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Overall Rating : 6/10
Directed By : John Lechago
Trent Haaga (Jessicka Rabid)
Victoria De Mare (Werewolf in a Women's Prison)
Al Burke (Blood Gnome)
Jessica Whitaker
Supplied By : Full Moon Features
Film Reviewed By : Rick L. Blalock
Date Reviewed : December. 7, 2010
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| PLOT Four college students on spring break cross paths with the demon clown Killjoy. And Killjoy is not going it alone this time - he has raised 3 other demon clowns: Punchy, Freakshow and Batty Boop. A mysterious mirror transports the students and the demons to Killjoy's demon realm where the students must survive diabolical trials! | ||||
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| THE REVIEW Killjoy the demon clown of revenge is back in FULL MOON's third installment, KILLJOY 3. In KILLJOY 3, Sandy, a young college student his house-sitting for one of her professors. After Sandy's house party is shut down, she invites three of her friends; Erica, Zilla and roger to stay overnight for a sleepover. The very next morning Roger wakes up to find a mysterious package at the door. Initially the four hesitate to open the package, but the curiosity soon gets to them, as they all decide to see what's inside. What they fins is in ornate antique mirror that they believe the professor to have ordered, simply for it's vanity. Without any further pondering, they hang it on the wall, but soon its obvious to them that this is no ordinary mirror. It all begins when Zilla is seemingly sucked into the mirror, and once inside, he comes face to face with his new minions; "Punchy", Freakshow, and "Batty Boop". Zilla emerges from this other dimension battered and bruised, and soon, as the others come in contact withe the mirror, they too are subjected by rather bizarre challenges brought forth by Killjoy. When Erica becomes trapped in Killjoy's realm, the 3 remaining friends, and the returning Professor must all band together to face off with Killjoy. But then again, that's exactly what KILLJOY wants, because if he kills them in his world, he is just one step closer to living in the real world, once again. Prior to seeing thyis film, I had never seen a KILLJOY film, I had only heard about them, and what I heard wasn't good. I had heard about how awfully bad the first two films were, so as a result, I never really had such desire to see them. Even with this film, the newly upcoming KILLJOY 3, I have heard nothing but negative criticism about the film(obviously from folks whom like to judge films before seeing them). So with that, I went in with my usual open-mindedness, but still was anticipating the type of film that the people who criticized it expects. One thing that is immediately different about KILLJOY 3, is the fact that the first to installments were produced outside of FULL MOON. KILLJOY 3 is the first KILLJOY feature to be produced "in-house", and while most might think that this makes little difference, trust me, it really does. The truth is that, despite all of it's naysayers, KILLJOY, whether you choose to believe it or not, is actually not bad at all. It is still on a lower budget, yes, but it is seemingly better crafted than it's 2 predecessors. To be honest, one of the other reasons that I never cared to see the others was because by the looks of the trailers, they appeared to be what i'd call "Urban". You know, the type of Horror film with a hip-hop flavor and hip-hop stereotypes? I personally think that those types are ridiculous - I was never a fan off those LEPRECHAUN IN THE HOOD movies, so I doubt that i'd enjoy those two. But in saying that, I guess I am more or less being like those who criticize this one before viewing it. But back to this film, yeah, it's really not all that bad, in fact, I mostly enjoyed it. The plot is rather decent. It begins with the guy we'd later come to know as the college Professor, going to a witch doctor. He conjures up the demon clown Killjoy to act out some revenge against some, but first he has plans of his own. He uses some of the Professor's blood to create his 3 new accomplices, accomplices that he dubs "Punchy"(a hobo-clown that is big with big hands), Freakshow(a clown who is a Mime/Siamese twin) and "Batty Boop"(a sexy succubus clown, who also serves as Killjoy's girlfriend). Disgusted by the new clowns, and disappointed because he was only looking to use Killjoy only, the Professor leaves before naming a target for his revenge plot. By the rules(I suppose), Killjoy as well has his new friends cannot walk among us without a victim being named by the "payee"> This is where the film's mirror comes into play, as it is Killjoy's effort to possibly live again. He must make sacrifices with the purgatory, for which he is trapped, so his main goal is to lure the film's characters into the realm. In a way, I would compare the premise to that of A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3 : THE DREAM WARRIORS, because the way in which Killjoy lures the characters in, or they go into is reality themselves, is really very similar. In this film however, Killjoy treats his victims to various challenges and temptations(there is even a dinner scene that has a girl as the main course, much fashioned in the way of a turkey). At just about 76 minutes in length, I do wish that KILLJOY 3 would have featured even more bizarre attractions, and that the ending might have been different, but all in all, it's pretty enjoyable in terms of it's story. As for the acting in KILLJOY 3, I have to say that I am so glad that the role of "Killjoy" is being maintained by Trent Haaga. For the last 2 KILLJOY films, Haaga has taken over the Killjoy role from the actor who portrayed the titular character in the first film, and Haaga is a good fit for the role. If KILLJOY 3 is any indication, Haaga, whom has played many roles over the course of his career, seems to be really into it when he slaps on the Killjoy make-up and garb. His performance as the character is both charismatic and witty, making it fun to watch the character. While Killjoy just might be the most interesting character of the bunch, the three new clown are good fun too. They all look great(heck, "Batty Boop" (Victoria De Mare), is virtually nude the entire film, wearing nothing but body paint), and really have potential to be expended upon. Although we are treated to a little of the three here, there definitely could've been more(which if FULL MOON sticks to their usual way if producing, it's likely that we haven't seen the end of the characters anyway)/ TO be honest, the film's main attraction are the clowns and the actors that play them, so as far as the other actors, i'd say that it's a mixed bag, no one's really a standout, yet no one is just downright awful either. In KILLJOY 3, FULL MOON "resurrects" one of it's best looking character for what is yet another episode, but it is truly not as bad as one might believe it to be. |
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| GORE
METER 4.5/10 There's a bloodied face, a body that's devoured like poultry, a decapitation, someone who is crushed "cartoon style", an impalment and some exposed intestines. |
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MUSICAL
SCORE 4.5/10 The film's score has a rather wide range. Sometimes it's soft, which other times it is suspenseful, and pounding. Mostly, it adjusts to fit various scenes appropriately. | ||||
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| OVERALL
IMPRESSION OF THE FILM As I mentioned, despite fearing the worst, on account of it's reputation with fans, I was surprised to find that the latest offering from the KILLJOY series is actually an enjoyable film. If you go into it not having your mind set on hating it right out of the gate, you just might find that there is something to enjoy here. No, the story won't require any thinking, as it is hardly complex, but it is a fun film for what it is, and has it's moments. Give it a try! This movie can be purchased now as part of the KILLJOY Boxset available online at FullMoonDirect.com, while an individual release will follow on December 14th, 2010. |
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