REC 4: APOCALYPSE/ REC 4: APOCALIPSIS


Spain, 2014, 95 minutes, Colour.
Manuela Velasco, Paco Manzanedo, Hector Colome, Ismael Fritschi, Crispulo Cabezas.
Directed by Jaume Balaguero.

The Rec series was very popular, the first being hailed, the second being appreciated, the third not being appreciated. This finale to the series takes up the themes of the first film, the star journalist who went into the infected building and became involved in all the action – but here, having to be rescued, with the fear that she has been infected, the need for doctors to examine her, to determine whether she has a parasite and to try to prepare an antidote.

The first films used reportage, hand-held camera – this film is much more classically photographed, for the better.

While there are some scenes in the infected building, the medical explanation from the early films seems to be confirmed while the religious dimension, the intervention of the Vatican, the demonic possession, are referred to but not followed through.

Most of the action takes place on an isolated ship, the doctor and his team working secretly to investigate the virus and prepare an antidote. Needless to say, they fail and become victims. It turns out that the journalist is not infected but one of her rescuers, one of the military, is now the host – which brings a whole lot of final conflict, the death of many of the crew, the doctors, with only the journalist and friendly IT expert the survivors.

This film is directed by Jaume Balaguero, who directed the first two films.

1. The popularity of the original film (and American remake, Quarantine)? The sequels? The lack of support for the third film? Critical appreciation of this conclusion of the series?

2. The basic premise of the original film? The building and the quarantine? The role of the journalist and her being inside and experiencing everything? The police and the military and the other special forces? The victims, plague, becoming the living dead, infecting others, the need for rescue? The physical explanations in the first film? The introduction of the religious dimension, possession in the second film? This finale and return to the original premise? Some references to the religious dimension?

3. This film taking up the story of the journalist, her enterprise, in the first film, initiatives? In this film, rescued, the possible infection? On the ship?

4. The introduction of the two guards, the friendship, setting of the detonations, the need for the rescue, the escape? Transferred to the boat?

5. The previous film’s relying on reportage, hand-held camera? The photography more objective?

6. The setup on the boat, the mystery? The details of the ship, the cabins, the corridors, the laboratory, sealed off? The captain, the steering, the IT expert?

7. The isolation, the secrecy, the work against time? The experiments with the survivors? The journalist on board, seclusion? The old lady from the wedding, the dimension, eventually being transformed?

8. The living dead, their preying on each other, destruction of the crew?

9. The two officers, their roles, trying to save the journalist?

10. The doctor, his associates, their experiments, the monkey, the monkey getting free, its death? Wanting the journalist, suspecting her of housing the parasite? The experiments, her escape?

11. The two men, helping her, the realisation that she was free of the parasite, that it was in the guard? The threats, the dangers, destruction?

12. The captain, his plans, his last voyage, failure?

13. Nicki, his expertise, his role on the ship, his technical skills, the surveillance, the journalist destroying the cameras, his giving information, guiding her?

14. The survival, the end of the infection? Or a new beginning?