10 Alternative Films For Valentine's Day

6. Rec: Genesis

rec 3 genesis.jpg
Magnolia Pictures

The most romantic entry in the Rec franchise, Genesis opens with a wedding ceremony interrupted by zombies, but Clara (Leticia Dolera) isn’t going to allow that to spoil her big day so it’s not long before she’s cutting down the advancing horde with an impossibly phallic (and very conveniently placed) chainsaw.

Ditching Rec 2’s po-faced seriousness in favour of the playful, cartoonish tone of Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror, director Paco Plaza follows “found footage” convention for a while, then he has a character put the boot to the camera and resorts to traditional cinematography. Which is great fun if you thought Rec 2 fumbled the ball, but watch out if you wanted more of the same.

Fans of “serious” horror will not be enamoured of scenes where zombies are killed with egg whisks, nor of a character who calls himself Sponge John because Sponge Bob taken. Whatever you feelings, one thing’s certain: Rec 3 will never be mistaken for its predecessors. Can’t say that about Paranormal Activity 3, can you?

Contributor

Ian Watson is the author of 'Midnight Movie Madness', a 600+ page guide to "bad" movies from 'Reefer Madness' to 'Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead.'