Techno Films

Scanners 3 (C)
	STARS... Liliana Komorowska, Valerie Valois, Steve Parrish, Daniel Pilon, Collin Fox, and Michael Copeman. PLOT SUMMARY... A second generation scanner attempts to control the world's population, via televised mind control. QUICK SCAN... This film brings to mind, "Scanners 2". SCANNERS 3 features action and FX. The standard, exploding sequences are rather silly this time out. Scenes in a Thailand monastery are beautifully photographed by Director of Photography, Hughes De Haeck, and are a highlight of the movie.
DIRECTOR: Christian Duguary YEAR & RATING: 1992 (R) BEST BETS: Scanners Scanners 2	SYNOPSIS... A young psychic guy accidentally kills his friend. He retreats to a monastery in Thailand. Back in Canada, his adopted sister takes a drug, ("F-3"), which counteracts the negative side effects of her psychic "Scanner" power. She begins to use her Scanner power to do evil. Returning to Canada, the guy seeks out his sister. After failing to destroy him in a Scanner battle, sis kills herself.
Review: Director Christian Duguay's, SCANNERS 3: THE TAKE-OVER, is a disappointing Sci-Fi mess. This is surprising since Duguay did a decent job directing "Scanners 2". The film opens well enough. Alex (Steve Parrish) is a twenty-something Scanner, who has the ability to move objects and people with his mind. Following an accident in which he accidentally "scans" a friend off a balcony, to his death, Alex retreats to a monastery in Thailand. Alex's scenes in the Thailand monastery are photographed beautifully by Director of Photography, Hughes De Haeck. One shot of Alex and the red robed head monk walking down a path, their bodies lit from behind by golden sunlight, is stunning. The mellow scenes at the monastery are my favorite in the film. In the meantime, Alex's adopted sister Helena (Liliana Komorowska) who's also a Scanner, goes bad, developing a plan to control people's behavior via television. The film builds to the expected, and not very satisfying, showdown between the psychic siblings. The one problem with SCANNERS 3: THE TAKE-OVER is a matter of tone. Some scenes are played for laughs, the others straight. The unevenness of tone, from scene to scene, is a bit disconcerting after awhile. A bigger problem, is that the story line of SCANNERS 3: THE TAKE-OVER, is basically an excuse to show people being thrown around by telekinesis, as well as having their heads blown up. Both these activities get boring, through repeated exposure. The Screenplay, by B.J. Nelson and Julie Richard and David Preston, is sometimes humorous. When Helena introduces the F-3 patch to some tormented scanners at a special clinic, she gives the pitch, "I had a headache this big, but then I tried F-3 and it went away just like that. Get your free samples, while supplies last." As the Scanner Helena, Liliana Komorowska gives a broad, campy performance, under Duguay's indulgent Direction. By contrast Steve Parrish, as fellow Scanner/adopted brother, Alex Monet, is subdued, almost mournful. The Special Makeup, credited to Mike Maddi, is not very convincing. The various scenes of heads expanding and exploding are more silly than scary. The Music, by Marty Simon, is quite eclectic. We get spiritual, dreamy tunes in the Thailand monastery, and jazzy, sax flavored stylings for the urban city scenes back in North America. SCANNERS 3: THE TAKE-OVER will not be very watchable for most Sci-Fi viewers. Fans of the first two "Scanners" films will be particularly disappointed. Watching SCANNERS 3: THE TAKE-OVER won't make your head blow up, but it might give you a headache.  MovieMonday.com * Super Star Index * Award Winners * CelebrityFrame.com