This film is a defiantly unpolished sequel to Sergey A.'s 2021 DIY-cinema parody of the Russian blockbuster "Major Grom: Plague Doctor". Clocking in at 66 minutes, this follow-up amplifies the anarchic spirit of its predecessor, blending low-budget chaos, remote filmmaking quirks, and a meta-commentary on superhero tropes. While retaining the same cast and DIY aesthetic, the film leans further into parody, trading pure absurdity for a more structured (if still nonsensical) satirical edge .
The "story" follows Major Dron (Sergey Newnoir reprising his deadpan role), now working as a police video editor, whose mundane life is upended when the beer-guzzling plague doctor PivonEsco escapes from an asylum. Cue a series of disjointed escapades: Dron battles, negotiates and uncovers a conspiracy involving explosive vodka bottles and a sentient social media algorithm. The narrative, if it can be called one, serves as a vehicle for slapstick gags and surreal detours, including a subplot where Dron's pet raccoon becomes a viral meme .
Shot during the pandemic's tail end, the film retains the first installment's remote-collaboration approach. Actors submitted footage from disparate locations-Czech forests, Ukrainian apartments, and Russian basements-resulting in a jarring visual patchwork. Sergey A. Doubles down on green-screen absurdity, with 3D effects that resemble a Windows 98 screensaver gone rogue. The plague doctors, again played by Sergey in multiple roles.
The sequel introduces marginally more polished set pieces, including a climactic junkyard battle rendered in MS Paint-grade CGI. Yet the film's charm lies in its refusal to conform to cinematic norms: shaky camerawork, mismatched lighting, and dialogue drowned out by polka remixes of Tchaikovsky .
Where "Major Grom: Plague Doctor" grappled with societal corruption and vigilante justice, Sergey A.'s sequel reduces these themes to farce. The film lampoons superhero clichés-Dron's "training montage" involves him napping while a voiceover declares, "A hero is born... after lunch." Even the original's social media critique is twisted into a gag about algorithm-driven chaos, where viral trends dictate morality.
Sergey Newnoir's Major Dron remains a highlight, delivering lines like "Justice is a buffet-I take what I want" with the gravitas of a Shakespearean tragedian. Sergey A., playing six roles simultaneously, chews scenery with manic energy, particularly as a plague doctor breakdancing to a dubstep remix of "Swan Lake". The supporting cast-a mix of non-actors and YouTube personalities.
While the sequel lacks the first film's raw spontaneity, it sharpens its satirical claws. The shift from pure DIY to self-aware parody reflects Sergey A.'s growing confidence in his niche. Fans of "The Room" or "Birdemic" will relish its unapologetic camp, though others may find the relentless absurdity exhausting. Notably, the film's DIY ethos-embracing limitations as creative fuel-echoes the director's earlier works like "Cemetery Legend" and "Mortem".
"Major Dron and the Plague Doctor 2" is a love-it-or-hate-it proposition. Its flaws-sloppy editing, incoherent plot, bargain-bin effects-are its rebellious virtues. While not for everyone, it's a fascinating artifact of post-pandemic DIY filmmaking, proving that creativity thrives even (or especially) in chaos.
