31 Nights of Halloween - Night 15 - 3 From Hell

3 from Hell

111 mins.

Dir. Rob Zombie

2019/USA

Rob Zombie, apparently you either love him or hate him.  Me, I just like him.  I think too many people can’t separate the man from the movie, you either hear the name and you think, ugh Heavy Metal Hot Topic tool, he doesn’t know what real horror is, or you think hell yeah, he is bad ass man.  When it comes down to it, I don’t think Rob Zombie really gives a fuck what you think he just wants to do what he wants to do.  For the most part, both good and bad, he is making things I want to see in a movie.

3 from Hell continues the adventures of the Firefly family minus Captain Spaulding, as unfortunately Sid Haig (RIP) was just too old at the time to continue on in this type of film.  Did we really need this movie, no probably not.  I was perfectly fine with the ending of Devil’s Rejects and enough time passed I wasn’t begging for more.  As turns out Otis, Baby and Cutter miraculously didn’t die in a blaze of bullets as we suspected.  In a nice documentary style opening we catch up with the crazed killers and learn of Captain Spaulding’s demise from the death sentence.  His character is ultimately filled in by Baby and Otis’ half brother Foxy, who springs Otis out of jail so they can continue down their path of apocalyptic mayhem which ultimately leads them to Mexico with a stand off against a gang wearing Mexican Wrestling masks known as the Black Satan.

Let’s start off with the bad.  This movie has nothing new to say, there is no character arc, it is just another day in the life of the Fireflys.  Which as exciting as that can be, is also lacking in a been there done, that kind of way.  I know Otis Firely is a fan favorite, and Bill Mosley does a great job portraying him, but I miss how the character originally started out as an Albino madman.  The bushy bearded tanned Otis in Rejects and more so in 3 from Hell almost seems more like his twin brother than the same person.  Also Otis seems like a normal relaxed person when talking to his family, it’s not until he is speaking with anyone else that his craziness comes out.  As awesome as Richard Brake is, I can’t help to miss the emptiness of the Captain Spaulding character.  I know there wasn’t much of a choice, but it still seems to be missing that element of this classic trio.  While Zombie has some good ideas, I think he could also use a hand in the writing department.  His movies would be better a bit punched up with some better dialogue or scenarios.

Now onto the good.  I like Zombie’s visual style.  I like the gritty look of his movies, I like the editing, use a music (Suzi Quatro’s The Wild One for Baby walking down the prison hall in shackles is classic).  I like the fact that Zombie doesn’t glorify violence.  The violence in his movies is ugly and painful looking, there is nothing pretty about it.  Once again Pancho Moler, is a stand out character like the Spanish Nazi clown he played in 31.  I was happy to see Mexican wrestling mask used in a movie, we could use more of these.  And finally Sherri Moon Zombie seemed to have a purpose and probably shined the most in her acting role in this movie, where in past Zombie movies she was either annoying or didn’t fit the part.

When it comes down to it, even though I didn’t love this movie, mostly because of story and pacing.  I would rather see the elements Rob Zombie is using and putting into his movies, then the typical Hollywood horror flair.  Zombie’s movies strike closest to the 70s era of horror I love more so then most other things coming out these days.  I am glad someone is still doing this.  So for that most of all he gets props and thumbs up for me.

So 3 from Hell, didn’t love it, didn’t hate it.  Still love the visual style.  Glad it was made and will support it.  If you didn’t like his movies in the past, this is not going to change your mind, it is more of the same you have already seen, but sometimes that is not a bad thing.