Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge

Director - David DeCoteau (Curse of the Puppet Master, Dr. Alien)
Starring - Guy Rolfe (Dolls, Space 1999), Richard Lynch (Invasion U.S.A., Halloween), and Ian Abercrombie (Army of Darkness, Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman)
Release Date - 1991
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "When good puppets go bad"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Why not make it three films at once?  After watching and reviewing the first two films in the Puppet Master series I decided to continue on with the third.  I really liked the first two films but the second one somewhat rubbed me the wrong way with how they handled Andre Toulon after establishing him as a gentle old man in the first film.  While I was on a roll I decided to toss in the third film.  A lot of fans told me the series became stale by this point but I was too excited to stop.  I'm glad I ignored them because I loved this installment.

    


     The film takes place in 1941 and the Nazis are searching for a way to reanimate the dead so they can be used as meat shield for living soldiers.  A Nazi spy catches Toulon's show and takes photographs under the guise that he is a fellow puppet enthusiast.  The Nazis want Toulon to get his secret but accidentally kills his wife in the process.  Toulon escapes with his puppets and vows to get revenge on the bastards that killed his wife.
    




     I really liked the third one.  Hell, I liked it as much as I did the first film but there was once again continuity errors.  The acting in this one is leagues above the previous installments.  The face of the film and leading man is Guy Rolfe who absolutely crushes it.  His rendition of Toulon will forever and always be how I see the character.  He's genuine and soft hearted until his love is taken from him.  His performance as Toulon is going to forever be one of my favorites in horror history and I feel like a turd for waiting this long to see this film.  The supporting cast is just as fantastic.  I was surprised Richard Lynch was in the film.  Lynch has made a name for himself for his portrayals in villains in horror films.  Having him cast as a Nazi is brilliant and borderline cheesy but I loved it.  The story for this one does have similar inconsistencies.  In the first Puppet Master film Toulon kills himself in 1939 while alone but this film is set around 1941 and he has a wife.  If you can look passed this like I did you will find a fun period piece on a budget.  I loved how deep into World War II this goes.  Involving Nazis and making the puppets anti-heroes works on so many levels.  The film does have a couple dry scenes but the "what happens next" factor keeps you watching.  Finally, the film does have a few kill scenes that have great practical effects along with the puppets.  The practical effects are perfect and one of the better Full Moon films.  Overall, Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge is going to be a hard one to beat in the Puppet Master series.  I loved the cast, the story, and the effects.  Check it out.