(In theaters, October 2003) The good news are that most of the the overly gross moments of the first two films of the series have been removed; what remains may not be too tasteful (decapitations, paedophilia and dismemberment are featured here and there) but at least it’s more palatable than before. Veteran spoof director David Zucker overuses slapstick over more amusing silliness (witness the “seven days” exchange), but Scary Movie 3 still feels a lot more respectable for it. Alas, the bad news are that the comedic highlights of the first two films have also been filed off, with an overall result that is a lot more tepid than it should be. The film floats from one grin to another, with few belly-laughs in between. The visual and cinematographic re-creation of the parodies (Signs, The Ring, 8 Mile, etc) is irreproachable, but the film often does next to nothing with the material it’s given. Leslie Nielsen, continues to be obnoxious with his usual shtick, though I wonder how many will get the joke of his last appearance in the film. All in all, a rather mixed effort that feels somewhat lazy. Not the bottom of the barrel (and certainly a step up from the past five year’s worth of spoof comedies), but still far away from the genre’s best efforts. Catch it on TV late at night.
(Second Viewing, On Cable TV, October 2021) No one in their right mind will call Scary Movie 3 a good movie, or even a particularly fine example of a spoof: It’s loose, frequently witless and overly fond of a specific repetitive form of physical violence comedy. But at least it’s a step up from the second film: funnier, cleverer and far more even as well. Much of this can probably be attributed to a change in writers and directors, going from the inconsistent Wayan Brothers to spoof comedy veteran David Zucker (of ZAZ fame). The pacing is slightly better, the jokes aren’t as milked dry, and the film’s comic instincts aren’t as dumbfounding as previous films in the series. On the other hand, the occasional grossness, frequent vulgarity and constant physical violence used a punchline quickly get tiresome. Still, the main plotline, lifting equally from Signs and The Ring (among other movies added for flavour), is more chaotic and interesting. Anna Faris is back in blonde, with some surprisingly big names in cameos from Charlie Sheen to Leslie Nielsen. Regina Hall disappears from the film too soon, but there are so many brief roles from various familiar faces (including an early role for Kevin Hart) that there is a lot to see anyway. Scary Movie 3 is not a great spoof, but it is watchable and doesn’t have the lengthy laugh-free, slightly repulsive moments of its predecessor. As I continue my Scary Movie five-night marathon, I’m reassured that the fourth film is (if I recall correctly) more or less of equal quality than the third one.
