This is the sixth installment of a series of DVD reviews of motion pictures adapted from stories written by H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937).
"BEYOND RE-ANIMATOR" (U.S. Issue DVD; 2003; Lions Gate)
BASIS:
Although this is the third in the series of "Re-Animator" motion pictures, the only elements used from the original short story is, of course, Dr. Herbert West and his reagent. The rest is an original story.
PRODUCTION:
Although directed by Brian Yuzna, this production was entirely shot in Spain. The story by Miguel Tejada-Flores and screenplay by José Manuel Gómez is by no means up to the standards set by the first two Re-Animator films. However, the film does have what it takes to be, what may be, the final chapter in the Re-Animator Saga: Jeffrey Combs!
There are times when the Spanish production values creep through into the film, but these are minimal (dubbing English mostly) and the films effects are pretty good and are on par with the other two films.
"Beyond Re-Animator" premiered on the Sy-Fy Channel with a PG rating. I remember waiting for the movie to come out and hating to have to wait through the commercials when it finally was aired!
The US DVD is rated R, but other countries have an unrated cut floating around out there somewhere.
THE STORY:
The story begins the night of the ending of "Bride of Re-Animator" as Dr. Herbert West is being arrested and placed into the back of a patrol car. A young man, whose sister was just killed by one of Wests rampant experiments, watches as West is carried away. The young boy discovers a syringe dropped by West containing a small amount of reagent.
DR. West (Jeffrey Combs) behind bars.
The Wardens work of never ending executions.
Execution of the sadistic Warden by West.
14 years later, that young man, Dr.Howard Phillips (Jason Barry) has been employed at the very prison where West has been serving out his sentence.
West, in the interim, has been experimenting on rats and has discovered what he calls "Nano-plasmic energy" and he believes it to be the missing link to a successful reanimation in humans.
The Wardens victim....reanimated.
Once West is reunited with the reagent, all hell will break loose within the confines of the prison. A dope addict thinks it's a drug to get high and over injects himself and literally explodes into living bits and parts, nano- energy is swapped creating strange human/rat hybrids, and of course- our hero West finds a way to slip through the chaos and simply walks away into the darkness....
Don't do drugs, kids...you never know what's in them.
THE DVD:
Lions Gate DVD US Cover (2003)
The movie is good, but definitely not on par with the original. However, it has it's merits. The DVD is pretty standard fare and I could have done without that silly "Music Video". This is the only U.S. Issue that I am aware of.
Special Features:
Directors Commentary
Making of Featurette
Music Video
16x9 Aspect Ratio
5.1 Dolby Digital Sound
Running Time: 95 minutes.
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