Let's recap Det. Sam Dietz (Leo Rossi). In the original, he's a former NYC cop who moves to LA, catches his first serial killer but not before things hit too close to home. In the sequel 'Dead On' mere months have passed and already he's on the case of another. He closes it and then makes amends to his family. In 'Relentless 3' he moved away, but things haven't worked out (divorced) and now he's back in LA. Where he's asked to consult on another serial killer because as Captain Phelan (Tow Bower) puts it "you're the best we've got."
The series is strictly meat & potatoes following a bare bones formula, but logic is starting to fall by the way side. Why is Dietz considered the best? By my calculations, he hasn't been doing this very long at all. How can he have caught four killers with ex-partner Roy (Robert Costanzo) given the timeline? What's Dietz's obsession with answering the phone at the worst of times? Can he treat any woman in his life right? His son? Catching killers above all else is this what they mean by 'Relentless'?
Rossi continues holding his own. Thankfully he's been dialed back from the loudmouth jerk he was in the previous entry. I always enjoy seeing character actors such as Bower (Die Hard 2, Clear & Present Danger) and Costanzo (Total Recall, Undisputed 3: Redemption). Likewise with William Forsythe. His killer is an improvement from the last sequel, but unfortunately under developed given past history.
After 'Relentless 3' there's no getting past this basic by the numbers cop / killer routine where they don't do more than necessary. The whole angle they're trying for here isn't fleshed out & feels hollow. The ending has a very much thrown together & rushed quality to it. Slightly better than the first sequel, but that isn't saying much.
