While the loss of an interesting story is a shame, Scanner Cop II more than delivers plenty of genre highlights, offering an unpretentious, exhilarating and straightforward cat-and-mouse chase between a likeable hero and a loathsome villain. Director Steve Barnett brings us a grislier take on the Scanners universe, one with copious amounts of visceral violence that works wonders in the production's limited budget and unrefined style. It's not an escalation of Sam's cop story, but the film enjoys creating a mess, finding its happy place in blood and guts. Daniel Quinn once again turns in a good performance as our hero but like the previous film, it's stolen by the villain, this time played with excruciating sadism by Patrick Kilpatrick. Backed by another funky synth score, this time by Richard Bowers, Scanner Cop II introduces a bit of levity amidst the grim nature of its story, it isn't exactly groundbreaking but it does put on a major show of force when it comes to scanners and their destructive ways.
