I was really genuinely impressed with “Psycho II” because it could have been a tedious rehash of the first movie. However, we have “Psycho III” to show us how to do a mediocre sequel. There’s nothing especially wrong with it but it’s very generic.

Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins “The Trial”) is up to his old tricks in this third instalment. When more bodies turn up, Bates is the prime suspect but is everything as clear as it first seems? Unlike the previous movies, there is no clear plot, it’s more just a series of scene where people arrive at the Bates’ Motel.

Anthony Perkins is great as always as Norman Bates and he is easily the best thing about the film. Interestingly, Perkins also directed this one. Bates’ guests include a suicidal nun (Diana Scarwid “Mommie Dearest”) and a wannabe singer (Jeff Fahey “The Lawnmower Man”). There’s also a snoopy reporter that suspects that Bates is behind the recent disappearance of an elderly woman. None of these other characters are very interesting and that is a disappointment. Some of the original ideas the filmmakers had for Fahey’s character suggest that the character could have been much more interesting than what we got in the finished product.

“Psycho III” has a dream-like (or even nightmarish) quality to many of its scene through its somewhat creative visuals. Also, the performance from Anthony Perkins is really entertaining. The murder scenes are your typical slasher stuff and there is an awful lot of religious imagery and symbolism that does not really seem to add anything. It’s certainly not as bad as the 1998 remake of “Psycho” but it’s also a long way from reaching the heights of the first two entries in the franchise. Those that cannot get enough of the “Psycho” films might enjoy this one but do not have very high expectations.