REC 4: Apocalypse

REC 4: Apocalypse
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jaume Balagueró
Produced by	Julio Fernández
Written by	Jaume Balagueró Manu Diez
Starring	Manuela Velasco Paco Manzanedo Hector Colome Ismael Fritschi Críspulo Cabezas Mariano Venancio María Alfonsa Rosso Carlos Zabala Cristian Aquino Emilio Buale Paco Obregón Javier Laorden
Music by	Arnau Bataller
Cinematography	Pablo Rosso
Edited by	David Gallart
Production company	Canal+ España
Distributed by	Filmax
Release date	9 September 2014 (2014-09-09) (TIFF) 31 October 2014 (2014-10-31)
Running time	95 minutes
Country	Spain
Language	Spanish
Box office	$3.7 million[1]

REC 4 (stylized as [•REC]⁴, subtitled in some countries as Apocalypse^[2][3]) is a 2014 Spanish horror film, and the fourth and final installment of the REC franchise.^[4] The film is a direct sequel to REC 2, taking place immediately after the events of the second film.^[5] Jaume Balagueró, the director of the first two installments, returns alongside actress Manuela Velasco, who reprises her role of the imperiled reporter Ángela Vidal.^[6] The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2014 and screened at the 2014 Sitges Film Festival on 3 October, before being released in Spain on the 31st of October.

The film was released in the United States by Magnet Releasing on 2 January 2015, both theatrically and on VOD.^[7]

Plot

After the demise of the Spanish Police GEOs team sent in to deal with the situation in the second film, the fourth film opens with the Army taking control and sending in a Special Forces Team to recover Ángela and destroy the building. They begin setting bombs all over the apartments, but when they're ambushed by the infected Manu and the old man, they then kill them off and kill the officers infected as well. They then hear Ángela's screams for help and tell her it is time to get out.

Ángela wakes up in a room where Doctor Ginard is performing tests on her. He asks her if she remembers anything and she says no. Ginard takes a blood sample to make sure she's clean. A GEO, Guzman, finds an elderly lady, who is revealed to be the only survivor of the events of the third film. He meets up with his partner, Lucas. Ángela attempts to escape the lab, and runs into Guzman. Both discover they are on a boat. Doctor Ricarte and the soldiers tell them that the situation is under control as Ángela's blood returned clear of any infection.

Guzman is introduced to Captain Ortega, who's making his last voyage, and Nick, who's in charge of com-apps. Nick is trying to recover the footage from Ángela's camera. Later that night, a blackout occurs. Guzman finds Ángela walking in the hallways of the ship. She claims to have gotten scared and Guzman keeps her wandering a secret. The next afternoon, Ángela meets Nick, who's a huge fan of her. He shows her the tape and Ángela begins to remember Tristana Medeiros. Nick also sends the file to the labs for them to look over.

Ricarte and his team discover that their test subject, an infected monkey, was released during the blackout. The monkey attacks and infects the ship's cook. Their blood contaminates the ship's food supply, which infects most of the crew through ingestion. After unsuccessfully testing an antidote on the cook, they leave Ángela, Guzman, Lucas and the old woman in the cafeteria. It turns out Lucas took a sample of blood from the building and knows that the people in charge are the Vatican. After they arm themselves with knives and kill two infected men and a monkey, the old woman is separated and Lucas volunteers to find her while Guzman and Ángela go to the Captain and Nick for help.

Ricarte gives up with nothing left to do to stop the infection and then decides to pursue the “protocol.” Just before doing so, his assistant informs him of receiving the uploaded footage. Ricarte witnesses Tristana inserting a worm-like parasite into Ángela. He attempts to extract the parasite by forcing surgery on Ángela, who pleads that she doesn't know what he's talking about, but before an incision can be made, the captain's assistant who is now infected breaks in and bites Ricarte's assistant which allows Ángela to escape. Ricarte and his team then go to search for Ángela but then seals himself away after the cook is released and attacks his team only to be attacked by Ángela, who bites him, telling him to scan his blood and see for himself that he is mistaken. Guzman, Lucas and Nick then try to find weapons and a way to restart the ship. Nick then tells them that Ángela is alive so Guzman goes to find her while Lucas and Nick head to the boiler room. Ricarte proves Ángela's theory when his analysis returns negative. Still, Ricarte is convinced that Ángela is tricking them so Guzman asks Ángela if she is, but then she asks Guzman if he has been tricking them all along. It's revealed that Ángela passed the parasite into Guzman during her rescue. Ricarte then sets the ship to self-destruct and escapes while Guzman traps Ángela below.

