The next chapter in the story of the Firefly clan commences in Rob Zombie‘s newest movie 3 from Hell, and the bloody horror flick is Rob Zombie at his Rob Zombiest. By that, I mean that the sequel is definitely not short on what we’ve come to expect from Zombie’s horror flicks: gratuitous violence, graphic nudity, deplorable characters, and a high body count. In other words, we aren’t seeing much new from Zombie that we haven’t seen before, but 3 from Hell will likely still leave most of the filmmaker’s fans feeling satisfied.
WARNING: Mild spoilers ahead…
After previously appearing in House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects, Bill Moseley, Sheri Moon Zombie, and Sid Haig all return as Otis Driftwood, Baby Firefly, and Captain Spaulding. However, Haig is oddly enough not one of the titular 3, as he was only able to appear in the role in a limited capacity. I knew this going into the film and understand the reasoning behind it, but it’s still difficult not to wish Haig had a bigger presence in the film. I would even go so far as to say his inclusion is 3 from Hell‘s brightest spot.
Filling the void from Spaulding’s absence is Otis’ half-brother Foxy; draw your own conclusions as to where he’s been for the past two movies. The character is well-cast with Richard Brake in the role, and he does seem believable as a member of the Firefly family. Still, it’s hard to shake the feeling much of his material was originally written for Captain Spaulding before being rewritten with this new character (which, according to Zombie himself, is exactly what happened).
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Because this is a brutal horror film and not a legal drama, you can probably surmise before seeing the film that the evil that is the Firefly clan cannot be contained. After miraculously surviving their shootout with the police in The Devil’s Rejects, the Fireflys are all incarcerated for their crimes. Of course, they find a way to break free to take the madness back on the road in the best way they know how. B
Make no mistake, the Fireflys are sadistic, and plenty of blood is spilled in 3 from Hell. There are moments where the film teeters on torture porn, but pushing these boundaries is what Zombie has come to be known for. For the most part, the kills are dark and unsettling, although they are very well-done. More so than most other horror movie murderers, the Firefly family members appear to take tremendous pleasure in the suffering of others (especially Baby). Not that you should expect anything different from Zombie, but you should know this going in.
Overall, 3 from Hell feels a bit like a “greatest hits” movie from Rob Zombie. It doesn’t really seem like the Fireflys are treading into any new waters in the film, and yet, it’s a very fun watch for fans of House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects. I’m not sure Zombie was able to successfully make the killers as sympathetic as he was hoping for, but there’s a nice little story about a family bond underneath the pile of bodies left by the Fireflys. However, I think I’d rather see the series cap off as a trilogy at this point, rather than trying to continue the story in another sequel.
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Rob Zombie’s 3 from Hell will again show in theaters on Sept. 17 and Sept. 18, courtesy of Fathom Events. If there are any tickets left in your area, you might want to jump on them now. If you miss the film in theaters, you can look forward to the home video release, which will reportedly arrive in October.
Synopsis: First there was House of 1000 Corpses. Then there was The Devil’s Rejects. Now, from writer/director Rob Zombie, comes the next blood-soaked chapter in the most violent crime saga in history… 3 From Hell.
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