Genre: Horror, Mystery
Director/Writer: Dutch Marich
Runtime: 1 hour 28 minutes
Release Date: July 20, 2024 (United States)
Production Company: Luminol Entertainment
Storyline
In “Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch,” the state is consumed by a wildfire, and Oscar Mendoza reaps financial benefits from the chaos while the fire rages across Nevada. Motivated by self-interest and armed with a secret, Mendoza heads into Northeastern Nevada. Gary Hinge is a missing outdoorsman whose last known location is unknown. It is his task to find him. As Mendoza goes deeper into the wild, he discovers unsettling clues that suggest a darker force at work.
Characters
Oscar Mendoza (Marco Antonio Parra): The central character, Mendoza is a man with a hidden agenda who embarks on a perilous journey into the wild.
Dolly Broadbent (Laurie Felix Bass): A local who provides Mendoza with crucial information about Hinge’s last known location.
Suziey Block (Suziey Block): An enigmatic figure who becomes entangled in Mendoza’s search.
Ameliana Brasher (Brooke Bradshaw): An expert in wilderness survival who aids Mendoza in his quest.
Gary Hinge (Eric Mencis): The missing outdoorsman whose fate becomes the focal point of Mendoza’s investigation.
William ‘Bill’ Salerno (David Morales): A local with mysterious connections to the case.
Beverly Hinge (Tonya Williams Ogden): Gary Hinge’s concerned relative, whose interactions with Mendoza reveal crucial details.
Reviews
Both reviewers and viewers have given the movie mixed ratings. Most people agree that “Firewatch” tries, but fails miserably, to recreate the suspense of the previous parts. While some fans are glad to see the found footage approach returned to the original, others think the movie falls short of their expectations.
User Review (2/10): Criticized for being similar to the first movie and lacking in scares until the very end. The review highlights issues with overexplanatory dialogue and a final scare that was deemed silly rather than frightening.
Positive Note: The film has been praised for its atmospheric tension and eerie setting, with some critics noting that it effectively continues the series’ tradition of blending mystery and horror.
Box-Office Collection
The box office performance of “Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch” was mediocre. Over its first weekend of release, it brought in about $8 million domestically, for a total gross of about $25 million. Notwithstanding the conflicting reviews, the movie’s popularity and box office performance were enhanced by its positioning as the Unnamed Footage Festival’s closing film and its devoted fan base.
