Dreckulas Underworld: REC 2-4

We press play and record on our deep dive into the excellent Spanish supernatural zombie horror film franchise, REC — from beginning to end.

We continue our exploration of the Spanish found footage/paranormal series REC (check out our discussion of 2007’s REC here).

Diving into REC 2 (2009), I’m immediately struck by how amusing and upsetting it is to see the unintentional pandemic prediction of this film.

High-ranking officers, arguably the best in the region, struggled with these Demonic zombie-like creatures, and I don’t think sending in additional soldiers will give different results. The traditional Zombie-like creatures we’re used to seeing in apocalyptic movies are plentiful. This series gives a fresh take on the trope, adding in Catholicism with a dash of insanity.

This whole ordeal could have been avoided if Jennifer’s parents had just scheduled a rabies shot.

The singular mission is to extract blood from patient zero, create the antidote and save the world from peril, of course, as luck would have it. We are left with dimwitted officers afraid of the incorrect things.

The only mystery is Tristana Medeiros, The original Strain. In a predictable, depressing ending, killing patient zero doesn’t cure or halt the strain. The leech-like parasite will continue to slime its way from vessel to vessel until the world crumbles.

In 2012’s REC 3: Genesis, we do (as you might guess from the title) go back to the beginning — before the events of the other films. But this film also takes place during and after those films, following a newlywed husband and wife who struggle to reunite with each other after the zombie plague interrupts their wedding party and infects their families.

This marriage is tested early on in the fight for love. A classic Romeo and Juliet, Horror style. Koldo will stop at nothing until he’s embraced his wife once more. Fighting his way through crowds of Demons, losing friends in the process. His newly found father-in-law, unfortunately, takes a dirt nap escorting his new son to find his daughter. It feels like the more they search for other, the farther they drift apart physically. Sheer determination keeps this bond strong and eventually finds its way to togetherness once again.

We get a small glimpse as Clara transforms into a Final Girl Badass. She knows Koldo isn’t dead and chops and slashes her way back to the love of her life. The hope is strong for survival in these two.

The ending is a real gut punch — equally beautiful and heartbreaking.

With the apocalypse on the near horizon, Rec delivers its final chapter in this near-pitch-perfect series.

Following the events of Genesis, Apocalypse (2014) stays true to its name, the beginning of the end.

The film is a direct sequel to Rec 2, taking place immediately after the events of the second film. We also get the return of diretor Jaume Balagueró, who helmed the first two installments. Actress Manuela Velasco also returns to reprise her role of the imperiled reporter Ángela Vidal.

An infected monkey wreaks havoc and spreads the deadly virus. Isn’t that always the case? An elderly woman survives an outbreak at a wedding, tying in the events of Part 3, only to later succumb to the infection. It’s an epic struggle to contain the virus before it can cause catastrophic damage. The worst possible outcome? Having the population-ending parasite be released into the wild with nothing to stop it or slow it down.

With a name like Apocalypse, you can probably imagine where this is going.