Tag Archives: Horror Sequel

Species II Should Have Gestated in the Sequel Cocoon a Little Longer

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Somewhere in the middle of the 1990s, horror and science-fiction hybrid Species proved to a bit a surprising box office hit. On one hand, the premise of a seductive, but deadly, alien looking to mate and reproduce with a human mate was pretty pulpy stuff. Yet the sci-fi/horror outing also boasted a good cast alongside a competent filmmaker in Roger Donaldson. Throw in creature effects courtesy of H.R. Giger and Natasha Henstridge and maybe it’s not surprising the movie did well. Following the rules of box office success, Species II released to theaters three years later. Even with most of the original principal cast returning, neither critics nor audiences were impressed this time around.

Synopsis

Patrick Ross is an all-American hero – son of a US senator and an astronaut return from a Mars mission. But Patrick isn’t coming along. On the mission, an alien substance from a soil sample infects him, mixing with his own DNA. Back on Earth, the alien entity drives Patrick on a singular mission – mate and reproduce. With no other way to find and stop him, the US government turns to its newly created ‘Sil’ alien-human hybrid.

Species II Struggles to Re-Create Even the Modest B-Movie Fun of its Predecessor

All Species II needed to do was recycle the same B-movie formula to at least cash in on the intellectual property. Straight out of the gate, however, the sequel makes some head-scratching decisions. Writer Chris Brancato ignores the original’s ending and dismisses a basic premise to take the sequel in its own direction. Moreover, Brancato defies basic logic as he assumes the natural response to an alien threat would be for a government to re-create that threat. And the less said about the decision to make a more ‘docile’ version of the female ‘Sil’, the better. Brancato doubles down by side-lining Marg Helenberger’s “Dr. Laura Baker” for much of the sequel. In all fairness, Species II is a product of the time in which it was released.

Straight out of the gate, however, the sequel makes some head-scratching decisions.

Of course, none of these problems matter if director Peter Medak (The Changeling) can deliver on some pulpy, blood alien fun. To some extent, Medak checks off this box as Species II delivers a handful of decent alien gross-out moments as tentacles explode out of people’s bodies. And the effects where alien offspring enter into a cocoon state looks impressive. Unfortunately, many of the effects wouldn’t have passed muster in the late 1990s. In addition, Medak feels a bit out of his league in scenes that require more action. As a result, Species II feels like a plodding thriller just checking off prerequisites en route to its finale.

Species II Re-Assembles Key Cast, Adds New Supporting Cast, Still Feels Uninspired

Apparently Forest Whitaker was busy for the sequel. But that’s okay – Species II gets Natasha Henstridge (Ghosts of Mars), Michael Madsen, and Marg Helgenberger back on board. Not that it matter all that much Let’s face it, no one is watching a sequel to a moderately received sci-fi/horror movie for the performances. Not surprisingly, everyone here looks like they’re just cashing a paycheck. Maybe contractual obligations brought Madsen back. He certainly look bored without just about everything happening around him. His performance defines the meaning of ‘phoning it in.’ In contrast, Helgenberger looks like she’s doing her best with a insipid screenplay. However, Species II dumbs down her character as it expects the audience to believe she’d voluntarily help re-create the same alien hybrid that almost killed her.

Perhaps the biggest mistake made by the sequel is the decision to mostly sideline Henstridge’s ‘Sil’.

Perhaps the biggest mistake made by the sequel is the decision to mostly sideline Henstridge’s ‘Sil’. For most of Species II, Henstridge sulks in a big glass cube and, even when she joins the action, she stills play second fiddle to Justin Lazard’s astronaut hero ‘Preston Ross.’ To put it lightly, Lazard makes for a very dull alien, thereby significantly reducing the fun factor found in the original. Like its predecessor, Species II somehow recruits an impressive supporting cast. James Cromwell, Mykelti Williamson, Richard Belzer, and George Dzunda all turn up in small roles. And they all look equally bored with what’s happening around them.

