- Directed by Ted Nicolaou
- Written by Charles Band, Ted Nicolaou
- Stars Anders Hove, Denice Duff, Kevin Spirtas
- Run Time: 1 Hour, 23 Minutes
- Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z7mcBtAE4E
Spoiler-Free Judgment Zone
This is such a seamless continuation that it feels like parts 2 and 3 could have been one long movie. It was filmed at the same time as the 2nd movie, so it’s got the same cast, the same level of effects, the same settings, and so forth. It’s quite good and entertaining.
Synopsis
We get a “Previously on…” montage of the second film, ending with Radu staked and vampire Michelle being pulled back into the tomb of Mummy while Becky waits outside, helpless. Credits roll.
We open on Mummy with Radu and Michelle both sleeping on a slab in front of her. She cuts Michelle and bleeds her into a cup, which she then feeds to Radu. She does some magic over him.
Becky runs through the woods to a pub and calls the American Embassy and Mel. A little later, Lt. Marin and the police check out the tomb where Popescu was killed. They don’t find Michelle, Radu, or the witch. Becky swears they’re vampires, but still they don’t believe her.
Night falls, and everyone wakes up, including Radu. Mummy says her sanctuary has been defiled, so they must leave. They chant some magic, and the whole secret lair vanishes in smoke. Back in King Vladislav’s castle, the whole gang materializes.
Radu wants obedience from Michelle, but she’s less than enthusiastic about him, so he locks her in a cage. Radu goes out and catches a victim, whom he brings back for Michelle to share. After she’s eaten, he’s friendly to her again. They sleep as the sun comes up.
Becky goes to see Popescu’s secretary to tell her about the old man’s death. Mel steals the Vladislav book and the vampire hunting tools. Lt. Marin goes to the vampire’s castle and yells through a bullhorn, but since it’s daylight, there’s no response. They dig up the grave that Popescu found previously. Mel and Becky show up heavily armed, but the policeman doesn’t really care. He needs legal permission to enter the castle, but that could take months. Mel shows Marin the way inside, and Marin reluctantly goes in with them. They soon find that the way inside that they used before is blocked.
Becky and Mel return after dark to see that the vampires are definitely inside the castle. Mel reads the book, and we hear the story of Vladislas and his sorceress wife, who gave birth to Radu and Stefan. Radu starts training Michelle to use her new senses and to teleport like a shadow. They hunt together and talk about life and death; she still hates him, or so she says.
Mel calls a buddy with the CIA, Bob. Marin talks about the two people that went missing last night; some of the villagers blame strigoi, vampires, but Marin still thinks it’s black marketeers. “Americans. Crazy people,” he jokes, but he still goes with them. Bob appears, looking like a very tough soldier. He brought night vision goggles and silver bullets.
Bob then scales the outside walls of the castle. Bob and Mel enter alone. Becky warns them over the radio that the witch doesn’t sleep by day. They come across Mummy torturing a woman, and she immediately kills Bob. Marin tries to call for backup, but his radio can’t get reception.
Night falls, and the vampires awaken. He says that her blood is getting bitter; soon, she’ll be completely his. Radu and Mummy argue about who owns the old king’s treasures. Mummy says Michelle needs to die, but Radu tears the old woman’s arm off before beheading her with her own magic knife. He throws the head into the fire.
Mel talks to Michelle, but Radu wants her to eat him. Just as she’s about to bite him, they hear Becky on the radio outside. Michelle goes outside to talk to Becky, telling her she can’t leave. Marin, hiding in the woods, finally believes the vampire stories, but it’s too late for him.
Becky pulls her silver-bullet-loaded gun on Radu and demands that he release Michelle and Mel and let them all go. Michelle wants Becky to shoot and kill her. Becky gives her the gun, and she shoots Radu eight times. Michelle takes the bloodstone, and they all run outside.
Radu chases them, but the sun is also coming up, so Michelle cannot leave. Becky pulls out a sunproof body bag for Michelle, and they load her into it. Becky throws the bloodstone into the sun, and Radu tries to follow. He does not react well to the sunlight, or maybe it’s more accurate to say that he does react strongly to the sunlight. He looks thoroughly dead this time.
Mel carries Michelle out to the trunk of the car, and they all drive away.
Drops of Radu’s blood turn into more little minions who take the bloodstone…
Commentary
This was filmed simultaneously with part II and continues right where that left off. We wondered how Radu kept wearing a clean shirt. He’s drooling almost non-stop through all three films.
This wasn’t great as a stand-alone film, but when watched back-to-back with part II, it’s all quite a good story. Radu has to be one of the vampires with the most distinctive look. Very cool— We’re hooked!