After a number of years, Dario Argento completes the so-called 'Three Mothers' trilogy with this movie, and while it doesn't rank alongside the first two, Suspiria and Inferno, it has enough moments to keep you entertained as only an Argento movie can do.
Sarah Mundy works at a museum. When an Urn arrives, Sarah and her friend Giselle open it and in doing so unleash chaos and violence through-out Rome and Italy. After Giselle is horrifically murdered, Sarah tries to find out what is going on and in doing so finds out things about her own past, and how it ties in with 'The Three Mothers'.....
Argento as director staged some genuinely shocking moments in this movie, such as the mother and baby on the bridge. I certainly didn't see that coming. And as always in his movies he stages some impressive murder sequences. But unlike the first two movies in the trilogy, here he relies a lot more on gore in the deaths. Case in point, Giselle's death. Not a simple stabbing or such, but an almost sadistic, bloody death. This happens to other characters throughout. I don't mind gore and blood in death scenes, and while certainly bloody, I think Argento doesn't overdo the violence as much as has been suggested.
Sadly though the writing of the movie does hamper proceedings. The story does seem to be two stories in one, and they get in the way with each other. For example, it's revealed that Sarah has some witch-like powers, so you'd think they would be needed at the movie climax. In fact the end is so sudden, I didn't think it was the end. This sub-plot doesn't really go anywhere, except to link (in a tenuious way) back to the first movie, Suspiria.
In fact Mother Of Tears could be watched as a stand alone movie. Except for the above mention of the events of Suspiria, and a mention of the building in New York, where Inferno was set, there are no other links to the previous movies, so you won't need to have seen them first to understand this one. I will say however, I think you could watch any of the movies in this trilogy in pretty much any order as none really link well together apart from the overall 'Three Mothers' thread.
Asia Argento plays the lead role here, and apart from a nice cameo from Udo Kier, none of the other characters really register. And sadly Asia's performance isn't one of her best.
But this movie has to stand or fall on Dario Argento's direction. And he keeps things moving well, and manages to keep you on edge as the city descends into chaos. As stated the set-pieces, apart from the climax, are done well and this is something you expect from Argento and it's pleasing to see he still has that ability.
If there is an over-riding feeling watching Mother Of Tears, it's that perhaps Argento should have made it years ago. I think waiting so long to make it built up fans expectations to such a level that it was never going to be considered as good as Suspiria or Inferno (something the recent Indiana Jones movie also suffered from). However, while it's not vintage Argento, he has still made a better movie than most recent horror movies, with a better plot then most too.
As the climax of a trilogy, it is weak. But if you take it as simply a Dario Argento movie, then there is much to like here.
Sarah Mundy works at a museum. When an Urn arrives, Sarah and her friend Giselle open it and in doing so unleash chaos and violence through-out Rome and Italy. After Giselle is horrifically murdered, Sarah tries to find out what is going on and in doing so finds out things about her own past, and how it ties in with 'The Three Mothers'.....
Argento as director staged some genuinely shocking moments in this movie, such as the mother and baby on the bridge. I certainly didn't see that coming. And as always in his movies he stages some impressive murder sequences. But unlike the first two movies in the trilogy, here he relies a lot more on gore in the deaths. Case in point, Giselle's death. Not a simple stabbing or such, but an almost sadistic, bloody death. This happens to other characters throughout. I don't mind gore and blood in death scenes, and while certainly bloody, I think Argento doesn't overdo the violence as much as has been suggested.
Sadly though the writing of the movie does hamper proceedings. The story does seem to be two stories in one, and they get in the way with each other. For example, it's revealed that Sarah has some witch-like powers, so you'd think they would be needed at the movie climax. In fact the end is so sudden, I didn't think it was the end. This sub-plot doesn't really go anywhere, except to link (in a tenuious way) back to the first movie, Suspiria.
In fact Mother Of Tears could be watched as a stand alone movie. Except for the above mention of the events of Suspiria, and a mention of the building in New York, where Inferno was set, there are no other links to the previous movies, so you won't need to have seen them first to understand this one. I will say however, I think you could watch any of the movies in this trilogy in pretty much any order as none really link well together apart from the overall 'Three Mothers' thread.
Asia Argento plays the lead role here, and apart from a nice cameo from Udo Kier, none of the other characters really register. And sadly Asia's performance isn't one of her best.
But this movie has to stand or fall on Dario Argento's direction. And he keeps things moving well, and manages to keep you on edge as the city descends into chaos. As stated the set-pieces, apart from the climax, are done well and this is something you expect from Argento and it's pleasing to see he still has that ability.
If there is an over-riding feeling watching Mother Of Tears, it's that perhaps Argento should have made it years ago. I think waiting so long to make it built up fans expectations to such a level that it was never going to be considered as good as Suspiria or Inferno (something the recent Indiana Jones movie also suffered from). However, while it's not vintage Argento, he has still made a better movie than most recent horror movies, with a better plot then most too.
As the climax of a trilogy, it is weak. But if you take it as simply a Dario Argento movie, then there is much to like here.