Highly Overrated But Still Good

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

After watching the third installment, it felt like the franchise is dead and they have completely ruined it. but surprisingly enough the creators understood their massive mistake and got back on course with the final chapter.Again, just like in part 3 everything looks more professional, more of a ''Hollywood'' style, if i may. They chose to move away from their ''homemade'' horror niche into the mainstream, which was not such a massive fail in comparison to part 3, which was utterly atrocious. The original main character, who started the series off is reintroduced, which is already a massive plus, since people have already grown to like her awesome performances in part 1. This time action takes place on a ship and takes more of an action movie kind of a route instead of its original shaky, thrilling and scary setting. They opt for more fights and bloody scenes, instead of jump scares and suspense, which was not horrible in this case, but it took a way the original feeling the first two parts gave us.Altogether, the final installment explained quite a lot, everything we have seen before came together, was a little out in the open and blatant, but still a massive improvement from part 3. It has been announced it is the final chapter, but the creators left it very easy for them to continue this series, if they wanted to, with a very open ending with a lot of future possibilities. So, perhaps we are going to see REC 5 after all?

REC 4 opens as army doctor Guzmán (Paco Manzanedo) and soldier Lucas (Críspulo Cabezas) rescue TV reporter Ángela Vidal (Manuela Velasco) from the apartment block where the original movie took place. The trio are put on a quarantine ship where scientists conduct experiments into creating an antivirus. However, the true nature of the infection means that it isn't long before the survivors are running for their lives from drooling, crazed, flesh-hungry 'zombies'.Part 3 of the REC series had quite a lot of detractors, but I enjoyed it for its refreshing change in approach, which saw the introduction of a touch of humour and a lot more splatter. REC 4: Apocalypse is a return to the dark, claustrophobic atmosphere of the first two films (but thankfully, with minimal found footage style camera-work); as such, it will be seen as a welcome case of 'back to basics' by many, but to me it felt very predictable, and, as a result, less satisfying. I also found the gore lacking and was surprised by how few scares there were.Oh well, at least director Jaume Balagueró had his heroine strip to a tight white vest and got her good and sweaty for the finalé (sometimes, it's the simple things in life).5.5 out of 10, generously rounded up to 6 for IMDb.

Now I really found the reporter and the protagonist of the first "REC" to be really annoying and just ticked me off. And I couldn't buy her trying to be a badass in this movie. But what I really couldn't buy was the fact that one of the character in this movie is actually a fan of hers. Compared to "REC" 1 and 2 this is the weakest one, despite it probably having a bigger budget. Let's just pretend that "REC 3: Genesis" didn't happen. So after that female reporter gets rescued and is on a confines of a ship things start to go haywire when the crew start turning into demon zombies. It's like they took out the build up of the first two "REC" movies and tried to make a new zombie flick. The found footage aspect of the first two "REC" movies. Where it takes place in first person view has been taken out of the equation. For a more generic direction with predictable twists and boring premise. It's like the director didn't have any new ideas but just tried to tackle this project to finish off the story. When it comes down to it, it's a very formulaic zombie flick that takes place on a ship. It's actually quite a disappointment when the first two films in this franchise actually stood out.5.5/10

'REC 4: APOCALYPSE': Four Stars (Out of Five)The fourth (and supposedly final) installment in the popular Spanish horror franchise 'REC'. Jaume Balaguero, who directed the first two films, returns to direct and co-write this movie; along with Manu Diez (who also co-wrote 'REC 2'). Manuela Velasco also reprises her role, from the first two films, as Ángela Vidal; a reporter still trying to survive a deadly virus infection, that turns people into violent zombielike killers. The story picks up right where the second film left off, and takes place on a boat; where scientists are trying to learn more about the deadly sickness. It also stars Paco Manzanedo, Ismael Fritschi, Críspulo Cabezas and Héctor Colomé. I found it to be a very effective (and well made) entry, in the low-budget zombie apocalypse genre.The film begins with Ángela (Velasco), being rescued by a swat team; in the virus infected apartment complex (where the last film ended). She then wakes up on an oil tanker, miles away, where a doctor (Paco Obregón) is performing tests on her; and she has no memory of recent events. She later meets a GEO, named Guzman (Manzanedo), while trying to escape the facility she's being held in. She also meets Doctor Ricarte (Colomé); who assures her, and others, that Ángela isn't infected. Things take a turn for the worse, anyway, when an infected monkey escapes it's confinements; and everyone starts turning into zombies. It's a viscous fight for survival once again. I haven't seen the first two movies, in the series, I did see the American remake ('QUARANTINE') and the third installment though. So I'm not as familiar with the franchise, obviously, as hardcore fans are, but I still really enjoyed this film. It's just really well made, it looks great, the directing and acting both seem more than adequate and it's just a really entertaining horror flick! I can't compare it to the first two movies, obviously, but I do remember I really enjoyed the third film, as well though. Just as a stand- alone zombie flick, I think it's really well done.Watch our movie review show at: https://youtu.be/BpWXjqkP56w