Species II Should Have Stayed in Orbit

The original 1995 Species is a watchable, if not totally, piece of 90s horror. Great cast, interesting premise, and middling execution. And it even left a door open – albeit a silly one – for a sequel. Yet the sequel ignores that story thread and opts for a convoluted premise that both retcons bits of the original story and drops some characters’ IQs in the process. If the original was a fun B-movie, Species II is brainless, dull retread that only skims by based on a handful of decent creature scenes. Too bad plenty of poor, dated effects and a dull pace make it hard to reach the final minutes. If you want good 90s sci-fi/horror, just go back and watch the original. Or just watch Independence Day.

THE FINAL VERDICT: LEAVE IT IN THE 90S

Leprechaun 2 a Dull Sequel That Takes a Dive Off the Blarney Stone

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Even casual horror fans know the big franchises. The Friday the 13th, Elm Street, Halloween, or Saw series are the heavy hitters. On the flip side, the Children of the Corn movies may be the most inexplicable ongoing horror franchise. Following close behind it, the Leprechaun franchise is something of a head-scratcher as far as horror outings go. Since the 1993 Leprechaun actually got a theatrical release, seven sequels have mostly dumped straight onto video or VOD platforms. The last entry, Leprechaun Returns, released roughly six years ago. To celebrate St. Patty’s Day we go back 30 years and take a second look at the first sequel – Leprechaun 2.

Synopsis

A thousand years ago, a Leprechaun looked to finally take a bride but was denied and instead found himself imprisoned. However, a twist of fate frees the same Leprechaun in modern Los Angeles where he finds a new young bride. When the leprechaun absconds with the teen, her boyfriend, along with his drunk uncle, must find and rescue her before it’s too late.

Leprechaun 2 Feels Like An Unintentionally Dull Retread of the Original

Surprise, surprise … Leprechaun 2 is a really bad movie. Still lots of bad movies manage to be a whole lot of fun. Take the Sharknado movies as a perfect example of stupid movies that know they’re stupid and deliver on a lot of intentional laughs. One year before its release, the original Leprechaun starring Jennifer Aniston (yes) managed to at least be a silly diversion. Director Rodman Flender would eventually get the mix of horror and comedy right a few years later with Idle Hands. But Turi Meyer and Al Septien’s screenplay gives Flender little with which to work. Despite the lack of any real connection to the original, Leprechaun 2 is a lazy retread.

Despite the lack of any real connection to the original, Leprechaun 2 is a lazy retread.

In this uninspired sequel, the title character – not related to the original one – gets unleashed onto modern day Los Angeles. Other horror franchises would try to spice things up by dropping their characters into new settings. Hammer Films put Christopher Lee’s Dracula into modern London in Dracula A.D. 1972 with very mixed results. Ironically, the Leprechaun series somewhat improved when it leaned more on the modern L.A. setting and comedy with Leprechaun in the Hood. Unfortunately, Meyer and Septien make little use of the ‘fish out of water’ possibilities. The result is a stupid movie that should be intentionally hilarious but instead feels unintentionally unimaginative.

Leprechaun 2 Finds a Bit of a Pot of Gold in Warwick Davis

Occasionally, Leprechaun 2 feels like it’s taking advantage of the silly premise. In particular, Flender scores with a scene where the leprechaun’s pot of gold slowly grows inside a man’s stomach. Another scene finds an espresso machine scolding another character’s face. These scenes tease what this sequel might have been if Flender et al. leaned more into the over-the-top horror-comedy possibilities inherent in the concept. Instead, Leprechaun 2 boasts longs stretches of nothing, ultimately feeling dull and bloated. Keep in mind, the sequel clocked in at just under 90 minutes yet still feels too long.

Instead, Leprechaun 2 boasts longs stretches of nothing, ultimately feeling dull and bloated.

If there’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it’s once again Warwick Davis. Even under what looks like a lot of latex make-up, Davis appears to be having fun chewing up the scenery. To his credit, Davis makes the eye-rolling dialogue as much fun as the rest of the movie should be for audiences. Neither of the young principal actors will register with audiences. But Seinfeld fans will recognize veteran character actor Sandy Baron. Leprechaun 2 also features a brief appearance from Michael MacDonald before his stint on MadTV.

