Genre: Horror
Sub-categories: Slasher, Supernatural
Scare Factor: A few boos and hisses
Gore Factor: Mild
Look-at-these: No Nudity :(

Synopsis: Three high school girls empower the urban legend of Bloody Mary by saying her name three times. Mary is then unleashed to seek revenge on the families of those that wronged her.

Bloody Mary is the third installment of the Urban Legends franchise, and it marks a pleasing turnaround from the atrocity that was the second, Final Cut. Bloody Mary fills the deficiencies of Final Cut while still clearing a path that is distinct from the original Urban Legend, although the film itself is a clichè of clichès and borrows heavily from other unrelated films. Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris carve their own niche, but still manage to pay homage to one of the better neo-slashers with a film that is as spooky and seductive as mainstream movies are allowed to be these days.

Bloody Mary doesn't have the mid-echelon stars that the original Urban Legend did, but the cast accomplishes almost as much with less of a story to work around. Kate Mara is a knockout. She's not the strongest femme protagona in history, but she'll pull you through some of the weaker points of the film. Robert Vito is only half-believable as her brother, and his sibling status precludes any erotic escapades. The rest of the cast is more style than substance, aside from occasional gems like Tina Lifford, the 70's throwback to Foxy Brown who drives one hip VW bus.

The story consists of a series of urban legends wrapped in an urban legend, with "Bloody Mary" as the twine that holds the film together. Mary is killed on prom night many years earlier, but her ghost can be summoned by saying "Bloody Mary" three times. It's a timeless story that has inspired at least three Candyman films and any number of ghost stories and knockoffs. Mary then reenacts urban legends, targeting the children of her killers. The perennial 'death for their parent's sins' theme would be cause for complaint if the film wasn't already made from 100% post-consumer recyclables.

Of course, the story isn't the only thing that is borrowed. Bloody Mary might as well have been played by the same creepy girl from The Ring, as the effects and image sequences bear striking similarities. My main beef, however, is that the photography and effects are inconsistently applied throughout. Stunning visuals and deft photography generate a handful of scenes with a creep-factor that might even best Ringu, but they're just moments of a much larger work. The filmmakers are never able to sustain the atmosphere at that level, and the film returns to a more modest tone in line with other neo-slashers like Urban Legend and Scream. It's not terribly disappointing because that is arguably where the film belongs.

What is really missing from the film is the typical 'teen' atmosphere, or some other X-factor. There's no partying, no romance and definitely no sex. There are streams of bullying and angst, but the filmmakers never explore the lighter sides of high school culture. They ignore the things that we miss about the good old days, while pounding on the things that we wish to forget. It's the road less traveled when compared to other neo-slashers and, by-and-large, it works for the film. Bloody Mary is meaty enough to survive, although I could have gone for a couple of boobs halfway through.

Final Comments: I generally protest the sanitized nature of neo-slashers, but Urban Legend remains a film that is near and dear to my heart -- despite the fact that it has gotten me banned from picking movies indefinitely by most of my friends. I like the concept and have a healthy respect for the execution. Bloody Mary almost lives up to the original and is a must-see for anyone who loved the first and hated the second. It's not as edgy as part one but it still entertains.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older