Hough, Kris Hitchen, Motaz Malhees, Jakob Højlev Jørgensen

IMDb Blurb: A family is invited to spend a whole weekend in a lonely home in the countryside, but as the weekend progresses, they realize that a dark side lies within the family who invited them.

Selina’s Point of View:
I’ll be the first to admit I didn’t love the original version of this film. I felt they were going for slow tension, but it ended up feeling more like drama. I mentioned that critics loved the film, but that audience scores were probably going to reflect something else.

It looks like I was right, since the 2022 version of Speak No Evil is sitting at 84% for critics and a mere 58% for audiences.

The one thing I did like was the ending. It was bleak and horrifying. Everything you could want from a psychological, slow-burn horror. It was memorable, to say the least. In fact, it makes me remember the entire film as better than it actually was. Going back to my old review confused me, because my 1.5 rating definitely should have been slightly higher just for the impact of that ending. I think it should be more of a 2.5.

That brings us to the 2024 version.

I’m fairly certain that Americanizing this film ruined it.

Speak No Evil (2024) felt more like the slow-burn the 2022 version was going for. The acting in both was infallible, but the direction and production quality of those small off-putting moments that raised the tension throughout the film hit harder. I knew what was coming, and I still felt tense. I’m assuming that’s when some producer butted their nose in and reminded the director that Americans don’t love down endings and need action.

They replaced that memorable, lasting, bleak ending with an action sequence—the big battle. Took the bite right out of it and made it as forgettable as any other film.

With the upgrade in quality of the majority of the film, having the same brutal ending would have made it a near-perfect horror offering. It would have catapulted the 2024 version of Speak No Evil to the top of my list. I’d be praising it to anyone willing to listen and throwing it on at Halloween parties for years to come. Instead, they pulled out all its teeth and made it a joke. Padding that ending means that I won’t remember Speak No Evil (2024) by next week.

Shame.

Cat’s Point of View:
I remember rolling my eyes and asking “why?” out loud when I learned that Speak No Evil (2022) had been remade. I had enjoyed the original, which is also currently available for streaming as well (just don’t forget to turn on your subtitles unless you speak Dutch or Danish). We had reviewed the original movie when it premiered on Shudder at the time of its release.

Before watching for this review, Speak No Evil (2024) was one of the 2 final hold-outs from the movies in my top 10 of September2024’s Top 20 list. This one was a solid #6 on my must-see countdown. The only reason I had waited this long to watch it was so that I could have a fresh experience for this review, so that Selina and I could compare the two films together. I reasoned that if I let time lapse after watching, I likely could have gotten the movies mixed up. Now that I’ve seen the newest iteration of Speak No Evil, I am positive there would be no mistaking one for the other; even though they do follow a lot of the same points within the plot.

Selina and I were of two minds about the 2022 movie. I felt that the slow burn and awkward drama precursor to the horrific sharp left turn in the final act caused the film to have a more lasting impact. The bleak nature of the story left me staring at the screen with my soul weeping.

I didn’t know at the time, but I’ve since read that the original writer/director wanted the finale of the first Speak No Evil to be inexplicable in order to stand out from films where everything gets spoon-fed to an audience and tied up with a bow by the end. While I understand and applaud that decision, it would probably be the root of why there has been such a kneejerk reaction to the abruptness of the change in tone for the final act of the 2022 film.

The new Speak No Evil handled the pacing a little more deftly, though managed to maintain the slowly building awkward and sinister tension that permeated the story.  I applaud the changes that tweaked the fresh vision of this horrific scenario of wolves masquerading as sheep and the inevitable outcome.

I also discovered that some of the differences between the original movie and its remake were specifically created to gear the newer telling of the story to American audiences. The finale of the original Speak No Evil was intended as a satirical reflection on Danish culture; which, it seems, they felt wouldn't have resonated as well with the target audience. With that frame of reference, I understand why they made some of the changes.

