DVD Review: The Grudge 3 (2009)

Toby Wilkins did a great job directing Splinter, so I'm curious to see what he does with a sequel from a popular franchise...

Cast Members of Note- Shawnee Smith! Johanna Braddy, and Matthew Knight.

With the kid from the end of The Grudge 2 locked in an insane asylum and babbling about dead Asian women and meowing little ghost boys, it's up to Dr. Shawnee Smith (Dr. Sex, if you nastay) and her hotness to inject him with Thorazine and pat his head while saying "Sure you saw ghosts. Sure you did."

Dr. Sex on the prowl.

Obviously the kid bites it, and Dr. Sex heads off to unravel the mystery of his insane babbling. While investigating, she meets the family who runs his old apartment building, and learns that "strange things" have been happening to them too... it seems as if everyone sees meowing little ghost boys in this building. Our favorite ghost family with a grudge starts offing neighbors left and right, possessing people, and doing home repairs... it seems as if people can still be very handy in the afterlife! I won't ruin the ending here, but suffice it to say that you can never truly escape the Ju-on.

"Candy-gram!"

With a slew of uninspired sequels taking the DTV route lately (Vacancy 2, Boogeyman 3, Pulse 2 and 3, Feast 2 and 3, etc...), Grudge 3 stands above them all in terms of quality and storyline. It isn't perfect mind you, but it's far from the kick in the nuts that 3rd installments in most series' usually give us. I particularly liked the ending of this one, as in the whole "trying to stop the curse" thing, though the final shot was a tad predictable. It was mostly satisfying.

G3 was well made overall, and didn't overuse the ever popular "jump scare" to death. I really liked the scene where Shawnee is talking with Johanna; it was quiet and very indicative of the mood that Wilkins goes for. I'm a sucker for snow scenes, what can I say.

Also, this movie is creepy.

***SPOILERS*** Did Shawnee Smith deserve what she got in this movie? I don't think so! She is a genre queen, and very hot, and she deserves better than only making it halfway through the movie! Also, she deserves nude scenes. Lesbian nude scenes.

She could even do a nude lesbian scene with Johanna Braddy here.

I have never been creeped out by Mr. Potato Head until now.

I am so throwing mine away after seeing Grudge 3.

G3 was surprisingly gory, especially towards the end.

Nice.

Nope.

Dear Shawnee, please get naked soon, love, everyone.

"Ahhh...ahhh...ahhh...ahhh..." or "Meow!" Yeah, pretty much the same things we heard in the first two.

DTV releases aren't all total crap. Also, the grudge really can't be stopped, now can it?

Pretty sure it's safe to assume that she will not be in the sequel.

It wasn't as good as the first two, but it managed to hold it's own for the most part and be a decent addition to the series. If you love the series, buy it, if you're on the fence, rent it. Either way, this one is worth a watch.

C

The Grudge 3 is available now on DVD and VOD.

Shawnee Smith is one of the all-time greatest Horror Hotties of ever!