Leprechaun 2…

No one could have really expected Leprechaun 2 to be a good movie. Is it better or worse than Leprechaun? Maybe the better question is whether it matters or not. Opinions may vary, but whatever charm or chuckles the first movie may have offered are all used up here. Warwick Davis is having fun with the role – and the character deserves better. And there’s a bit more fun gore here and there for horror fans. Though it’s intentionally stupid, Leprechaun 2 is probably not stupid enough. In fact, it’s often a boring movie that goes too long without anything of note happening. And this is the kind of movie that can’t afford to be boring.

THE FINAL VERDICT: LEAVE THIS ONE IN THE 90S

The Exorcist: Believer – Can It Convert Enough Fans to Justify Trilogy Plans

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When Universal Studios teamed up with Peacock to buy the rights to The Exorcist franchise for $400 million, expectations were understandably high. Original plans called for brand new trilogy. The same creative team behind the rebooted Halloween trilogy were on board. But The Exorcist: Believer bombed with critics and performed below expectations at the box office. Is there still an appetite for two more Exorcist movies?

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The Exorcist: Believer Fails to Compel or Shock Like Its Predecessor

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Apparently, Universal Studios and Peacock went in together to acquire the rights to The Exorcist for a whooping $400 million. Less than a month ago, The Exorcist: Believer released a week earlier than planned to avoid something worse than The Devil … Taylor Swift’s concert movie. Now the horror movie intended to kick off a new trilogy lands on digital platforms to rent or own just ahead of Halloween. In fairness to The Exorcist: Believer, it did reasonably well at the box office. But a negative critical reception and that hefty $400 million price tag my spell the end for the first planned sequel, The Exorcist: Deceiver.

Synopsis

Years ago, photographer Victor Fielding lost his pregnant wife, but saved his daughter. Thirteen years later, his daughter Angela, is all grown up. But Victor has lost whatever faith he had in God. When Angela and her best friend, Katherine, disappear into the woods for three days, Victor will need something to believe in. His daughter and Katherine return, albeit afflicted with a strange illness no doctor can explain. Only one possible explanation remains. Desperate and out of options, Victor turns to a woman who has dealt with demonic possession in the past.

The Exorcist: Believer Suffers From Mindless Pacing and Lack of Shocks

Contemporary audiences may find The Exorcist to be too slow and too meditative. That’s fine – it’s still one of the scariest horror movies in existence. Regardless of its box office failure at the time of its release, The Exorcist III is also a pretty damn scary movie. Sadly, The Exorcist: Believer is neither scary nor shocking. Director David Gordon Green manages a few good jumps here and there. Given his work on the Halloween trilogy, he’s shown he is more than capable at steering a good horror movie. Some may be quick to suggest the legacy of the original overshadows Gordon Green’s work here. To some extent, there’s truth to that argument. Nothing in this legacy sequel approaches the level of shock that the 1973 movie generated. This is pretty tame stuff that barely outdoes another exorcism movie released earlier this year, The Pope’s Exorcist.

Sadly, The Exorcist: Believer is neither scary nor shocking.

There’s also no denying that The Exorcist: Believer recycles a lot of the scares from William Friedkin’s original movie. And there’s a big case of diminishing returns at play. Moreover, if The Exorcist was a slow burn, the legacy sequel paces itself for contemporary audiences resulting in a connect-the-dots feeling to its story. Themes of faith and belief are here again and appropriately broadened. Nevertheless, there’s still scenes where science and reason fail and the Church mumbles about evil with a small ‘e’ in today’s world. The only difference here is that it moves along at such a quick pace as to lack any weight or gravity. Even the exorcism itself feels obligatory.

