I’ll be the first to admit that I really liked the first film. It was fresh and unique and had some cool as CGI effects. So when a direct to video sequel hit my door step, I was kind of skeptical of hoe good can it really be. It did not have any of the stars of the original film for reasons well, so of should know. And it didn’t help that when the original was released: star Ashton Kutcher refused to promote the film because it was panned by critics. However the film was somewhat of a box office success, and was enough to at least garnish a direct to DVD sequel. That is with a smaller budget and a few unknown actors in the lead roles.
Needless to say, for a film that has a lot going against it. It was not as bad as it would seem to be. I personally was prepared for the worse, however I found myself getting lost in the film and it’s out of control story. The script held up well enough for my wife and I to both get though it, although there are times in this film where the plot does become terribly slow and predictable. I mean you know that this film can’t be what the original was. It’s obvious that this script was written with the budget in mind, and a quick way for the studio to make quick cash in the video store off the teenage kids that will rent it. And it will probably make some good cash, with the title being a direct to video sequel. But all in all what some of us will look at as a shitty direct to DVD sequel, is not actually a half bad movie in terms of the production, But it does have it flaws.
The acting in the film is somewhat decent. I mean we don’t by any means have seasoned actors in this film. It’s a film filled with a few somewhat known television actors and fresh faces. They all do a decent job with the script. Some scenes are better than others, but all in all you basically get a group of actors that are at least trying to make the script work. We do get some really bad line deliveries, such as in the beginning of the film when a joint is introduced during a camping trip. Very bad acting came into ply with that line, and shit if I were the director I would of cut that stupid bit right out of the script. That little bit not only ripped the actors right out of character, but ruined the scene, that was in fact supposed to one of serious importance to set up the whole film. Why producers insist to add dumb drug humor into films sometimes baffles me. In fact I sometimes get insulted, as if someone such as myself being a fan of horror and Sci-fi films is in fact expected to be dumb enough to think a bit involving Marijuana is supposed to be cool and make me like the movie more. You want my opinion; Your fucking stupid, go write a scene I actually give a shit about.
Don’t expect the special effects in this film to be anywhere near as cool at they were in the original film. Because you will be very disappointed. We do get some CGI, but none of it consists of time warps and stuff like that. Instead we just see a picture wobble and smear and WAM! We’re right into another scenario of this guy named Nicks miserable life. Which yes just like the first one seems to get worse by the moment.
However despite all the nitpicking and bitching I did about this film. The film does garnish some good production value. The location in which the script gives us, work. They are simple and effective. Some of the mare even set in a natural breathtaking setting. You feel closed in during the tense office scenes, you feel the uneasiness of the bar and dinner meeting scene. The location are pretty much what gives this film and it scenes it feel. So pretty much it was the locations and the shots and editing used, that pretty much gained the two and half stars I gave this pictures. The real stars are the production team.
Overall, great production value, aright script, somewhat decent acting, and well not the greatest of special effects, but the film is an overall decent film despite some flaws. For fans of the first film, you might want to give it a go, or if you just need a movie to kill some time with. It’s not as fast paced as the first film, however it is a good film for couples to watch as it does have more of a dramatic and romantic feel than it does a sci-fi or thriller film.
– Horror Bob
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
