REC]³: Genesis - A Wedding Day Horror That Lost Its Way

[REC]³: Genesis is the third instalment in the iconic Spanish horror franchise, but unlike its predecessors, this one takes a sharp turn in style and tone. Directed and co-written by Paco Plaza, it starts with the familiar found footage format during the wedding scenes before switching to a more traditional cinematic style. Set during the same timeline as the first movie, it follows newlyweds Clara (Leticia Dolera) and Koldo (Diego Martín) as their wedding day is thrown into chaos by a sudden viral outbreak.

Now, I’m not going to lie, I had to sit with this one for a while. I remember liking it the first time I saw it, but rewatching it now left me confused. Something just didn’t sit right.

The biggest shift here is the tone. Gone is the tight, tense atmosphere and urgency of the first two films. This one starts off in the familiar handheld found-footage style during the wedding video, which I thought was a nice touch - it gave that same raw realism as the original. But then it suddenly switches to a traditional cinematic perspective, which felt jarring. That shift completely breaks the immersive style that made REC stand out. If you’re going to call the film “REC,” you expect that recorded, documentary feel throughout.

The change of location, set mostly outdoors and in daylight, gives it a completely different vibe. The infection has spread beyond the building, creating a fresh yet unsettling reality. In a clever twist, this third part also ties together plot threads from the first two films and leaves the door open for the final instalment, [REC] 4: Apocalypse.

There are moments that work. I liked the wedding setting - it’s a fresh concept in a genre that often feels recycled. Some of the gore is fun, and Leticia Dolera brings real energy to her role. But overall, the shift into black comedy does not land. It felt like it was trying to be Shaun of the Dead at times, but without the same charm or sharp writing. I honestly was not sure if the humour was intentional or if I was just laughing at how ridiculous some of it got.

The soundtrack and sound design tried to add tension but often missed the mark for me. It did not have the creepy, unsettling vibe that the earlier films pulled off so well. The audio never quite built that sense of paranoia or fear.

Another big issue was the zombies - or demons - suddenly being slow. One of the things I loved about the first REC film was how fast and terrifying they were. It kept you breathless. Here, the pacing wasn’t always consistent, with moments that lagged and others that rushed, which affected the overall flow for me.

The acting was mixed. Leticia Dolera stood out, and Diego Martín had some solid moments too. But the writing did not give the cast much to work with. Some character choices under pressure were so illogical that it pulled me right out of the experience. Sadly, I did not feel very invested in the characters overall.

Visually, it looks cleaner and more polished, but that is also part of the problem. It does not feel like a REC film. The intense, handheld suspense of the first two is gone, and with it, the franchise’s identity. This felt more like a spin-off than a direct sequel.

I still think it is not entirely a lost cause, and maybe [REC] 4: Apocalypse ties it all together - I have not seen that one yet - but as a standalone, this just did not do it for me.

In the end, [REC]³: Genesis feels like a detour rather than a true continuation of the series. It experiments with new ideas, but those changes come at the cost of the tension and intimacy that made the originals so gripping. Maybe fans of black comedy horror will appreciate it more, but for me, it just did not have the heart or the fear factor. I am still curious to see how it all wraps up in the final film, but this one will not be high on my rewatch list.

If you are a fan of the first two films and prefer your horror tense and immersive, I would suggest giving this one a miss. However, if you like action-horror mixed with some dark comedy, you might find something to enjoy here.

2 out of 5

Overall, I would give [REC]³: Genesis a 2 out of 5. It has moments, but it just does not capture the magic of the first two films.

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