The Exorcist: Believer Needlessly Goes The Legacy Sequel Route to Diminishing Returns

One can’t fault David Gordon Green and his co-writers Danny McBride and Scott Teems (Insidious: The Red Door, Firestarter) for going back to the well. Yes, this is the same creative team behind the 2018 Halloween legacy sequel. Following the same blueprint, Gordon Green et al. ignore both of The Exorcist sequels – and likely the prequels – and make this one a direct follow-up. However, it’s not entirely clear that this needed to be legacy sequel. In fact, one can’t help but wonder if this needed to be an Exorcist movie aside from wanting the rub of product familiarity. As mentioned above, The Exorcist: Believer shares – and widens – the original themes of faith and belief. But there’s no Pazuzu in sight. Ellen Burstyn’s ‘Chris MacNeil’ also feels needlessly shoehorned into the story. And a late appearance by Linda Blair comes off as a shameless plug for the planned sequel.

…it’s not entirely clear that this needed to be legacy sequel.

Like the rest of the sequel, too many characters get stuffed into the story with only the most perfunctory of arcs. Only Leslie Odom Jr. gets a satisfying story and stands out alongside his onscreen daughter, played by Lidya Jewett in a similarly strong performance. Several other characters turn up, which only dilutes the story. Though there’s a second possessed child and family, they don’t even get a last name. Instead, Anne Dowd’s (Hereditary) nurse gets her own unnecessary backstory. You’ll be forgiven for not remembers the name of the priest who turns up for the exorcism. Ultimately, the result is a lack of focus that hurts any emotional impact that should exist in the finale.

The Exorcist: Believer May the Start – and the End – of a Planned Trilogy

No, The Exorcist: Believer isn’t a bad movie. Everything from its production values to the performances to some story ideas make this a watchable effort. Maybe it’s also not fair to call it a lazy movie. Clearly, David Gordon Green et al. were aiming for a trilogy here. Yet this is also an immensely dissatisfying movie. Aside from a handful of scares, there’s little we haven’t seen done better in The Exorcist … and a half dozen or so other exorcism movies. Too much overreaching for that trilogy, too many ideas, and too many peripheral characters. Worst of all, the attempts to make this a legacy sequel feel more like the 2022 Texas Chainsaw Massacre than the 2018 Halloween. Needless to say, The Exorcist: Believer falls short of expectations.

THE PROFESSOR’S FINAL GRADE: C+

Saw X Defies Expectations and Delivers a Grisly, Satisfying Sequel

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Think about this fact for a second. The Saw franchise’s original run ended with the 2010 sequel, Saw 3D. Since that sequel’s poor reception, Lionsgate has tried twice, with varying results, to revive its money-making series. If the belated 2017 sequel Jigsaw was a lukewarm attempt to reboot things, the mix of police procedural and Torture Porn in Spiral marked only a marginal step forward. Certainly, Spiral wasn’t well-received enough to follow through on its new story path. So here we are, two years later, and Lionsgate has tasked regular collaborator Kevin Greutert (Jackals) with getting back to basics. Maybe there’s something in the water or it’s Tobin Bell’s return, but Saw X has critics in a surprisingly agreeable mood.

Synopsis

Cancer patient John Kramer has found some brief sense of purpose as the ‘Jigsaw’ killer. Yet as the cancer inside him continues to gnaw away, he desperately turns to a new shred of hope. At an experimental treatment clinic hidden away outside Mexico City, Kramer receives what he believes is a lifesaving treatment. However, when it turns out to be an elaborate fraud, Kramer unleashes his fury with a new batch of ‘Jigsaw’ traps.

Saw X a Surprisingly Contemplative Sequel That Still Delivers the Requisite Gore

New series writers Josh Stolberb and Peter Goldfinch join the returning director of Saw VI and Saw 3D Kevin Greutert. Maybe a pair of new scribes is what the nearly 20-year franchise needed. Neither a true prequel or sequel, Saw X defines ‘unnecessary’ series addition. Despite this inconvenient fact, Saw X feels surprisingly fresh and, yes, like it should exist. What’s also immediately surprising about the movie’s first act is its more reflective and almost gentle tone. Aside from the torture scene teased on the promotional posters, Saw X spends more time focused on John Kramer’s desperation giving the anti-hero an actual character arc.

Despite this inconvenient fact, Saw X feels surprisingly fresh and, yes, like it should exist.

