28 Years Later (2025) - Good, but a bit 'all over the place'

I remember being completely blown away by the 2002 zombie film (that - technically - isn't a 'zombie' film) '28 Days Later.' Some people weren't that taken by the initial sequel '28 Weeks Later' but I actually loved that too.  So I was desperate to see the long-awaited third entry in what is now a trilogy.  Yet, to my dismay, many reviewers didn't seem to be saying it was that good.

And, they have a point - sort of.  Roughly the first third of the film is definitely strong, but then it seems to take a turn and becomes quite a different film.  Now it's less solid and more messy that starts to mostly work on vibes and momentum rather than the tight storytelling and acting it started out with. 

It’s good fun overall with enough chaos, tension and a few moments that you might not see coming.  But it has plotlines that don't seem to go anywhere and even stylistic techniques that are abandoned about a quarter of the way through.  One minute it’s grim and bleak, the next it’s oddly sentimental or almost playful and the film doesn’t always transition smoothly between those moods. It can feel like a couple of different movies mashed into one.  Still, the acting is pretty even all the way through, so even when it stumbles, it’s rarely boring and - hopefully - the ambition counts for something.  Not a classic, but an enjoyable, uneven sequel that’s easy to recommend if you’re already invested in the series.

7/10

 The Exorcist III (1990) - Which version did I just watch?

The Exorcist III' is one of those horror sequels that is probably better (in some places!) than people expect. The original was a genuine classic which still stands up to this day, but the second sequel in the franchise kind of sneaks up on you with how genuinely creepy it can be. The atmosphere is definitely moody and unsettling, plus some of the imagery (especially the now infamous hallway scare!) will still make you jump, but whether you'll see much of Brad Dourif's excellent performance will depend on which version of the film you watch.

I don't know whether I watched the original or the director's cut, but this one felt like the studio took a hacksaw to it, as there feels like there are missing pieces every other scene. The narrative jumps around, character motivations get fuzzy and the overall story just never seems to find its stride. I'm sure there was a better movie hiding underneath the edits, but what’s left ends up being a bit messy and harder to follow than it should be.

Still, the core creepiness is strong enough to make it worth a watch, even if the final product is uneven. Solid scares, but unfortunately choppy storytelling.

5/10