Beyond Re-Animator (2003)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Excellent but underrated film

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Sometimes sequels are better than original. In my opinion, this one is the best in franchise. Story continues in same manner, but this movie is put together more seriously than it's two prequels. I really enjoyed this very much.7/10

RE-ANIMATOR (and, to a lesser extent, its sequel BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR) are fondly regarded by horror fans as dizzying mixes of graphic carnage, gross outs, camp and black comedy, all linked to the H. P. Lovecraft name. Indeed the first low-budget entry in this series remains one of my favourite films of the 1980s, a perfectly-pitched comedy/horror that's up there with the likes of the first RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD. This belated sequel marks Brian Yuzna's attempt to kick-start the franchise once more, albeit with a difference (by this point Yuzna had relocated to Spain and was churning out a series of low budget, often outrageous horror movies, including the pretty good DAGON).The main thing is that Jeffrey Combs returns as Herbert West. Without Combs, this movie would have been a non-starter, but his kooky presence alone accounts for much of the fun here. Combs is one of those actors always typecast in genre flicks, but he brings a certain level of class, enthusiasm, and energy to his movies that make them fun to watch on the most part (Bruce Campbell is a similar type of actor). Bruce Abbott and Stuart Gordon aren't around, but I can live with that. Unfortunately, the plot for BEYOND RE-ANIMATOR is a little woozy. In essence this is a prison film, full of the usual stuff: vendettas, a full-scale riot, evil prison wardens, etc. etc. Herbert West and his experiments are almost a sub-plot, especially towards the climax. I admire the effort to further the plot – this time West is attempting to reintroduce the soul into his victims to stop them from becoming crazed killer zombies – but in the end it's wasted in a huge orgy of bloodshed and gore.Yep, this is a splatter flick like those made of old, complete with dodgy acting, a pretty rubbish script and plenty of surreal humour. The special effects have progressed somewhat since the '80s, so the half-zombie chap looks pretty decent, and the gore effects are of course more outlandish (the exploded guy is one of the grisliest I've ever seen on film). However, the supporting characters are a little uninteresting and Yuzna's constant emphasis on the lowest forms of humour (a battle between a zombie rat and a severed penis gives you some idea of the film's sophistication) mean that this film can't hold a candle to the original. It's worth a watch for fans, but it's a film that will be quickly forgotten afterwards.

Brian Yuzna continues this wild horror series with this cheaper entry filmed in Spain. While inevitably it doesn't reach the same level of lunatic heights as the original or even the first sequel, it comes up with enough outrageous mayhem to work as a generally enjoyable sequel. At least it comes up with one new wrinkle to add to the familiar plot.Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs) has now been in prison for 14 years and experiments on the only living things he can find: rats, of course. A new doctor at the prison, Howard Phillips (Jason Barry) chooses this gig because he's intrigued by West and had a run in with one of Wests' creations as a kid. Things predictably get out of hand, even as West reveals his invention of a new solution that supposedly will restore rational behaviour to a re-animated subject.Combs is as perfect as ever playing West, still with that same air of superiority, and sneering at almost everybody around him, including the nefarious Warden Brando (Simon Andreu). Barry does a passable job at basically being a replacement for Bruce Abbotts' Dan Cain. Incredibly foxy blonde Elsa Pataky is highly watchable as ambitious journalist Laura Olney, a potential girlfriend for Howard.The makeup effects are reasonably effective, with good work by Screaming Mad George and others. There's an extremely infantile gag involving a part of the male anatomy and a rat (that extends into the closing credits). The prison setting allows Yuzna and company to build to a typically frantic climax involving a riot while our main characters have it out with each other. The "Psycho" inspired main music theme by Richard Band is still fun to listen to.If one is a fan of this series and isn't too demanding, they can have a pretty good, if not great, time with "Beyond Re-Animator". It's the least of the three movies, but still offers a fair amount of entertainment.Seven out of 10.

Another sequel to "Re-Animator". Wasn't "Bride of..." bad enough? According to this Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs) is in prison after the massacre at Miskatronic (basically "Bride..." didn't happen). Dr. Howard Phillips (Jason Barry) is the new young doctor at the prison...and he wants to work WITH West. Soon they have their own secret lab and are experimenting. Howard's girlfriend Laura (Elsa Pataky) realizes something is going on and things quickly barrel out of control.OK--in terms of gore this matches the first one AND goes farther. However in story it falls apart. It's really stupid (even for a "Re-Animator" film) and full of unpleasant characters. There's also a VERY mean streak going through this. All the women are young, sexy and treated as sex objects (Pataky deserves credit for doing this) and there's a revolting scene where a man has his best parts bitten off! The dark humor which worked so well in the first comes across as sick and stupid here. Worst of all Combs just walks through his role. There are some good things about this--Barry is good in his role (and has a brief nude scene) and Pataky is excellent (especially at the end). I suppose some people will like the virtual non-stop gore too. Basically this lacks the speed and off the wall humor that worked so well in the first. So--if you're looking for gore this is your film. However it has stupid events and unpleasant characters. Use your own judgment.