However, diehard Saw fans need not worry – Greutert hasn’t forgot what originally draw audiences to the series. Once John Kramer assembles the guilty offenders, Saw X gleefully slides back into familiar territory. There’s a handful of cringe-inducing traps that should have audiences wincing and looking through their fingers at the screen. Traps include an amputation by gigli saw, some self-performed brain surgery, and blood waterboarding. All the grisly carnage once expects is here on display across a very spry near two hours. We also get a little bit of dark humor as the sequel subtly takes aim at conspiracy theories and ‘big pharma’. When Kramer describes himself as something of a ‘life coach’, you can’t help but laugh a little.

Saw X Turns Its Titular Character From Villain to Antihero to “Hero”

Though horror fans always flocked to see the Jigsaw Killer dispense his own brand of justice, Saw X goes the extra mile. This time around John Kramer isn’t so much antihero – the sequel doubles down and makes him the hero. This in part stems from the amount of time audiences spend with Kramer. Perhaps more than any of the other movies, Tobin Bell gets a lot of character here to bite into. And Bell obliges with a weary and sympathetic turn – there’s more John Kramer, less Jigsaw. In addition, Saw X substitutes a more conventional villain in Synnøve Macody Lund’s downright evil, ‘Cecilia Pederson’. The juxtaposition between Jigsaw and his moral code and the psychopathic Pederson makes it much easier to empathize with John Kramer.

This time around John Kramer isn’t so much antihero – the sequel doubles down and makes him the hero.

Another interesting layer to Saw X is its commitment to Shawnee Smith’s Jigsaw apprentice, Amanda Young. Instead of merely including the character for the sake of continuity, Saw X makes this prequel/sequel something of an origin story for Amanda. Did we need one? Not really. Nevertheless, it works as the character arc on display lends more unexpected weight to the story. We get more insight into what drove the supporting character in Saw II and Saw III. Moreover, the father-daughter relationship between Kramer and Young feels earned here. And Shawnee Smith joins Bell in giving a strong performance in a franchise not recognized for that sort of thing.

Saw X May Be Unnecessary, But It Far Exceeds Expectations

Nothing about Saw X feels necessary in the grand scheme of the franchise. Let’s face, Tobin Bell’s ‘Jigsaw’ died way back in the 2006 entry, Saw III. And this sequel, set between the first and second movies, is really just a side journey allowing Lionsgate to wring a few more bucks out of the box office. In spite of this issue, Saw X is grisly fun for horror fans with a bit of dark humor and a much more emotional focus on its antihero and his apprentice. In fact, the tenth entry offers Bell more character with which to work than any other previous Saw movie. Longtime fans should rejoice at what’s arguably the best movie in the franchise since the 2004 original.

THE PROFESSOR’S FINAL GRADE: B+

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer a 90s Sequel That Should Have Stayed in Summer School

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Following the success of Wes Craven’s Scream, the mid- to late 90s saw a surge in teen horror. These movies included neo-slashers (Urban Legend, Cry Wolf), thrillers (Disturbing Behavior, Teaching Mrs. Tingle), and even some sci-fi horror (The Faculty). Among the most successful of these movies not called Scream was I Know What You Did Last Summer. While it was obviously a knock-off intended to cash in on the success of Scream, it was a surprisingly big box office hit. One year later the sequel hit theatres to a dwindling critical response and a huge box office drop off.

Synopsis

One year ago Julie James survived the vengeful murder spree of fisherman Ben Willis. Now in college, Julie has struggled to move on with her life. Her relationship with boyfriend, and fellow survivor, Ray is strained. Her grades are in shambles. And nightmares still haunt her. To shake her out of this funk, Julie’s roommate Karla takes her on a trip to a resort in the Bahamas along with Karla’s boyfriend, Tyrell, and classmate Will. But Julie can’t escape her past and soon after arriving, bodies start turning up.

