Dorathen Better Late Then Never

Merolliv I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

Bluebell Alcock Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

Rio Hayward All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

mark.waltz The sight of the Creature From the Black Lagoon wearing a large man's shirt here brought on chuckles from me here because he reminded me so much of Boris Karloff as the monster in "The Bride of Frankenstein". The third of the Black Lagoon series is entertaining but unmemorable, a basically unnecessary third installment to a trio of films where the first is a classic, the second is quite good in spite of being a retread, and the third becomes a reminder as to why some of the old movie monster series went on far too long. It all starts with a determined young socialite (Leigh Snowden) speeding across the bridge from the Florida Keys and storming up the gang plank of a docked yacht. Snowden basically takes over the conversation from husband Jeff Morrow and scientist Rex Reason over the search for the mysterious creature which they want to experiment on to turn into a land walking creature. They don't count on the strength of this creature, at one point literally pushing their boat up with all of them on it, just with one hand. Arrows in the monster don't seem to hurt it, and neither does being doused with flames. But somehow, they get the unconscious monster to a hospital where he is put in a hospital gown and turns the facility into his own playground, basically tearing it and other locations where Snowden, Morrow and Reason hang out, to shreds.There's also a smarmy guide (Gregg Palmer) who makes a play for the monster who somehow becomes enraged at this and goes once again on another rampage. Short on story but long on rampages, this is your run of the mill science fiction/horror programmer where the plot line is overwhelmed by some pretty neat set locations (a Florida swamp is pretty impressive) and a few decent effects, nothing new, but nothing laughable either. The performances are adequate and the film is short enough to not overstay its welcome, but isn't one I'd be recommending to fans of the sci-fi/horror genre to watch in a marathon with the other two.

Scott LeBrun Yet another expedition is launched into the Everglades to locate and procure the elusive Gill- Man. Due to the meddling of man, he ends up in an altered form, and landlocked. It is not until his captors show their ugly sides in front of him that he reverts to what he does best.The least atmospheric and most plodding of the "Creature from the Black Lagoon" series, this final entry takes way too much time to get to where it's going. The entire first half is made up of the search for the beast, but is capped with a good set piece where the Creature is lit up like a torch. Unfortunately, it once again dips in excitement factor with a second half in which scientist William Barton (Jeff Morrow) insists on playing Dr. Frankenstein and trying to "change" the Creature. This leads to a lot of philosophical discussion on the nature of man and beast which, admittedly, some viewers might find fascinating. But it also wastes time focusing on the deteriorating relationship between the paranoid, pathologically jealous Barton and his young, hot-to-trot wife Marcia (Leigh Snowden). It isn't until the final minutes that we're rewarded with a mildly amusing finale where the Creature goes on the expected rampage, and doles out some comeuppance to those who deserve it. The altered look for the Creature is somewhat disconcerting, as the experimentation seems to increase its bulk, making it a little more Frankensteins' Monster-like. It also robs the Creature of its effectiveness by putting CLOTHES on the damn thing!The cast is good, in any event. Morrow is impressive, playing a much less honourable "hero" than usual. Rex Reason (as the practical Dr. Morgan), Gregg Palmer (as the randy Jed Grant), and Ms. Snowden add substantial sex appeal. Maurice Manson, James Rawley, David McMahon, and Paul Fierro all deliver solid supporting performances.Although rather disappointing for this particular viewer, some folks do consider this the best of the series. Judge for yourself.The last official "Creature" feature to date, although Hollywood has been trying for years to get a remake going. Unlike its predecessors, it was not filmed in 3-D.Five out of 10.

Rainey Dawn I enjoy watching this third and final film in the series but I will say it's the least of my favorite among the trilogy. The creature is recaptured and turned into an air-breather by science in order to study him more.I feel they spent too much time on the relationship between Dr. Barton and his wife Marcia. I would rather that screen time were spent studying the creature on a deeper level than that of jealously from a man (Dr. Barton) and his wife. This is a creature feature and would have loved the film had it's focus a little bit more that way.I like the idea that Dr. Morgan wants the creature treated better, that he responds to the way he is treated.Again, my heart is for the creature that simply wanted to be left alone in the Amazon where he is from - now he is a land creature. In the end, he is on the loose and now must further adapt, being a creature of the land now. Poor thing.7/10

TheRedDeath30 Reading through the user reviews for this Universal sequel, I am legitimately surprised at how many raves I'm seeing and comments that it's the best of the series. To each their own, but I just cannot agree.The original CREATURE film is an absolute classic and one of the best horror films of the black-and-white era. This movie improves, slightly, from the subpar second movie REVENGE OF THE CREATURE, but still comes up sorely lacking.Once again, we begin with some scientists who just can't leave the poor Gill Man alone. I mentioned in my review of REVENGE how sympathetic I think this creature is and it continues here as the monster really just wants to be left alone, but man just refuses to let that happen. The first half of the movie takes place in the Everglades as the expedition attempts to track down the monster to capture it for study. There is nothing new to offer here. We meet a new group of scientists and a new leading lady, only this time around there isn't a likable character in the entire bunch. You spend most of the movie wishing the monster would kill these jerks and put us all out of our misery. We get the requisite underwater scenes and again there is nothing new offered, as most of the monster footage is recycled from the original movie.They track the monster up a stream at which point we do get one of the better scenes from the Creature trilogy, as he attacks the scientists on their boat. The tension is short-lived however, as the monster is shot twice and set ablaze, leading to his capture.At this point, the movie really grinds to a halt. Let's start with the cardinal sin committed here. This is the one of the greatest monster makeups ever created in horror history. Why, in the Black Lagoon, would you change that makeup? Why would take this magnificent monster and turn it into a fish-like wrestler? It's inexcusable to me. The movie explains these changes with some of the worst science you'll ever hear as the monster is capable of evolving instantly into something new? I might be willing to buy the lungs theory, but to have a second skin underneath the scales that's just waiting to come out? I know these 50s sci-fi movies require some suspension of belief, but they're really pushing it here.To further slow things down, most of the second half revolves around everyone on the boat trying to sleep with the only woman present and the jealousy it cases in her lunatic husband. None of it is interesting and it's made even worse by melodramatic overacting.We finally get to the lead doctor's home, where the creature is put into a pen with some goats (for no other explainable reason than they will be needed to further the plot in a minute). He kills a mountain lion threatening the goats and, for some reason, this is not seen as protective, but as proof that the creature will always be a violent menace. The climax comes when the lunatic, jealous doctor finally kills one of the men who have tried to nail his wife. For some reason, this enrages the creature (yes, suddenly the monster who has killed men for 3 movies is now upset at violence), who goes on a rampage, leading to a depressing ending.To me, what makes the original work so well is an exotic jungle setting, great underwater photography, a magnificent creature design and a female lead with a brain. All of these could have been explored in much more depth with the sequels, particularly where did this creature come from and are there others. Instead, by now, he's removed from the jungle, no longer underwater, the creature design is stripped down to generic proportions and our female lead is completely unlikable. It's a good thing Universal let it die with this one.