The production team was absolutely brilliant in casting James McAvoy (Glass, The Sandman, The Book of Clarence). When he has embodied an antagonistic role, he is absolutely terrifying. This is about as far away from Narnia as you can get. His range is phenomenal. For that reason, I would have watched the new iteration of Speak No Evil even if I didn’t have a vested interest in seeing if making an “American remake” of the story would screw everything up or not.

I also liked how this new story ‘flipped the script’ between the parent of action and their more milquetoast counterpart. The ending is brutal and horrific for different reasons this time around, and the haunting aftermath was palpable as the credits began to roll.

Out of the pair, I’d have to say that I prefer the remake. Both, however, are fantastic at accomplishing exactly what they set out to do.

If you enjoy a psychological, twisty, and thrilling horror tale maybe check this new Speak No Evil out – even if you didn’t vibe with the first one… and maybe even if you did.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 83%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 83%
Metascore – 66%
Metacritic User Score – 6.9/10
IMDB Score – 6.8/10

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 1.5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5

Movie Trailer:

The Electric State (2025)

Streaming Service: Netflix
Movie Name/Year: The Electric State (2025)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Length:  2h 5min
Rating: PG-13
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Writers: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Simon Stålenhag
Actors: Woody Norman, Millie Bobby Brown, Ann Russo, Greg Cromer, Camrus Johnson, Kurt Loder, Alan Tudyk, Roshni Edwards, Holly Hunter, Stanley Tucci, Will Lyman, Aubrey Brockwell, Woody Harrelson, Chris Pratt, Giancarlo Esposito, Jason Alexander, Lia Mariella Russo, Ke Huy Quan, Colman Domingo, Anthony Mackie, Hank Azaria, Joe Russo, Rob Gronkowski, Jenny Slate, Brian Cox

IMDb Blurb: An orphaned teen hits the road with a mysterious robot to find her long-lost brother, teaming up with a smuggler and his wisecracking sidekick.

Cat’s Point of View:
I had been intrigued by The Electric State ever since I watched the first trailer, and couldn’t wait to see it.

This was right up my alley, after all. A dystopian world full of sentient robots set in an alternate 1990s era felt like the perfect setting for a little sci-fi shenanigans. When you threw the cast into consideration, it was a foregone conclusion that I would be watching this ASAP. I do love some nostalgia.

But seriously, I counted minimum 16 well-known cast members involved with this project; among them: Chris Pratt (The Tomorrow War, The Terminal List, The Super Mario Bros. Movie), Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes, Stranger Things, Damsel), Woody Harrelson (Zombieland, Triangle of Sadness, Last Breath), Ke Huy Quan (Loki, Kung Fu Panda 4, Love Hurts), Alan Tudyk (Resident Alien, Creature Commandos, Harley Quinn), Anthony Mackie (We Have A Ghost, Twisted Metal, Elevation), Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul, The Mandalorian, Abigail), and Hank Azaria (The Smurfs 2, Ray Donovan, The Simpsons). I really could keep going. That partial list, alone, is enough to make me giddy about a production.

When you add the fact that the movie was directed by The Russo Brothers (Avengers: Endgame, Cherry, The Gray Man), it made me wonder why this was a Netflix joint instead of hitting theaters. I’m grateful, however, because streaming this film meant that my family could watch together without dropping almost a whole Benjamin between tickets and concessions. We needed the distraction this week, too. The world is going nuts, medical issues are issues, and my vehicle is in the shop. (We’re all OK, though.)

My favorite movies transport you to another place for a while and let you forget about everything else for just a little bit. The Electric State was successful in accomplishing that.

The concept wasn’t all that far-fetched, either. It also felt like it could be an alternate universe somewhere parallel to Ready Player One (2018). That’s just my head canon, at least.

I enjoyed the story within The Electric State and felt the emotional rollercoaster as I connected with the characters on their journey. There were laughs, touching moments, a need for justice, and ultimately, I was satisfied with how everything played out.

I don’t understand why The Electric State is getting so much hate from critics – aside from the fact that most of them seem to enjoy being thieves of joy. My family and I had a good time with this film, and I didn’t even nod off while we watched it! (That is a serious feat these days.)