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is a Rinse and Repeat Sequel

On one hand, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer has a decent cast and production values. Bottom line, it’s a far cry from the grimy VHS slashers of the 1980s. And it’s a watchable movie from start to finish. But that’s where the positives end. Writer Trey Callaway is no Kevin Williamson, and director Danny Cannon is a step below original director Jim Gillespie. As a result, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is a sequel that recycles not only the basic story, but characters and, in some cases, specific scenes. This is a rushed, derivative, and lukewarm slasher that was clearly rushed into production. Once again we get a protagonist who knows something is wrong – the audience knows something is wrong. The sequel wouldn’t exist if something isn’t wrong. But we have to suffer through supporting characters doubting the protagonist while bodies pile up.

As a result, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is a sequel that recycles not only the basic story, but characters and, in some cases, specific scenes.

Like most slasher sequels, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer ups the body count. Yet it’s too a muted effect. That is, Cannon fails to set up any effective scares or jumps – the slashing here is perfunctory. Throw in poor editing and the kills rarely live up to an R-rating and there’s certainly none of the elaborateness one expects from the subgenre. Too many scenes quickly cut away from the action. Even the finale feels undercooked almost as if Cannon ran out of time and money. Once again we also get another final ‘scare’ that’s only mildly and completely illogical, raising another problem with the sequel.

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer Has a Script That Needed Proofreading

No one expects slashers to present complex plots with strict adherence to the laws of the real world. Nevertheless, Callaway’s screenplay isn’t just derivative, it’s often wildly illogical. If you thought the hospital in Halloween II was oddly understaffed, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer welcomes audiences to the most empty tropical resort ever. Storm season or not, no resort in the Bahamas is that empty. In addition, Callaway stretches credibility to shoehorn more backstory to ‘The Fisherman’ for no other reason than to justify the trip to the island. Anyone who can’t figure out the third act ‘twist’ hasn’t watched many movies.

If you thought the hospital in Halloween II was oddly understaffed, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer welcomes audiences to the most empty tropical resort ever.

At the very least, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer puts together a capable cast. No, Jennifer Love Hewitt isn’t the most compelling Final Girl. And pop star Brandy is a long ways from her television series, Moesha. But both actresses are perfectly capable in their roles – the screenplay itself does them no favors. Maybe Freddie Prinze Jr. had scheduling conflicts, but he barely factors into the sequel. And Mekhi Phifer gets stuck rehashing Ryan Phillippe’s character from the first movie. In what’s probably the oddest bit of casting, Jack Black has a small role that feels at odds with the rest of the movie. Once again Muse Watson’s ‘Fisherman’ makes for a dull slasher villain.

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer Never Quite as Clever As Its Title

Whether I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is as bad as critical consensus suggests depends on your expectations. Yes, it’s a bad horror movie. And it’s also a bad slasher movie. In fact, Danny Cannon’s sequel is a bad a sequel to what was was a pretty middle-of-the-road original movie. Take your pick of relevant criticisms. There’s the recycled story, characters and entire scenes alongside scare-free jumps, contrived fake-outs, and an abridged finale. Jennifer Love Hewitt remains a weak Final Girl. Moreover, the story litters itself with tropes and lapses in logic. Though it’s watchable, I Know Still Know What You Did Last Summer hardly qualifies as requisite viewing.

THE FINAL VERDICT: LEAVE IT IN THE 90S

Wrong Turn 2 Dead End a Surprisingly Tasty Straight-to-Video Sequel

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Early in the summer of 2003, rural slasher Wrong Turn became a modest box office hit. Like most horror movies from the late 90s and early 2000s, it boasted a young, attractive cast of up-and-comers. And it carried on a long-tradition of hillbilly horror dating back to the 1972 classic Deliverance. Critics didn’t really like it, but audiences didn’t care either. Instead of a box office sequel, however, Wrong Turn became a B-movie straight-to-video franchise, which currently five sequels of decreasing quality. Amidst the COVID pandemic, a surprisingly good remake saw a brief theatrical release. Yet the first sequel of the bunch, Wrong Turn 2 Dead End, was actually kind of good, too.

Synopsis.

Several reality show contestants join a retired Marine Colonel in the West Virginia woods to film a pilot episode of The Apocalypse: Ultimate Survivalist. But they’re not alone in the wilderness. Years ago a nearby paper mill poisoned the local water source driving away most residents except for one family. Years of inbreeding and toxic contaminants have left them deformed and turned them into feral cannibals. Now the hillbilly predators have found their next prey.

