[REC]⁴ Apocalypse, 2014

Jaume Balagueró returns to direct the fourth film in the [Rec] franchise. Having learned the ropes on the job at [Rec] 1, 2007 and [Rec] 2, 2009; Apocalypse is confident in its execution. The director shoots his scene with a frenzied urgency and takes cues from films like the superb The Hidden, 1987 in ways people kiss and from posters showing tiny hand impressions pushing from inside the oven. Thankfully there is very little of that.

However, “what we have here is failure to communicate”; the script keeps us confused with whose side to take. And that is a good thing. Sometimes getting things misunderstood is the way of the movie gods.

Apocalypse starts where part one ended. Reporter Manuela Velasco returns to play her character that was pulled/dragged away from the POV into complete green darkness. She looks very different here; from her cheerful disposition eight years ago to a person who has survived one of Jigsaw‘s traps. She is a fine performer and an action hero, even if she is wide-eyed with dilated pupils and suffering from severe trauma, throughout. It could be cocaine to keep fatigue at bay. Or it could also be wishful thinking of a true, hand-to-OTC addict.

“Get Away From Her You Bitch”

The best part of the film is that the narrative puts us to sea, it takes us away thousands of miles into isolation and quarantines, maritime boundaries. Then fucking Congo, 1995 happens without Herkermer Homolka, the evil Clown from IT, 2017.

The film is action packed with loads of pig or zombie blood and scenes showing flesh being torn and tendons stuck in the teeth and fist fights with Commando Zombies and Joseph Mengele type super awesome fucking special presidential crew-pass top secret scientists.

I wanna crew pass too…

I’m not telling anymore, just that the claustrophobia and the raving mad zombies and the cast make this film quite a treat to watch.

Hmmm… yeah.