Beyond Re-Animator (2003)

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

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.

The only reason I actually watched this movie is because I went on IMDb and checked the rating and reviews and they were all half way decent so I decided to give it a chance...Boy did I make a mistake. The movie its self is just boring and lame. The special effects are absolutely terrible and the acting is beyond words. Under no circumstances should you watch this movie it will make you want to cut your ears off because some of the actors may be the worst I have ever seen. This movie took 3 million dollars and completely threw it away I have seen better horror movies made with 50 thousand. Not even good for a one time watch don't listen to the IMDb rating and make sure you pass over this one.

This is a movie that works out much better than the second one did. All I can say is that Brian Yuzna had definitely grown- and gained more experience as a director, since he doesn't make the same mistakes he still did make with the second movie out of the series, which he also had directed.It's still far from a great movie but it's just still such a big relief that it isn't half as bad as its disappointing predecessor. the most pleasant thing about this movie is that it thankfully features some good comedy again. It's a fun movie to watch. And also nothing more than that really but that's really enough to still consider this a watchable enough movie.The first sequel "Bride of Re-Animator" felt the need to be just like the first movie, which meant that it basically was a less impressive rehash of the first movie really. It also made the mistake by featuring most characters out of the first movie again, while this third movie is far more original with its story and also has lots of new characters in it. Dr. Herbert West is the only returning character and also was the only one needed really. It actually also makes this movie work out way better as a sequel and it made me wish that the second movie never got made at all and this is the only true sequel to the cult-classic "Re-Animator", from 1985.It's still a movie that does plenty wrong though. Even though the story is more original this time, it isn't exactly being a solid one either. Especially the second half of the movie feels quite messy and the movie starts to loose the focus on its main characters. If the movie would had been more like its first half, it would had been a much better movie entirely.But I at least never got really bored with it and I also never hated anything about it. The movie managed to find the right balance between all of its comedy and B-movie ingredients, which made this movie work out as a genuinely fun one to watch.It was also a well looking movie, that besides featured some good effects and gore in it. All despite its very low budget. Especially when you start putting all those things in perspective, this is simply a good movie to watch, within its genre.Finally, after 18 years, a worthy and fun enough sequel to "Re-Animator"!6/10 http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

West is back once againAfter a re-animated corpse attacks and kills a teenage girl, Emily Phillips, West is sent to jail (amazingly for the first time ever) and her little brother Howie finds a syringe with the serum in it, and thus begins his life work. Fast forward 13 years, West is incarcerated in a jail run by the sadistic Warden Brando. His neighboring cell houses the insanely god-fearing "Moses", and the rat-loving Cabrera. When West kills his rat, Ratty for his new experiments, things go downhill from there. Howie is hired as the new doctor at the jail, and soon falls in love with a journalist interviewing Brando, Laura Olney. West soon takes Howie as his new side-kick and shows him the ways of re-animation. However, it soon turns into another disaster as a prison riot breaks out, and some of the main characters (who have been re-animated) are in the crowd.West manages to escape death and/or jail again and get away.I cant wait to see the 4th movie, House of Re-Animator.But until then, this movie will do just fine