‘[REC] 3 Génesis’: Dawn of a new dead

The first two films in the [REC] zombie saga were nasty little found-footage horror flicks, which dealt in shocks, gore and demonic possession. But with the third, [REC] 3 Génesis, director Paco Plaza (co-director Jaume Balagueró takes a backseat as creative producer this time) has produced an out-and-out comedy, a hilarious Spanish “rom zom com” to rival Shaun of the Dead.

Moving the action out of the Barcelona apartment building location of parts one and two, it takes us to the wedding of Koldo (Diego Martín) and Clara (Leticia Dolera), where a hapless uncle arrives nursing a dog bite — a nod to the infected pooch mentioned in the original film.

The opening scenes unfold in a similar found-footage style to the first movies with a wedding video shot by Koldo’s cousin, showing us the tearful speeches, cheesy dancing and friends hooking up — until the blood-spewing uncle crashes off a balcony and, voilà, half the guests are slavering zombies…

Only then does a title card come up — and only then does Plaza swap shaky video for more conventional, sleek camera work to depict the separated bride and groom’s efforts to find each other.

It’s a clear statement of a new dawn for the franchise — which is already set to continue with [REC] 4 Apocalipsis — as Plaza proceeds to pile on the laughs, introducing us to, among others, a rifle-toting children’s entertainer “SpongeJon SquarePants” (he’s worried about the copyright), a priest with a pool cue and even an inspector from Spain’s much-despised SGAE copyright management agency (suffice to say, he doesn’t last very long).

But it’s also no less a shock-and-gore experience than the first two: there’s blood, threats and also tears, as some archly sentimental moments transform into flashes of genuine feeling. Indeed what’s perhaps most impressive is how it so breezily switches between registers, personified in the nuanced performance of Dolera, who flits from blushing bride to headstrong survivor to bloodthirsty maniac: her eyes seem to pop out of her head in manic disbelief as she chainsaws an undead waiter in two (“Today is my day!”).

A favorable mutation sure to guarantee the series’ survival. Apocalipsis now, please.

This week’s other releases

Computer-animated adaptation The Lorax features Danny DeVito as the voice of Dr Seuss’ creation, a likably grumpy guardian of the forest. Seeking him is 12-year-old Ted (voiced by Zac Efron), a boy from a completely synthetic city who’s out to locate a genuine Truffala tree to impress the girl of his dreams (Taylor Swift).

Sam Worthington returns as Perseus, Ralph Fiennes as Hades and Liam Neeson as Zeus in Wrath of the Titans, the sequel to clunky Greek myth adaptation Clash of the Titans (2010). Jonathan Liebesman (Battle: Los Angeles) takes over from Louis Leterrier behind the camera.

After making her name with Red Road and Fish Tank, two superb dramas of modern British life, director Andrea Arnold takes on Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights with unknowns Kaya Scodelario as Cathy and — the first black actor to play the role — James Howson as Heathcliff.

Filmed in 2009, El Bulli: Cooking in Progress is German filmmaker Gereon Wetzel’s behind-the-scenes peek at superstar chef Ferran Adrià’s creative process as he cooks up his trademark weird and wonderful dishes for the new season’s menu at his now-closed elBulli restaurant.