Lucas is then killed by the infected in the boiler room and Nick finds Ricarte, who has a lifeboat. Nick asks for Ángela but Ricarte tells him she's as good as dead. Nick knocks him out, takes the lifeboat and searches for her. He later finds her, and both kill the infected monkeys with a boat-motor. They hide from the infected in the cafeteria and then are attacked by Guzman. The parasite possessing Guzman then attempts to reinstate itself into Ángela but she kills Guzman with a fishing pole thanks to Nick. Ángela and Nick leave the boat as all the infected chase after them. Ángela jumps into the ocean and Nick follows, escaping as the ship explodes. Underwater, the Parasite gains consciousness and dives into a fish's mouth.

During the credits, Ángela and Nick are shown in a cab, having made it home.

Cast

• Manuela Velasco as Ángela Vidal
• Paco Manzanedo as Guzmán
• Héctor Colomé as Dr. Ricarte
• Ismael Fritschi as Nick
• Críspulo Cabezas as Lucas
• Paco Obregón as Dr. Ginard
• Mariano Venancio as Captain Ortega
• María Alfonsa Rosso as Anciana
• Cristian Aquino as Edwin
• Carlos Zabala as Goro
• Emilio Buale as Jesu
• Javier Laorden as Médico Auxiliar

Production

On 3 May 2010, Bloody Disgusting announced that "...Filmax will produce two new [REC] films in the next couple of years called [REC] 3: Genesis and [REC] 4: Apocalypse with the same directors as the first two films".^[8] Genesis was released on 30 March 2012. It was directed by the Co-founder of the REC franchises, Jaume Balagueró, who co-wrote the script along Manu Diez.^[9] Carlos Fernández, Julio Fernández and Alberto Marini returned 4th time as executive producers.^[10]

In an interview with Fangoria, director Balagueró stated that the film would not have an apocalyptic style presumed by its title, stating, "All of the movies in the [REC] series have the same budget, so you’re not really going to see big scenes of Barcelona full of zombies; they’re just not intended that way. There has to be a story that’s controlled and strong." Apocalypse is set to follow the events of the second film, and will not be made in the "found footage" style. Production was scheduled to begin in 2013. At the 2012 Sitges Film Festival, it was announced the film would have its world premiere there in October 2013. An announcement trailer was released in late November, confirming the return of Manuela Velasco.

However, in early May 2013, Balagueró stated that the film's production had been delayed and the film would now premiere sometime in mid-2014, but did confirm that Manuela Velasco would be starring in the fourth film. Teaser posters and an updated premise were released early May. Filming began on 13 July 2013 in Gran Canaria,^[11] aboard a Russian merchant navy ship.^[12] A theatrical trailer for the film was released in April 2014.^[13]

Soundtrack

REC 4
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Film score by Arnau Bataller
Released	October 28, 2014
Genre	Soundtracks Film scores
Length	44:05
Label	Screamworks Records

The score soundtrack was composed by Arnau Bataller.^[14]

1. "Countdown" (2:17)
2. "Inside the House" (3:50)
3. "The Medeiros Girl" (3:08)
4. "First Attack" (2:20)
5. "Security Gates" (2:24)
6. "The Infection, Pt. 1" (2:50)
7. "Fighting" (3:45)
8. "Recovering the Tape" (2:00)
9. "The Infection, Pt.2" (3:13)
10. "Nick the Hero" (3:36)
11. "It's a Parasite" (4:57)
12. "Angela's Show" (5:36)
13. "Escaping" (2:25)
14. "Nick the Hero (Reprise)" (1:44)

Reception

The film has received mostly mixed-to-positive reviews with some praising the return of Manuela Velasco and the dark tone of the original movies. Spanish website ALT104 gave the film a mixed review, claiming that the film proves to be a worthy sequel to the franchise, but a weak way to end the series.^[15][16][17]

Release

The film premiered on September 9, 2014 on the Toronto International Film Festival^[18] and screened on Sitges Film Festival on 3 October 2014.^[19] Entertainment One released the film March 2, 2015 on Blu-ray and DVD,^[20] the Blu-disc featured the Making-of feature "The Making of [REC] Apocalypse" in the United Kingdom.^[21] Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the film on April 14, 2015 in the United States, as direct to video production.

Companion book

REC: El Libro Oficial is a companion book to the films, which contains several behind-the-scenes pictures, storyboards, and production stills. The book also offers some insight into the series' overall mythology and provides answers to questions left unanswered by the films. It was released in Spain on October 2014.^[22]

References

External links

• Official website
• REC 4: Apocalypse on IMDb
• REC 4: Apocalypse at Box Office Mojo
• REC 4: Apocalypse at Rotten Tomatoes
• REC 4: Apocalypse at Metacritic