Wrong Turn 2 Dead End Delivers Exactly What You Want from the Premise

On one hand, Wrong Turn 2 Dead End is exactly what you would expect. Director Joe Lynch (Mayhem) and writer Turi Meyer and Al Septien have made rural slasher movie about deformed clan of cannibalistic hillbillies. The sequel doesn’t pretend to be anything else. And since it’s a sequel, Lynch et al. don’t need to spend much time setting up their premise. Anyone who rented Wrong Turn 2 Dead End in the Blockbuster days wanted plenty of slasher gore and sex. As expected, Lynch serves up plenty of blood and entrails alongside a bit of ‘T & A’ and wastes little time getting to the point. Expect little in the way of suspense, scares, or surprises.

The sequel doesn’t pretend to be anything else.

Nonetheless, Lynch knows exactly what kind of movie he’s making and never takes it too seriously. As a result, Wrong Turn 2 Dead End is just over 90 minutes of silly, over-the-top guts and gore that often has its tongue planted firmly in its cheek. From its opening pre-credits sequence, Lynch goes all in on the CGI splatter and we get real-life C-list reality start Kimberly Caldwell split in half. Some horror fans will take issue with the CGI. Moreover, the make-up effects look like a bit of a downgrade from the original. Yet somehow this fees like a tighter, bloodier, and more fun take on the premise than what the 2003 movie delivered.

Wrong Turn 2 Dead End Pits Henry Rollins vs Deformed Hillbillies

Just how much does Wrong Turn 2 Dead End miss the original’s star, Eliza Dushku? While genre fans would have appreciated a sequel that brought back Dushku’s ‘Jessie’, Lynch’s use of reality star Kimberly Caldwell in the pre-credits scene quickly sweeps away any concerns. Hardcore-punk-rocker-turned-actor Henry Rollins may be the sequel’s most recognizable face, but Meyer and Septien’s screenplay actually delivers much better characters here. Whether it’s the sequel’s fake-out on the ‘Final Girl’ or the ways in which even two-dimensional characters become sympathetic elevate this effort above most straight-to-video fare. Even the cast, which includes a few familiar horror veterans – Erica Leerhsen (Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and Crystal Lowe (Black Christmas) – is better than what you’d tpically find in this sort of sequel.

Whether it’s the sequel’s fake-out on the ‘Final Girl’ or the ways in which even two-dimensional characters become sympathetic elevate this effort above most straight-to-video fare.

But most horror fans who rented Wrong Turn 2: Dead End came out for the cannibalistic, deformed hillbillies. Before shared universes, continuity wasn’t a high priority, particularly for horror sequels. Though the popular Three-Finger returns, his siblings are inexplicably absent. In their place, the sequel gives us family of rural monsters, adding incest to their list of crimes. Veteran character actor Wayne Robson (Cube) even reprises his bit role as the gas station attendant. Here, Robson’s retconned into the sequel as the patriarch of the cannibals, which doesn’t make much sense. But it does a small, fun surprise.

Wrong Turn 2 Dead End Improves on the 2003 Original in Just About Every Way

If you had to make a sequel to a derivative, but enjoyable, backwoods slasher, you could do a lot worse than Wrong Turn 2 Dead End. In fact, Joe Lynch’s sequel may actually be a slight improvement over the fan favourite 2003 slasher. With its over-the-top gore, nudity, and sex, the sequel more openly embraces the silliness of its premise. Though there’s only cursory attempts at continuity, that’s par for the course for horror movies, especially in 2007. And the characters somehow actually feel more than just two-dimensional cardboard cutouts. For fans of straightforward, gory slashers, Wrong Turn 2 Dead is a lot of fun – and it may be better than the original.

