There's a
certain progression apparent in this series: from video-watching to
cinema-going and, now, film-making, for the third installment is based
around the set of Stab 3, whose actors are being killed in the order
their characters die in the script. The film still runs headlong into the
same problem as before, wanting to make fun of slasher cliches, yet unable
to avoid them, since they're so necessary. Thus, Campbell goes
a-wandering around deserted sound-stages, even though by now she should
really know better. It's therefore just as tedious as any other
genre entry, despite the amusing idea of having the Stab 3 cast meeting
their "real-life" inspirations (Courtney Cox and Parker Posey as the two
'Gail Weathers' work especially well). The odd jabs at satire work not badly,
and it's a shame Craven resorts to the hackneyed conclusion. I'm reminded
of Jeff Goldblum's comment in Jurassic Park: no matter how it
starts, you know this is going to end in nothing but running and
screaming.
D
