Quartile rating: 5/10 · 1 rating
An ancient urn is found in a cemetery outside Rome. Once opened, it triggers a series of violent incidents: robberies, rapes and murders increase dramatically, while several mysterious, evil-looking young women coming from all over the world are gathering in the city. All these events are caused by the return of Mater Lacrimarum, the last of three powerful witches who have been spreading terror and death for centuries. Alone against an army of psychos and demons, Sarah Mandy, an art student who seems to have supernatural abilities of her own, is the only person left to prevent the Mother of Tears from destroying Rome.
The concluding chapter of Dario Argento's Three Mothers trilogy is widely regarded as a disappointing finish to a legendary horror series. The plot is muddled and relies on convenient supernatural powers rather than building genuine dread. Acting is uneven, with performances ranging from wooden to overwrought. Cinematography retains some of Argento's visual flair but lacks the iconic painterly compositions of Suspiria or Inferno, leaning instead on gratuitous gore and shock imagery. Novelty is limited — the concept ties into an established mythology but the execution feels generic and derivative of better possession/cult horror films. The ending is abrupt and unsatisfying, failing to deliver the operatic climax the premise demanded.