The first [REC] film was one of the most exhilarating horror thrill rides of the 21st century so far, standing as a high water mark for all other similar films made afterwards. Its sequel, while less impactful in a lot of ways, still managed to be a satisfying horror both in its scares and in expanding this particular plagued universe.
It’s debatable whether we needed any more sequels but [REC] Genesis arrives as an interesting way to give us a glimpse of the virus’ origins. Taking place almost parallel to the first two films at a wedding of all places, we follow newlyweds Clara (Leticia Dolera) and Niña (Javier Botet) as they celebrate at their lavish wedding reception. However, all hell breaks loose as the vicious virus takes hold, the two being separated in the chaos.
The main difference between Genesis and its predecessors is it mostly dispenses with the found-footage style. For the first 20 minutes we’re in familiar territory as someone records the goings-on at the wedding, including the hints at the virus about to be unleashed, but just as terror ensues we switch to a more traditional narrative style. As tiresome as the found-footage style has become in other movies it’s actually rather missed here, the film retreating into more generic horror movie territory with the great sense of terrifying immediacy ripped from the franchise.
Furthermore, returning writer/director Paco Plaza bizarrely adds a more comedic tone than we’re used to from the series. The comedy just plain doesn’t work here, completely at odds with the type of horror the film is otherwise going for. This jarring mix of tones leaves it feeling incredibly uneven and stilted in places, lacking the wit and genuine laughs to make it any sort of wry horror-comedy.
The romance angle of the film doesn’t work that well, either. Although it provides a clear and straight-forward mission of sorts i.e. two newlyweds deeply in love trying to be reunited in the face of a horde of infected wedding guests, it doesn’t really ring true and in the end it unfortunately relies too much on the emotional resonance of that story. As a whole it’s a case of trying too many things at once, cluttering up the stripped-down nature of what made the franchise so good in the first place.
Taken on is own merits, as a horror film apart from the rest of the [REC] series, Genesis provides some gleefully gore-filled moments (one in particular involving a certain kitchen utensil which stands as the best shock moment of the trilogy) and there is something admirable about taking a risk this far into things. But the trouble is it is a part of the [REC] canon and as such it’s a major disappointment in comparison, exchanging the tried-and-tested found-footage format for clunky comedy. Hopefully the planned fourth and final instalment, [REC] Apocalypse, can return the series to its former glory.
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