3 from Hell

The American movie 3 from Hell is an example of Rob Zombie being stuck on the same old characters and wanting to return to them now and then. However, he, unfortunately, does not do this when he actually has something to say or a story he could develop. It feels like he just wants to have another trio of insane killers who roam around the underworld going nowhere. This was two hours of my life I am never getting back. (03/04/2020)

A zombie swan song; no script, no budget, no traditional mainstays, no structure, no build-up and no ending. On the other hand, its has an excessively long running time, hardly believable levels of self-centredness and old actors who used to be stars a long time ago. And yet they managed to make a decent B-movie, though the ending taken from Outcasts ruins everything, but it essentially cannot offend anyone except with the fact that this move is completely useless. On the other hand, we cannot deny that it also has a few (literally) light moment. (07/24/2020)

Elderly hippie killers without motivation on the run. Rob Zombie is definitely on their side and likes to let them massacre the innocent. The film has a great start, but the audience’s enthusiasm gradually fades. The second act is still entertaining, but the last one is protracted and hopelessly wastes the potential of both the setting and the characters. [Sitges FF] (10/05/2019)

Rob Zombie is a master of style, but the content of this movie suffered as it slipped out of his hands. 3 from Hell thus serves as more like a succession of episodes concerning prison escapes and repetitively murderous rampages by the Firefly family than a single movie. It works like a stylishly filmed retro ‘70s exploitation B-movie full of action and buzz, but it seems that Rob gave up any higher ambitions. Reportedly before and during the making of the movie, the screenplay was noticeably rewritten (mainly due to the deteriorating health of Sid Haig, who appears in only one scene at the beginning of the movie instead of starring in the main role), and Zombie's original vision was pretty much fragmented, so I think that only die-hard fans of the previous two installments of this trilogy will probably rejoice at this movie, however, otherwise disinterested audiences will certainly be unlikely to engage with 3 from Hell. [Sitges 2019] (10/04/2019)

In the case of Three from Hell, the trailer was more a deterrent than an enticement, so the film itself being at least what it is was a pretty pleasant surprise. This, of course, doesn’t alter the fact that is hard to find anything more pointless. What’s the point of it? What is its added value to The Devil's Rejects? Absolute zero. Especially since Sid Haig evidently could not take part given his health, and his place was rewritten and replaced by another interchangeable tough lunatic. Rob Zombie is embarrassing in his whimsical, tough and cool dirty world that might have been interesting fifteen years ago, but that today can be easily waved off. Keep on playing, Rob, if you’re having fun. (10/04/2019)