Emerging from a coma after the events of the last film, Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) reunites with pal Reggie (Reggie Bannister),but only briefly, as he's whisked off to another dimension by the sinister Tall Man (Angus Scrimm). Reggie then sets out to try and find and rescue Mike, aided by 11-year-old orphan Tim (Kevin Connors),and ex-soldier Rocky (Gloria Lynne Henry). Also featuring Bill Thornbury, Cindy Ambuehl, Brooks Gardner, and John Davis Chandler.

Universal ordered yet another sequel despite the poor box office of the second Phantasm film, and while Coscarelli was given greater creative control (he was allowed to bring Baldwin back from the first film as Mike),the budget was smaller. Unfortunately there's not much inspiration to the proceedings this time around. A lengthy segment featuring new kid Connors battling criminals in his home comes across as a dumb, R-rated take-off on Home Alone. The mythology of the storyline is greatly expanded , with names given to the flying spheres (Sentinels) and hooded dwarf servants (Lurkers),as well as completely explaining the Tall Man's purposes and use of the corpses he harvests. Some revelations about Mike, as well as his brother Jody (a returning Bill Thornbury),will come as a surprise. The movie was completed in 1993, but Universal kept it on the shelf for over a year, finally opening it in a couple of theaters in 1994 before eventually dumping it virtually direct-to-video in 1995. It's lost the novelty of the first film and lacks the production value polish of the second and gives you just too many characters to care about. (5/10)

A demon child joins the mix with the tall guy, flinging around a Frisbee that slices throats and his own version of the death ball. Actually, he's the sheriff's son, out for revenge against the tall man. He just has the same type of tools as the tall man. Michael and Jody, either comatose or dead, do make appearances, and yet are basically nothing more than shadows of their old selves from the first two films, the second of which should have been the conclusion. Released by an unknown independent film studio, this seems like a straight to video movie that didn't deserve to waste electricity in even one or two theaters of major markets.

Yes there is one more film after this, but I'm done as far as the series is concerned. The third film is a messy pointless disaster, forcing elements to try to keep the franchise going and once again overplaying the dramatic theme from the first film. The story makes no sense, and tossing in humorous elements every time someone gets killed just goes too far. I did laugh though at the early scene where someone fires a gun into trees where the Demonic dwarves are hiding and with one shot brings down three. But one bit of a humorous moment doesn't make the rest of the movie even worth watching, and I have to refer to this one as a phantasmess.

The Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) refuses to die and continues to pursue Mike. Liz is killed and Mike is left comatose. Mike's late brother Jody returns. Reggie's fight is joined by a boy named Tim and a woman named Tanesha.

This one tries to be comedic and that partly works. The most intriguing is that it dissects the spheres and the works of The Tall Man. I really like expanding that part of the story. It is obvious that Liz and Mike decided not to return. That's too bad and it causes problems for the first section. It takes awhile for a new group to form. This is an improvement in filmmaking in the franchise and the story is filling in some spots.