Official Plot Description: First there was House of 1000 Corpses. Then there was The Devils Rejects. Now, from writer-director Rob Zombie, comes the next blood-soaked chapter in the most violent crime saga in movie history: 3 From Hell. After barely surviving a furious shootout with the police, Baby Firefly (Sheri Moon Zombie), Otis Driftwood (Bill Moseley), and Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig) are behind bars. But pure evil cannot be contained, and a firestorm of murder, madness, and mayhem will be released in this terror ride from Hell…and back.
3 From Hell takes place after the Firefly family somehow survives the shootout at the end of The Devil’s Rejects. Reporters mention that there was a zero percent chance that anyone could have survived the bullet wounds that Baby, Spaulding and Otis sustained, but they miraculously pull through. All three are sent to trial and sentenced to death for their crimes, despite the support of the citizens to release them.
Spaulding is the first to die via capital punishment, with Otis to fall close behind. However, with a little help from half brother Foxy (Richard Brake), Otis escapes on an off-site work assignment, takes the warden and his family hostage and offers them their lives in exchange for the escape of their little sister, Baby.
While I enjoyed the film, I cannot say it was the best Rob Zombie has ever offered. It is basically a cut and paste copy of The Devil’s Rejects script with new locations and a new character to replace Captain Spaulding.
In Rejects, the family escapes the cops, kills a group of people gathered together in a motel room, runs off to a brothel where they are betrayed by the owner, an angry family member of a victim kidnaps them in an attempt for revenge and then they are rescued by Tiny (Matthew McGrory), their very large relative. Once you watch 3 From Hell, you will notice that all of these things happen–in one way or another–and to me, it feels like it is expected that the fans are too stupid to pay attention to it.
3 From Hell is going to be a hit or miss for fans of House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects. The lack of Captain Spaulding is certainly felt, but could not be avoided due to Sid Haig’s (Rest in Peace) health issues. Foxy is not a perfect replacement, but certainly helps soften the blow. Baby is more mentally unstable than ever, which is something that I definitely enjoyed because it makes her murder spree feel more intense than before. She clearly enjoys the killing more than in the previous films. Otis, on the other hand, has not changed a bit. You can expect the same old one-liners and immature dialogue to come out of his mouth.
Now, if you are going to pick up a copy of 3 From Hell, you will want to know about the special features, of which there are only two, “To Hell and Back: The Making of 3 From Hell” and audio commentary by director Rob Zombie.
“To Hell and Back” is a four part documentary, breaking down the various aspects of the film and the challenges behind bringing it all together. For example, we are given a behind the scenes look at how Rob Zombie decorates each set to capture the feel needed for each scene. We learn how he personally chooses each piece of wardrobe, even bringing personal clothes from home. We are shown how CGI brought certain weapons to life so that none of the actors would be harmed in the making of the film. We are even shown the difficulties the cast and crew faced in order to get the film made in a certain amount of days in order to stay on budget. Overall, it was an interesting watch, full of entertaining and educational tidbits.
As for the audio commentary, it is exactly what you would come to expect from a Rob Zombie commentary. You’re treated to little bits of trivia that you could only get from him, little opinion pieces and, of course, colorful tidbits on each part of the film.
Overall, despite the laziness of it, I did enjoy 3 From Hell. There were some fun kills and, being that Baby is my favorite Firefly, it should say something that I enjoyed her more in this film than in the previous two. The acting is questionable at points and the dialogue is as immature as ever, but I think it is worth the watch—if only to have just a little more Firefly in our lives.