If the concept or cast for The Electric State intrigues you and you like the movies that The Russos tend to make, I’d highly recommend giving this film a chance.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 14%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 72%
Metascore – 29%
Metacritic User Score – 3.7/10
IMDB Score – 6.0/10

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5

Movie Trailer:

Trapped Inn (2024)

 

 

Streaming Service: Amazon Prime Video

Movie Name/Year: Trapped Inn (2024)

Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller

Length: 1h 55min

Rating: Unrated

Director: Leah Sturgis

Writer: Leah Sturgis

Actors: Matt Rife, Robert Palmer Watkins, Brian Gross, Brielle Gearson, Jaylen Moore, Oliver Trevena, Jacy King, Noemie Maia, Rickey Eugene Brown, Laurel Coeur, Emily Farache, Tal Serror, Mary Vade Bon Coeur

 

IMDb Blurb: An American cycling team trains at a remote European lodge. Teammates start dying mysteriously. Rivals Connor and Greg battle to survive and uncover the cause behind the team's demise.

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

I don't remember hearing anything about Trapped Inn back around the time it was released. That's not entirely surprising, given that this film came from an indie production company, and likely didn't have a big budget for marketing. I digress...

 

When I watched the trailer, pretty much the only thing that Trapped Inn seemed to have going for it was the recognizable name and face of Matt Rife (Don't Suck, The Private Eye, Beyond the Likes). I've seen his stand-up specials, and his humor isn't always my cup of tea. This didn't strike me as a comedy, however, and I was curious how he handled more serious settings as an actor.

 

 

As an aside, I've seen some of his YouTube videos where he's accompanied friends on paranormal investigations and various adventures. I have to say that in more candid moments – even in front of a camera – he came across as respectful and genuine in those scenarios. With a peek behind the proverbial curtain of his on-stage persona in mind, I felt like he had a real shot at pulling this more serious role off.

 

Generally, I was right. Unfortunately, that didn't really save the movie.

 

Most of the core cast members didn't bungle their roles either, to be honest. Trapped Inn simply suffered from trying to be too many things at once without a clear sense of direction for the story.

 

 

There's a clear theme of isolation and how that impacts the human psyche. I'd also go as far as to say that this story also highlighted how such a claustrophobic atmosphere could be amped up and made worse by fear of a deadly unknown.

 

Outside of that, the other elements of the narrative caused the wheels to fall off the bus. I nearly got whiplash from the number of times the plot seemed to shift with sudden twisty revelations. Just when I thought Trapped Inn was building suspense in one direction, the gears shifted to a setting that made it even harder to suspend disbelief.

 

 

If Trapped Inn had tried to take itself less seriously, it's plausible that it could have offered a fun and memorable experience. Unfortunately, its earnest attempt at selling everything from a super serious perspective made it less cohesive and ultimately forgettable.

 

I can't say that I would offer a recommendation for Trapped Inn – unless someone wanted to turn the plot-shifts into a drinking game. Even then, I don't think it would offer this movie any sort of redemption. At the same time, this wasn't the worst film I've ever watched, so at least there's that.

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 77%

Metascore – None

Metacritic User Score – 4.0/10

IMDB Score – 2.9/10

 

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 2.5/5

 

Trust the Dice: Parental Advisory Rating - R

 

 Movie Trailer:

Red One (2024)

Movie Name/Year: Red One (2024)

Genre: Holiday, Action, Adventure, Comedy
Length: 2h 3min
Rating: PG-13
Director: Jake Kasdan
Writers: Chris Morgan, Hiram Garcia
Actors: Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, J.K. Simmons, Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, Kiernan Shipka, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Wesley Kimmel, Nick Kroll, Wyatt Hunt, Clayton Cooper, Lanz Duffy, Marc Evan Jackson, Samantha Benson, Ashleigh Domangue, Jon Rudnitsky, Regina Ting Chen, Reinaldo Faberlle, Philip Fornah, Kenny Waymack Jr., Gissette Valentin, Matthew Cornwell, Jeff Chase, Morla

IMDb Blurb: After Santa Claus (code name: Red One) is kidnapped, the North Pole's Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) must team up with the world's most infamous bounty hunter (Chris Evans) in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas.

