Curse III: Blood Sacrifice Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Curse III: Blood Sacrifice Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 6, 2019

“Curse III: Blood Sacrifice” isn’t really “Curse III: Blood Sacrifice.” According to the main titles, the picture is actually called “Panga,” with the whole “Curse” connection cooked up by shady producers looking for anything familiar to horror fans to help sell their dismal African monster movie. Those expecting a return to the world of “The Curse” are going to be disappointed in the second sequel, which joins the first sequel (“Curse II: The Bite”) in a weird display of industry chicanery, where three features bearing the same title having nothing to do with one another. Such a situation of marketing three-card Monte would be more amusing if “Panga” was any good, but director Sean Barton (in his one and only helming gig) doesn’t do much with the basics of supernatural and reptilian frights, assembling a largely uneventful chiller that sets some kind of record for most chases in a sugarcane field.

In the 1950s, Elizabeth (Jenilee Harrison) has moved to Africa to be with her farmer husband, Geoff (Andre Jacobs), trying to get used to her surroundings as she adjusts to her new pregnancy. Uneasy with the locals, Elizabeth is wary of farmhand Mletch (Henry Cele), with his standoffish nature a problem for the American, who only craves the comforts of home. Out and about with friend Cindy (Jennifer Steyn), Elizabeth comes across a tribal ceremony where a goat is about to be sacrificed after the death of a local boy. Interfering with the ritual, Elizabeth collects the goat and receives a curse from the witchdoctor, exposing her to an evil presence she doesn’t understand, requiring help from Dr. Pearson (Christopher Lee).

Written by Barton and Sean Hunt, “Panga” fixates on Elizabeth’s culture shock, trying to create tension between the American and the Africans that surround her, with their special religions and interpretation of death. While it’s Cindy who actually flips out about the death of a goat, it’s Elizabeth who absorbs the evil flung at her from the witchdoctor, who’s understandably a little miffed his big blood sacrifice has been disrupted, gifting the stranger the arrival of a heavy breathing monster who stalks the night, making Africa even more unbearable for a woman who, when reaching peak anxiety, keeps calm by softly repeating “America” to herself.

Curse III: Blood Sacrifice Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation does show signs of wear and tear. While milder speckle storms are periodic, blue splotches and scratches are present as well, giving brief stretches of the picture a rough appearance. Detail is adequate, working with an older scan of the feature, but costuming retains crisper textures (keeping with the vague period setting), and farmland visits deliver a sense of rural distance and agricultural growth. Facial particulars are present for man and beast, with the monster retaining his rubbery construction. Colors are appealing, working well with brighter tribal hues and location greenery. Skintones are natural. Delineation is acceptable, with only a few brief moments of solidification.

Curse III: Blood Sacrifice Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA track makes it strongest impression with music, finding the score crisply defined and alert, adding to the mood of the feature. The synth and percussion-driven sound handles very well, giving the movie a boost in tension and cinematic appeal. Dialogue exchanges are acceptable, detailing differences in skill level and broken English, while native fury never overwhelms the mix. Sound effects are direct, and atmospherics are decent, examining beach activity and farming expanse.

Curse III: Blood Sacrifice Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Trailer (2:09, SD) is included.

Curse III: Blood Sacrifice Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Panga" takes a long time to get anywhere, and locations are limited to a beach, the farm, and a repeated use of a sugarcane field, which Barton relies on far too much to create suspense. A creature finally shows itself, giving menace a B-movie face, but there's nothing more to the film, which struggles to find things to do and create characters worth following. As "Curse III: Blood Sacrifice," the feature is bewildering. As "Panga," it's just dull, and while Lee tries to summon enthusiasm for his supporting part, a little genre royalty doesn't magically make the viewing experience any more interesting.