~Spoiler~
The only thing that worked about Stepfather 2 was Terry O'Quinn. How is a Stepfather movie going to measure up with his absence? The answer: it's not. Stepfather 3 is a horrible attempt to breathe new life into a dated franchise. Once again we're asked to believe that the invincible Stepfather did not die in the finale of Stepfather 2. In fact, he walked away from the incident before the police arrived. No simple disguise will work this time. It's plastic surgery time. This gives the filmmakers an excuse to bring in a different actor. Robert Wightman takes over the Stepfather mantle and I feel bad for the guy. He's doing a very stiff impersonation of O'Quinn the entire run of the movie. Maybe if he had made the character his own, the movie wouldn't have been so horrid. But I doubt it. The only interesting bit in this repetitious story is the balancing act in the 3rd act. The Stepfather is trying to deal with two families at once because he's unsatisfied with his situation. The ending is definitive this time (even moreso than the last two films). The Stepfather is shoved into a wood chipper by the paralyzed boy who has finally overcome his fear of walking (yes, it's as cheesy as you picture). The problem is after 110 minutes, you just don't care. Some mook on the back of the box states "4 stars...undoubtedly one of the best horror films of the decade." How much did it cost to sell your soul?
The only thing that worked about Stepfather 2 was Terry O'Quinn. How is a Stepfather movie going to measure up with his absence? The answer: it's not. Stepfather 3 is a horrible attempt to breathe new life into a dated franchise. Once again we're asked to believe that the invincible Stepfather did not die in the finale of Stepfather 2. In fact, he walked away from the incident before the police arrived. No simple disguise will work this time. It's plastic surgery time. This gives the filmmakers an excuse to bring in a different actor. Robert Wightman takes over the Stepfather mantle and I feel bad for the guy. He's doing a very stiff impersonation of O'Quinn the entire run of the movie. Maybe if he had made the character his own, the movie wouldn't have been so horrid. But I doubt it. The only interesting bit in this repetitious story is the balancing act in the 3rd act. The Stepfather is trying to deal with two families at once because he's unsatisfied with his situation. The ending is definitive this time (even moreso than the last two films). The Stepfather is shoved into a wood chipper by the paralyzed boy who has finally overcome his fear of walking (yes, it's as cheesy as you picture). The problem is after 110 minutes, you just don't care. Some mook on the back of the box states "4 stars...undoubtedly one of the best horror films of the decade." How much did it cost to sell your soul?