I find myself slightly embarrassed to admit that Through My Window: Looking At You (despite its amusing title) is actually a surprisingly good movie. It possesses more depth than its predecessors and handles character development much better. Perhaps this is where we witness the most significant growth in the series’ characters, which is why it’s more appealing. Admittedly, there’s a sense of predictability to these films. Many YA movies follow the same formula and offer similar storylines. This trend reminds me of the rom-coms of the late 90s and early 2000s, yet each of those had a unique charm that made them enjoyable to watch. The latest trend of overly sexualized YA films on streaming platforms with convoluted plots and timelines somehow finds great success. It’s not that I’ve outgrown the YA demographic (technically, I am a “young” adult, no?), but rather, I believe the industry has simplified the genre, portraying it as unintelligent and aimed solely at “young girls.” No, I don’t use those terms as an insult; anything aimed at young girls will always be top-tier, provided it’s the right people making them in appreciation of their audience (exhibit A: Taylor Swift). I know I’m bringing in age-old discourse in the review of a movie where most of you are looking to know if Ares and Raquel get their happy ending, but kids, this is completely spoiler-free.
In Across the Sea, Ares and Raquel find themselves in deep waters after they drift apart in an attempt to have a long-distance relationship. So much so that they blame each other for the death of Raquel’s best friend, which honestly had nothing to do with either of them. Don’t worry, we do get a lot of callbacks to Yoshi in this film, and you should probably get a refresher of the first two films if you’re a forgettable person such as myself. Lucky for me, I watched both films two days ago for the first time to write this review, so they’re fresh in my memory. In Through My Window 3, we see the Hidalgos diversify a little bit. It’s an attempt to bring discord around class and romance (yeah, yeah, at this point everyone else’s done it first). I do think it does a good job with the emotional aspect of things, and there are some heart-touching moments as much as there are tantalizing ones. Yes, the chemistry is sizzling, and within the first 5 minutes of the film, you’ll get what you want, you dirty pigs. Jokes aside, I do think this film is more tastefully made too.
Through My Window 3 is actually a holiday film, and no, it’s not Valentine’s Day in Barcelona; it’s actually a Christmas film, which I found really odd, considering the timing of the release. I suppose the love part trumps the holiday spirit. Both Ares and Raquel are with other people, which we expected after the previous film. Ares and Vera are doing pretty well, while Raquel is with Gregory, who is, of course, the green flag of this equation. As Ares returns to his window for the holiday season, things start to get messy for everyone. Will the two get back together? How will it all work out in the end? You’ll find out soon enough. On the other hand, we get a much better picture of other characters this time around; for example, Raquel’s mother has found unexpected love, and Daniela and Apolo are going through something of their own (I suppose Daniela is finally getting to grow up in this one), Claudia and Artemis are pregnant, and I’m not going to say much more or it’ll be spoiler alert.
This film is more self-aware than the previous two, and there’s even a vampire through my window joke, which I liked more than I should’ve. I guess I could say the characters grew on me, and rather than being a superficial story about a stalker girl and a playboy, it feels more like just your regular old romance film. I guess what I’m trying to say is that despite the watered-down plot and the “typicalness” of it all, I thought Through My Window 3 was pretty decent. If you’re a fan of the first two films, there’s no denying that you’ll like this one too.
I do admit that I wasn’t the biggest fan of the big dramatic twist of this film; however, the one scene that is the result of this big dramatic twist is pretty nicely made. Also, making Raquel look like Cinderella in that blue sparky outfit is honestly quite a genius move, if you ask me. Not only does she look fantastic, but it also adds another layer to their relationship. So, if you’re a young girl waiting to watch this film, go watch it, and if you’re not a young girl and still want to watch this film, you do you. I think the films have matured well, and with every part, the story has gotten better, and more romantic too, I suppose. To address the “toxic” nature of this relationship, I have to admit that at first I thought it was the most uninspired yet unimaginable story, but I guess it is all about escapism, and if a rich man coming through your window and sweeping you off your feet is your thing, then good for you. On the other hand, like me, you could simply ignore the “it all began with a wi-fi password” parts and then simply move on; they’re together, so it’s kind of adorable that he comes through her window.
I would give Through My Window: Looking At You 2.5 out of 5 stars. I reckon it’s a hopeful and sweet ending to the franchise that will leave fans overjoyed. Admittedly, some moments had me smiling, and there were also some that made me very sad. So, give this one a go if you like the Hidalgo brothers.
