I wouldn't call this sequel a waste of time, but that's probably because I'm too invested in this franchise by now, so this felt like watching a filler episode of a TV series: you find it forgettable, but if you enjoy the series as a whole, it's no big deal. That's pretty much how I felt about this sequel: I'll probably never watch it again, but it was acceptable for a single watch. However, if you see "High Desert 3" as a standalone flick, without any knowledge of the previous films, chances are you're going to dislike it a lot and maybe rightfully so.
One of the things I praise about the "Horror in the High Desert" movies is that they don't rely on annoying jump scares and the fact that the horror imagery is subtle, but effective. However, upon reaching the third installment, I'd like to have some more action, maybe answers and a better look at the humanoid creatures that lurk around the forest. I understand building mystery and lore, but at this point, we sort of need to get more in contact with something slightly more explicit. Slightly! I'm not asking for gore and kills, but one can settle for off-screen horror only to a certain extent. "Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch" is somewhat of a taxing experience, as it is shockingly uneventful. At one point, we read a warning message that says: "Viewers descretion is advised". Why?? There's nothing to see, what discretion could be advised here? At this point, I feel that this is basically a rehash of the previous films, but done in a dull way. However, I can be patient and I'll wait for the two upcoming sequels. But seriously, at this point they need to reveal something a little bit less vague.
Leaving aside the uneventfulness of the movie, my real problem with this sequel is that if focuses way too much on the main character's personal drama. The main character, a Mexican vlogger named Oscar Mendoza, is incredibly annoying and even though I can understand character development, there is such a thing as overexposure and this is a clear example of that. Yes, we get it: Oscar is a former alcoholic and junkie, but do we really care enough about him to go on and on about this issue?
Oscar claims that he's going to the forest looking for answers about what happened to Gary Hingle, another outdoors enthusiast who went missing (wow, what a smart thing to do, Oscar). Throughout the film, Oscar appears talking to his camera and explaining that he's not doing what he does to get followers, but at the same time, it's clear that he does: he exploits his own personal drama, because he is attention-seeking. He's also very loud, overenthusiastic and, at some point, he jokingly mentions that he's going to light a fire and "hopes he won't burn himself or the forest". That seems particularly disgusting to me, because it makes me think of those idiots who don't have a problem in doing something stupid and dangerous, as long as they get attention from strangers on the internet. Basically, Oscar is the definition of an entitled teenager, who only does things for attention and validation, however... he's not even a teenager, he appears to be in his thirties. I understand that main characters are supposed to be flawed and not role models, but when you're rooting for the main character to die, that's not a good thing. Maybe that's what Dutch Marich intended? Hard to say, but the movie is difficult to digest, because the main character is an idiot.
Regardless, I like this franchise, I respect the director and I hope the upcoming sequels are a lot better than this. For some reason, I'm really rooting for these movies, I'm just not a fan of Oscar (nothing against the actor, of course).
