In 2004, aspiring Canadian filmmaker John Lechago made the low-budget horror film Blood Gnome on a budget of around $20,000. The film made six times its budget, though Lechago couldn’t find the same success with 2008’s Magus. However, his output caught the attention of Re-Animator director Stuart Gordon, who introduced him to Charles Band. Band needed someone for visual effects, and since he had a background in the field, Lechago took the job. Lechago designed the visual effects for 2008’s Dangerous Worry Dolls, which impressed Band enough to give him a chance. Around this time, Full Moon was planning on reviving several franchises, including Puppet Master and Demonic Toys. One of those franchises would be Killjoy, which hadn’t seen a release since Killjoy 2: Deliverance from Evil in 2002. Eight years later, 2010 would see the release of Killjoy 3, aka Killjoy’s Revenge.
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Synopsis
College student Sandie (Jessica Whitaker) is housesitting for her professor (Darrow Igus) while he’s away on business. She’s staying with her boyfriend Rojer (Michael Rupnow), his friend Zilla (Spiral Jackson), and her BFF Erica (Olivia Dawn York). One day, a mysterious package arrives, and they open it despite Sandie’s protest, which turns out to be a mirror. Unbeknownst to them, the mirror is a gateway to another world, where the demonic clown Killjoy (Trent Haaga) rules. Joined by his accomplices Punchy (Al Burke), Freakshow (Tai Chan Ngo), and Batty Boop (Victoria De Mare), Killjoy demands blood. One by one, the college students are pulled into Killjoy’s world and subjected to different torture methods. Eventually, the professor returns and explains the situation to the students, informing them how to defeat the demon. Will our heroes survive, or will they be Killjoy’s next victims?
Review
Of the films in the franchise so far, Killjoy 3 is arguably the best one, though it’s not saying much. It’s not as good as classics like Puppet Master III or Dollman, but it feels like a return to form. While some may be disappointed by the filmmakers ditching the urban aesthetic, it’s a welcome change to keep things fresh. What also helps is Trent Haaga’s performance, as he chews up all the scenery around him and runs rampant. Unlike the last film, he’s given more free reign to deliver lines with maniacal glee and have more fun. Victoria De Mare works great alongside Haaga and has tons of fun as the seductive yet quirky clown succubus. Along with Killjoy, the character designs of Batty Boop, Punchy, and Freakshow are incredibly unique and memorable. There’s also a great mix of horror and dark comedy sprinkled throughout.
Unfortunately, the film sadly falls into the traps of many of the more recent Full Moon films. For one, the main actors playing the college kids are flat and not as memorable as the villains. Jessica Whitaker does put in the most effort compared to everyone else, though Spiral Jackson has some fun moments. Also, even for a movie by Full Moon, the production design is remarkably cheap, and the sets look flimsy. From what I understand, filming took place at a Chinese studio, which might explain the inferior quality. There’s also the occasional digital effect, but they add to the cheesy quality and mix in with some decent practicals. At an hour and eighteen minutes, the movie flies by quickly and will make a decent time killer. Overall, Killjoy 3 isn’t quite the return to the glory days of Full Moon Features, but it’s a good time.
Buy Killjoy 3 on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3O489jf.
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