THE PROFESSOR’S FINAL GRADE: B-

The Third Saturday in October and Its ‘Sequel’ Take Horror Back to the Blockbuster Days of Renting

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Nostalgia for 80s slashers isn’t new. When Scream hit theaters in 1996, it re-ignited a brief slasher-lite phase. Plenty of other horror movies have tried to specifically replicate the grainy and seedy retro-aesthetics of ‘Golden Era’ slashers such as Steve Mena’s Malevolence or Dude Bro Party Massacre III. Now Dark Sky Films and director Jay Burleson are taking a different approach to the nostalgia. Last week, Burleson’s The Third Saturday in October and The Third Day in October Part V hit VOD platforms. No, there isn’t a Part II, III, or IV. And you’re technically supposed to watch Part V first.

Synopsis

As college football fans gather for The Third Saturday in October matchup between Alabama and Tennessee, depraved serial killer Jack Harding arrives with murder on his mind. Following a brutal killing spree, Harding is sentenced to death and strapped to the electric chair. But the execution fails and Harding escapes to continue his killing spree.

The Third Saturday in October Re-Creates the VHS Era of Slasher Movies

Kudos to writer and director Jay Burleson for at least adding something different to the retro-slasher movie. It’s not just an experiment in style and content – Burleson wants to recreate the experience of getting to the video store late and being stuck with the later sequel because the other movies are already rented. Rent and watch Part V first, and go back and get the original The Third Saturday in October when it’s back on the shelf. There’s something clever to the idea. On one hand, Burleson has made two retro-slashers that bookend the look and style of the Golden Era. If Part I taps into the seedy late 70s slasher, Part V replicates the unstoppable killer found in late 80s slashers like Jason Lives.

…Burleson has made two retro-slashers that bookend the look and style of the Golden Era.

Both movies perfectly recreate the looks of the eras in which they’re rooted. If you can forget that Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez already took this retro approach over a decade ago with their Grindhouse double-bill, the idea feels initially fun. Most importantly, Burleson remembers what initially attracted horror fans to these sorts of movies – all the practical effects gore. And there’s plenty of cheap-o killings in The Third October in Saturday and Part V to takes fans back in time. In addition, Burleson includes plenty of nods to slasher classics from Friday the 13th and Halloween to the lesser known The Town That Dreaded Sunset.

The Third Saturday in October Doesn’t Always Hit Its Intended Mark

Neither The Third Saturday in October nor its ‘sequel’ perfectly hit their intended marks. Arguably, Part V works much better on its own as a silly send-up of the subgenre. While no one’s going to write home about the performances or characters, Part V at least offers two likable protagonists in Kansas Bowling (Christmas Bloody Christmas) and the young Poppy Cunningham. Don’t expect any characters that remotely resemble real people. Just about everyone in each movie represents a caricature, which may very well have been the intent. Yet it makes it difficult to fully invest in the movies, particularly when there are large gaps where nothing happens. Pacing is a recurrent problem where Burleson may not have completely understood the assignment.

Don’t expect any characters that remotely resemble real people. Just about everyone in each movie represents a caricature, which may very well have been the intent.

As for the killer who stalks our football fans across two movies, Jack Harding makes for a pretty nondescript villain. Maybe Burleson wanted a silent killer in the tradition of a Jason or Michael Myers, but Harding just doesn’t have the appeal of the classic slasher villains. For better or worse, Burleson also weaves in quite a bit of eccentric tics to his movies. There’s recurring jokes or bits about cats the pop up. One character repeatedly call another by their first and last name. Another character seems to be a reference to Franklin from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Horror fans will either appreciate these idiosyncrasies or find them increasingly annoying.

The Third Saturday in October and Its ‘Sequel’ Should Be a Fun Double-Bill for Diehard 80s Horror Fans

Neither Third Saturday in October is a perfect movie – they may not even technically qualify as ‘good movies’. Still there’s no denying that they make for a wildly fun retro-slasher double-bill. Burleson perfectly recreates the retro vibes of two different horror time periods. And the practical effects recall the same eras, which should satisfy Grindhouse horror fans. Yes, the pacing overestimates the appeal of what’s basically a low-grade slasher. Yet Burleson includes enough idiosyncratic ticks to his movies to set them apart from other retro-inspired slashers. As a double-bill, The Third Saturday in October and its sequel or prequel are destined to be a cult classic.

THE PROFESSOR’S FINAL GRADE: B-