Arrow in the Head reviews "Night of the Demons 2"

Night of the Demons 2 (1994)

Buy this Video

Buy Horror Posters

Buy Horror Merchandise

Buy Arrow Merchandise


Directed by:	Brian Trenchard Smith
Starring:	Cristi Harris/Bibi
	Amelia Kincade/Angela
	Jennifer Rhodes/Sister Gloria
	Christine Taylor/Terri

RATING

PLOT-CRUNCH:

Angela (Kincaid) returns to wreak havoc at a Catholic school and crash the Halloween dance. She’s also re-united with her sister and lots of tits are shown in the process.

THE LOWDOWN:

Don’t you hate it when a flick goes against your expectations? When I popped this cherry into my VCR, I was hoping for a lean mean horror machine. I didn’t get it. Where the first NOTD was tight, slick and kind of bent, this sequel hops in a slightly different direction. First off, the plot is weaker than a stoner sitting in a marijuana plantation. If you like a solid story behind your horror, don’t even think of slapping down your bucks for this. But if a good plot is not your thang on any particular night and you’re in the mood for a bag full of breasts, girl to girl kisses and wet gore...you’ve cum to the right place. What stands for a story is an endless collage of girls jiggling their stuff, horny guys peeping on the chicks with their shirts off, a "Rambo" like nun who battles demons with a big ruler, dumbarse sight gags and endless sex shenanigans. If it wasn’t for the bloodshed, this movie could’ve been called "American Pie 2" with weak looking male actors.

The film reprises a few scenes from the first but less successfully. This time around Angela’s dance is not as sexy or gnarly. The lipstick incident is not as out there (it's still pretty fucked up though) and Angela doesn’t float as much as she used to (quit the burgers girl). The scares are non-existent and the tension is absent. I mean how can you be scared of a flick that embraces such silliness. Super soakers and balloons filled with holy water worked for "The Lost Boys" but this flick doesn’t have the class to carry it out as gracefully. Here I felt like I was watching a dumb kiddie show with whacked out demons. Personally, I prefer chainsaw action over water gun carnage. But hey, that’s just me!

Two things I have to comment on: 1- Johnny’s karate kicks. They cracked my arse up. I mean he takes his kicks so seriously. I don’t think it was supposed to be funny but it had me in stitches. You’re no Van Damme, buddy.

2- The fashion. Was this movie really shot in the 90’s? Did it sit on the shelves for 10 years? These people dress like crap! Especially the guys. WTF are those clothes all about? I used to wear crud like that when I was 10! The fashion exterminator should’ve stepped into this movie and blown half the cast away.

I wasn’t in a laughing mood when I watched this flick so keep that in mind. But light state of mind or not, I can’t deny that this sequel has a crappy storyline and no scares. The first one did a way better job at balancing the chills and the smiles. Here...it’s too extreme. I will give this sequel this: the acting is much better than it was in the original. But my overall feel on this movie leans more towards the negative. At least the tits and the sometimes very "out there" gore made it watchable. Is Angela overstaying her presence at The Arrow’s party? I think she is…get out of my house, beeyatch!

ACTING:

Cristi Harris (Bibi) is way hot and has good acting chops. She should go legit. Amelia Kincade (Angela) reprises her role from the first and you know what…I don’t think she’s all that. Jennifer Rhodes (Sister Gloria) has fun with the part and ups the camp level a few notches. What’s funnier than Johnny Moran’s (Johnny) shaggy hair style? His pathetic karate kicks and his "emotional" scene with Perry… "puke". Rod McCary (Father Bob) is solid as the down-to-earth priest. More of him would have been nice. What is Christine Taylor (Terri) doing in this movie? MARSHA MARSHA MARSHA! She’s stunning, she’s charming and I was in love for an hour and a half. Zoe Trilling (Shirley) does the bad girl thang well and there’s quite a party going on in her bra. Can I come? Ladd York (Kurt) looks like the typical apple pie jock and he acts like one too. Merle Kennedy (Mouse) sure knows how to whine…shut up already! Bobby Jacoby (Perry) is a low rent "Christian Slater" but without the edgy charm or the cocaine problem.

GORE:

The crowd goes wild! From ripped jaw to beheadings, to a weird snake woman creature, this flick delivers in this department. Sometimes its imagination surpasses its budget, but it's still a blast.

T & A:

Why rent porno when you got flicks like this? You want tits galore, chicks making out and guys with their shirts off? Here it is and the video store clerk won’t even give you funny looks when you rent it. NOTE: Cristi Harris’s topless scene was the highlight of the film for me.

DIRECTING:

Very loose. The pace is sometimes off but I think that also has a lot to do with the script. Smith imitates the demon POV shot from the first one (which was a rip-off of the classic "Evil Dead" shot), gets a couple of groovy shots in there, but overall I can’t say I was blown away…average…

SOUNDTRACK:

A cheesy score and some snore inspiring 80’s like music (even though the flick is set in the 90’s). We do get one kool death metal tune though.

BOTTOM LINE:

The gore is good and so is the nudity. I will admit looking at the fast forward button once but then Cristi’s tit shot popped up and I went for the box of Kleenex instead. It’s gory, cheesy and incredibly dumb. If that’s’ the kind of shindig you want to crash, then put on your party hat and have a blast! If not…well…there’s always the first one.

BULL'S EYE:

Joe Augustyn wrote the first NOTD and its sequel. Kevin S. Tenney, who also happened to have directed the first one, wrote the third one…confused yet?

Discuss this movie on The Arrow's HORROR BOARD