Instead of waiting another three weeks like I did last time, I’ve decided to jump into the final chapter of Stevan Mena’s slasher trilogy right away. After watching and reviewing part two just yesterday, it was only fitting to give Malevolence 3: Killer its time to shine.
The Plot
Martin Bristol is all grown up and on the run for the first time since being kidnapped as a young boy. Venturing away from the Sutter meat packing plant for the first time in over 10 years, Martin is believed to be on the hunt for the only thing connecting him to the real world — his mother.
My Thoughts
The third and final film in writer/producer/director Stevan Mena’s trilogy, Malevolence 3: Killer actually serves as a direct sequel to 2004’s entry, picking up right where those events left off. Martin is on the run and is doing what he has been taught, what he knows best, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake.
How do you stop a killer who doesn’t react to any type of pain? Sure, we’ve seen this sort of thing from the likes of Jason and Michael for decades, but there has never been an explanation for this type of behavior that wasn’t purely of the supernatural realm.
If you read my review of Malevolence 2: Bereavement, you’ll have seen my remarks about Stevan Mena giving young Martin a neurological disorder called congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis. CIPA inhibits the ability to feel pain or any change in temperature, making it impossible to know when one has been hurt, burned, etc. This type of real-world affliction keeps things planted in a natural order while still giving our now teenage antagonist the ability to pull off some incredible feats, making him seemingly unstoppable along the way.
Like the two films that came before it, Malevolence 3: Killer is more than your average slasher flick. Mena, who acts not only as the film’s writer, producer, and director, but also director of photography and composer, among other things I’m sure, has an uncanny knack for writing effective backstories for almost all of his characters.
The movie’s main protagonist Elle, played incredibly well by Katie Gibson, is not just another would-be final girl. Instead, her character is fleshed out as a student musician who is dealing with a cheating ex-boyfriend and more. The same can be said for a few other characters introduced throughout the film’s 88 minutes, providing more depth than any potential slasher victim even truly deserves.
Aside from Gibson, we are treated by other competent performers including a young Victoria Mena, who’s relationship to Stevan I’m not quite sure of, a returning [from 2010’s Bereavement] Ashley Wolfe as Martin’s mother, Katherine, and Kevin McKelvey reprising his role from ’04 as Special Agent William Perkins.
On top of this, genre fans will rejoice as a little extra star power is added by the presence of legendary scream queen, Adrienne Barbeau (The Fog, Escape from New York).
Perhaps more important than any of this, especially for diehard blood junkies, is how the kills and gore all looked, am I right? Well, worry not your little heads as every stab, slice, and chop seen from start to finish is executed beautifully with practical special effects. Malevolence 3: Killer actually boasts quite a large body count for our killer-on-the-run, as well, so be prepared for a lot of bloodshed.
Malevolence 3: Killer at Home
Just as the last two entries were both given brand new home release treatment, so too has Malevolence 3: Killer.
The film is available now in a limited Blu-ray and DVD combo pack from Mena Films. The film is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen format with Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 English audio tracks and optional English and Spanish subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Thirst final chapter in the Malevolence trilogy comes with its own set of special bonus material including theatrical trailers, a stills montage, audio commentary from Stevan Mena himself, and two behind-the-scenes making-of featurettes.
The Verdict
Malevolence 3: Killer, just like its predecessors, is an enjoyable slasher that proves to be in the upper echelon of the slasher sub-genre. Mena is able to do things with a modest budget that most other filmmakers just can’t seem to rival, making for a great time from start to finish.
Be sure to pick up a copy of Malevolence 3: Killer, along with Malevolence and Malevolence 2: Bereavement, for your own collection, as I give this one 3.5 bull God skulls out of 5.
