Pumpkinhead: O Retorno

I'm going to preface this by saying, I enjoyed Pumpkinhead I. It was a good story about backwoods lore. Though the camera found the monster a little too often (Stan Winston can be forgiven for falling in love with his creation, though) it was a good 80's popcorn horror flick.

Having said that, the people who made Pumpkinhead 2: Bloodwings, should be skinned alive, strapped to a chair with their eyelids peeled open and forced to watch this ridiculous piece of garbage again and again. Did Andrew Robinson even read the script before he showed up to shoot this train-wreck?

You were in Hellraiser for God's sake, have some pride!

Did these idiots even watch the first film? Was that old woman supposed to be the same witch that stole Lance Henricksen's soul? I hope not--because otherwise, it's quite an accomplishment that she was suddenly good, and that her name was changed.

The fifties flashback? The mullet-ed mayor with the guitar? The annoying medical examiner who--for some strange reason is ALWAYS at the sheriff's house? And the idea that this new Pumpkinhead was the hell-spawn of the old Pumpkinhead and some "not so special woman" is idiotic. What? Are you trying to tell me they slept together? Did you see the first movie? If you look closely, you'll notice that ol' Pumpkinhead isn't exactly anatomically correct.

The absolute most horrendous part of this movie came in the character of Paul--otherwise known as the friend who didn't get any throughout the whole film. I want to say something to Paul right now, are you listening? You had no point at all in this film. You deserved to get killed for those stupid clothes you had on. Your one job was to go and get the car from around front--you couldn't even do that right. May God have mercy on your soul.

I don't know why God let this movie get made. My buddy Marc told me I had to watch it because it was so stupid. I believed him beforehand, but--in a Twilight Zone-ian sense, I had no idea HOW RIGHT he was. I want to conjure Pumpkinhead to come get him for having brought it home from the video store.

I feel like having watched this movie, I've somehow been exposed to some great and terrible contagion that will make me incapable of appreciating a good movie ever again.

*****Five Out of Ten Stars*****

Considering this film was made in three weeks, it's not all that bad. It's a strange film; there are quality experienced actors combined with unprofessional actors. Robinson and Edmond's acting talents are wasted on this rushed production. The original director bailed out of the project at the last minute and they had a difficult time finding other qualified director's to pick it up. Jeff Burr accepted the directors role reluctantly, I think, at the last minute.

The plot just isn't faithful to the original, which is a big let down. The script isn't bad but is totally hammed up by a number of unprofessional actors. You can feel Robinson's frustration in some scenes as he contends with acting counterparts with no talent. The special effects are decent enough, if not slightly behind, considering this was made in 1993 and 1994.

Even though I was thoroughly disappointed in the handling of this sequel, I do own it on DVD. My love for the original PH keeps me faithful to this one and the third segment, but definitely not the fourth installment, "Blood Feud". It's a shame one of the major movie studios didn't try to do more with this franchise. The pumpkin head monster could've been used more effectively than it was used in the sequels. Perhaps one of the main studios could've picked the pumpkin head idea up and released several sequels around Halloween. Why Sci-Fi got involved in this franchise, I'll never know? But once Sci-Fi gets involved in any project, the project is destined for the "straight to DVD" category.

P.H. II is a brainless ride that should be taken for what it's worth: A rushed production, made for under $1,000,000, that no one really seemed to care a whole lot about. A better plot more faithful to the original, better acting, and a slower production pace would've gone a long way in producing a sequel worthy of the original. Take a whirl on "Blood Wings" if you're a die hard PH fan, if your not, you'll have issues with it.

Good in its own right, but not as a sequel. Instead, it plays more like a prequel. This film is more of a slasher, although justified since the murders are not random and well explained. The plot is not that great either, but the film was nevertheless still enjoyable.

This is a worthy sequel to the cult classic from the 80's "Pumpkinhead". Sadly, the movie improves in little aspects in comparison to the original. This time, the f/x is very cheesy but it's okay for B-movie standards. The Pumpkinhead demon looks extremely cheesy and scary it's the lesser thing about it. But surprisingly, it works for the movie.

The plot is actually interesting and has potential but it's just not executed correctly. The invocation, the ritual are good scenes and may be the best feature about the movie. When the snob guys whacks the head of the witch is also a good scene in the movie.

Anyways, if you are an avid lover (like me) of the 90's un necessary sequels, watch "Blood Wings" and buy popcorn. This is cheesy entertainment in Horror.

Sean Braddock takes up residence as sheriff in Ferren Woods, the town he grew up in, along with his wife and rebellious daughter Jenny. Straight away she gets in with the wrong crowd, where the group cause trouble one night when they accidentally cause the fire of an old witch's house and for fun unknowingly resurrect the demon known as "Pumpkinhead". The soul of the deformed orphan who lived in the woods returns to this deranged monster. It sweeps the countryside seeking revenge against those who were behind his death three decades ago and plus those teenagers who brought him back. Grisly death mount up, and Sheriff Broddock learns that the legend of the "Pumpkinhead" might have its foot in reality.

Do I care about its bad reputation? I guess not. Since I took the time to watch it. The low-budget, straight-to-video sequel is an okay addition that had its moments and sound performances to cater for its blaring shortcomings. However it's the monster we're waiting for, and director Jeff Burr (a sequel journeyman you could say) serves up the beast and bloody mayhem on a silver plateau. The ominously atmospheric first one (with a sublime lead performance by Lance Henriksen) is certainly superior in every department, but as for sequels go. You could do a lot worse. Well, it does seem like a pointless exercise, but just like the first sequel to "Candyman", the story plays the usual trumps (basic retread of first), but it also wants to overfeed the history of "Pumpkinhead". Burr knows there's nothing to surprise us anymore with a frail plot with an promising premise, so there's more of the monster shown on screen and what it dishes out is far more nastier, violent and more imaginative in its carnage. There's just something creepy and cruel about the deaths.

The make-up effects have some juicy inclusions, despite some cheap and corny looking aspects, but the imposing monster design still looks fair enough, even with some rubbery shades. Burr's junky direction is cheerful and plucky, but he demonstrates few striking visuals with well-filtered lighting (like strobe) that come across as foreboding in their set-up. Sometimes it can get laughable with too many hapless victims just standing there in front of "Pumpkinhead" waiting to get killed off, when there's an actual chance to do something or RUN! However the atmosphere is very patchy, which makes sure it doesn't have the same impact the original created.

Streaming from the production is a cheap TV feel, but the swiftly compact camera-work manages some inventive tilt frames, wild movements and trippy red "Pumpkinhead" vision lensing. The thrills and pace were kind of a stop and go affair, as you really felt it because the tepidly cardboard script lead to many silly (and contrived) avenues working there way in and the lack of an strong lead performance really showed it up immensely. There's nothing wrong with Andrew Robinson's sincerely hearty performance as Sheriff Braddock, but intensity was lacking, instead there seemed to be a lighter tone to everything about it. Except for the violence, of course. Thinking more about it actually, he looked rather flustered. The gorgeous Ami Dolenz makes for a wonderful performance as Jenny and Gloria Hendry kicks up some interest. The rest of the hysterical cast aren't so memorable, while the teens weren't particularly that good with the stereotypical traits. With Steve Kanaly, Hill Harper, Soleil Moon Frye and J. Trevor Edmond. Appearing in small and amusing parts are a familiar Linnea Quigley and Kane Hodder. Yep the trivia is right, Bill Clinton's brother Roger Clinton shows up as the Town's mayor.

Formulaic, cheesy b-fun emerges from this earnest sequel that doesn't try to outdo its original, but more so complement it. Maybe it's bad, but I kinda enjoyed it.