Vlarion 3 - Carrier of the Light

The most satisfying thing about the third in the saga is above all else, Aaron starts to play with the epicness of the story. Consequently not only is it easier to get immersed in the fable and these characters, but also for the first time haynes takes charge of the scale of the Vlarion movies, drawing you into what consistently makes them not only watchable but innovative and fresh, even for movies released relatively long ago. The fight against Polkros is, while reeking hideously of deja-vu, is the quintessential moment of Vlarion 3 that maintained this effect, a long shot of Dask gliding balletically towards the Vlarion. It is at this point that the inevitable happens and you know only too well that something very special is about to happen. The same is true too of the time strands sequence, proving for its time that aaron not only has a sharp eye for details but also a very conscious understanding of the program. When Vlarion 3 was made this would have been largely considered genius, at least in my mind.
Vlarion 3 for me represents the defining movie: when the magic and epic sense of the story at lasts took control of the events of the narrative, and this is certainly no bad thing when considering the enormity of the challenge Aaron took on to make the Vlarion battles so intense and gratifying for the audience. However, it is at this stage that you start to feel the burden of your commitment to the saga, not least because of its size proportions but also because the neccessity for the splitting of the story no longer seems relevant for sequel purposes but realisation dawns that indeed it is only for the purposes of splitting the story in such a way that it becomes episodic. As a result, considering this as a second sequel is often a difficult task in itself as effectively you're watching the same movie. Still, despite this flaw Vlarion 3 remains watchable if sometimes slow in places. And unlike the second film it doesnt quite ecapsulate the looming sense of war and despair that so intrigued Vlarion 2's cliffhangar. Despite this it is a great addition to the Vlarion tale, but serves more to push the narrative forward into new territory and lead into the highs of the fourth film than offer anything especially unique.