Cat’s Point of View:
November is a special month for my family outside of the beginning of the “official” Holiday Season with Thanksgiving. My wedding anniversary is at the beginning of the month, and this year my husband and I hit a pretty significant milestone with #25. We pretty much celebrated the whole week-of, and that included a family outing to partake of the single-showing special preview of Red One at our local Cinemark theater. We were all looking forward to watching this movie, as the trailers had us in stitches. (Our annual festivities weren't even taken into consideration when I listed this as #3 on my Top 20 article this month.)

We had a blast – even in spite of my husband having to sit next to a very noisy youngling that did not belong to us. (Not everyone participates in the whole “Silence is Golden” mantra, but hey – maybe they thought it was cool because that's a catchphrase either copyrighted or trademarked by AMC theaters. I digress...)

I was actually fairly shocked as I was putting the information for this article together and noticed some of the review scores on the usual sources. I realize that the paid critics are not easy customers to please when it comes to scoring movies like these, and they do tend to lean in a more harsh direction. Seriously, though, to quote Chris Evans' (Knives Out, The Gray Man, Deadpool & Wolverine) cameo one-liner from Free Guy (2021), “What the shit?!” Did they really watch the same movie we did?

In any case, when it comes to those scores, take it or leave it. I don't, personally, agree to their opinions.
Red One was a zesty confection that blended action-comedy with modern day cynicism to take a jaded career protection service agent and a naughty anti-hero on a redemption journey with heart and laughs.

Sure, the trailer did give away some of the funny bits, but not all. On the whole, it was still a fun experience – especially if you are a fan of anyone involved in the production. I liked the story hook behind the actual antagonist, too. It's fun when films delve a little deeper into the lore of a holiday, as well. There are two lesser-known Christmas-adjacent “mythical beings” involved in this tale that serve to both drive the story and also offer redemption for more than just the usual suspects.

We got to see Evans' absolute joy in bringing the snarky banter of his character to the screen, and Dwayne Johnson's (Moana, Jumanji: the Next Level, Young Rock) delivered the smack-down to his role as well. (In some cases, quite literally.) J K Simmons (The Tomorrow War, You Can't Run Forever, Saturday Night) was a better Santa than I expected (and I was already optimistic), and Bonnie Hunt (Cars 3, Zootopia, Monsters at Work) gave me all “the feels” as Mrs. Claus.

We're not talking Oscar-contention here, but it wasn't supposed to be! Red One was a very solid popcorn-movie offering to kick off the Holiday Season. I'd also have to say that it has now become one of my family's favorite Christmas movies. This will likely become one of our holiday movie traditions to enjoy together.

If the trailer made you laugh or feel in any sort of way that you might enjoy Red One, my suggestion is to go and see for yourself. It will eventually hit a streaming service, but the release date for such has not yet been confirmed. For that reason, there's no guarantee it will be available for subscribers in time for Christmas. If you want to see it with your family before then, I'm afraid the theaters are the only guaranteed way to go.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 32%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – None
Metascore – 34%
Metacritic User Score – 2.6/10
IMDB Score – 2.6/10

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5

Movie Trailer:

Killer Countdown - 3 From Hell (2019)

Streaming Service: Amazon Prime Video
Movie Name/Year: 3 from Hell (2019)
Genre: Action, Horror
Length: 1h 55min
Rating: R
Director: Rob Zombie
Writer: Rob Zombie
Actors: Sheri Moon Zombie, Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Richard Brake, Emilio Rivera, Dee Wallace, Clint Howard, Daniel Roebuck, Wade Williams, Sean Whalen, Danny Trejo, Barry Bostwick, Pancho Moler, Chaz Bono

IMDb Blurb: After barely surviving prison, the demented Firefly clan go on the run, unleashing a whole new wave of murder, madness and mayhem.

