A shabby addition to the often impressive Spanish horror canon, “XP3D” is being marketed as the country’s first 3D chiller, but that’s where its novelty ends. One-dimensional in every way except visually, this seldom scary package strings together as many threadbare horror tropes as possible to prop up a videogame-inspired project that’s more industrial product than film. Pic has done decent B.O. domestically, where teens have duly turned out for its roster of fleeting tube faces, but offshore interest will be restricted to Spanish-speaking territories.
A gang of charmless student stereotypes including feisty Angela (Amaia Salamanca), her insecure sister Diana (ethereal Alba Ribas, the best thing here) and geek Toni (Oscar Sinela) is dispatched to an abandoned mining village to investigate paranormal activity involving murderer Dr. Matarga (Manuel de Blas). One by one they are picked off and tortured while a half-baked subplot involving Angela and Diana’s troubled childhood plays out. Dialogue is mostly risible (“There are some doors it’s better not to open”), while shocks are blatant rather than subtle. Unimpressive 3D play ups the gore, and emphasizes the curves of supporting thesp Ursula Corbero’s behind.