Cat’s Point of View:
3 From Hell is a little more “mainstream” than most of the other movies in our Killer Countdown, but it can't be denied that its writer and director Rob Zombie (Halloween II, 31, The Munsters) is known for work that is bonkers, chilling, provocative, and darkly comedic. What more could you want for the spooky season, right?

This movie is the final chapter in a trilogy that also includes House of 1000 Corpses (2003) and The Devil's Rejects (2005). Both films and their events are heavily referenced throughout 3 from Hell. If you haven't seen those other films first, I'm afraid you'll get quite a lot of spoilers as well as likely not quite get all the...dare I say, nuance, of these psychotic family members.

I will have to admit that I fall somewhat in the latter category, as I am afraid I have been procrastinating on watching The Devil's Rejects. I have seen the initial movie in this trilogy, however, so I wasn't entirely lost. I will say, however, that there's enough mocumentary-type build-up in the beginning of the film that it did generally fill in some of the blanks.

3 From Hell doesn't hit as many hardcore horror notes as House of 1000 Corpses did. It plays out more like an action thriller with horror elements of the occasional spattering of blood and gore. I wasn't necessarily disappointed with this, though it was not exactly what I was expecting. I had been hoping for something a little more chilling than this bonkers cross between trippy, gritty, and brutal dark comedy and mocumentary. I liked it all the same.

Aside from the core cast members of Zombie's wife and muse Sheri Moon Zombie (Toolbox Murders, Halloween, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto), Bill Moseley (Prisoners of the Ghostland, Hayride to Hell, Stream), Jeff Daniel Phillips (The Gifted,. The Munsters, Christmas Bloody Christmas), and the late Sid Haig (Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Halloween, Bone Tomahawk), there were quite a few that I was excited to see here.

Though, before I get into those familiar faces, I must note that I feel that this film was a little lacking for the absence of more plot involving Haig's Captain Spaulding. Unfortunately, Haig's declining health required a bit of re-tooling of the script, and I feel that even though something felt missing that they gave him a proper cinematic send-off. It was the right call, however, as he, in a sad twist of fate, passed away within a week or so of the film's release.

Zombie was able to work in Richard Brake (Game of Thrones, Bingo Hell, Barbarian) to round out the titular trio, without Spaulding available, and I think his energy was a great addition to this ensemble. Brake's most memorable roles tend to be his unhinged villains. He fit right in here with this completely unhinged family dynamic. Dee Wallace (The Lords of Salem, 9-1-1, Stream) can actually be found in quite a few of Zombie's movies – quite the juxtaposition to her earlier work in the genre and even as the wholesome mom in E.T. The Extraterrestrial (1982). I was rather amused that none other than the O.G. Brad Majors, Barry Bostwick (American Pie Presents: Girls' Rules, Love by Drowning, Daruma), was offering narration. Clint Howard's (The Funhouse Massacre, Solo: A Star Wars Story, The Old Way) character both made me giggle and feel the pangs of remorse for my amusement at his character's tragedy. My daughter and I both practically pointed to the screen and called out “MACHETE!” when we saw Danny Trejo (American Underdog, Big City Greens, Seven Cemeteries). Last, but certainly not least, we really enjoyed seeing Emilio Rivera (Sons of Anarchy, Mayans M.C., Dante's Hotel) as well.

While 3 From Hell wasn't exactly what I was expecting, it was crazy fun that especially highlighted the extreme level of batshit of Sheri Moon Zombie's character, Baby Firefly. The actual insane gleeful abandon of that character drives the plot and actually offers a few genuinely touching moments.

I can't say that 3 From Hell is a movie that I would want to return to in the future, it did make me want to go back and watch the film in the middle of the events, The Devil's Rejects. If you're a fan of Zombie's work and the other movies in this trilogy, I would definitely recommend giving this one a shot to round out your experience, if you haven't already. If you're new to Zombie's work, then maybe start at the beginning first. Either way, you're in for a wild ride.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 57%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 55%
Metascore – 50%
Metacritic User Score – 4.6/10
IMDB Score – 5.4/10

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 3/5

Movie Trailer: