From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money

OK. This is probably my guiltiest pleasure ever! The acting is extremely awful, and the movie is filled with immature draggings of the originals material. But still I like this movie. A cinescape reviewer wrote that some horror fans desperate for something new in the genre, may forgive the film for its problems. I think I'm probably one of those horror fans.

Its more entertaining than a lot of recent theatrical releases. I think the gore is great, and the Evil Dead qualities: Sam Raimi-ish camera angles (overdone), demon-like vampire deaths make this movie even more entertaining. I think its really a great cheeseball B-horror movie.

This is much worse than I ever expected it to be. Scott Spiegel, whose work I have enjoyed up till recently, has penned such flicks as Clint Eastwood's THE ROOKIE, and Sam Raimi's EVIL DEAD II: DEAD BY DAWN. He is also the man responsible for giving Quentin Tarantino (my idol) his start in the business. Unfortunately, he cannot cut it in the director's chair.

The effects, especially the incredibly noticeable fake bats, are ludicrous. The cinematography, which I suppose was considered creative or perhaps experimental when the film was being shot, was abominable (POV shots do not work with someone who is doing pushups, or even household appliances, i.e. a rotating window fan, no matter what people tell you). The artistic shots of the film (a cattle skull with snake/spider crawling over it) are disappointing, and I suppose trying to immitate those of Tobe Hooper's TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (recurring shots of a full moon).

Moreover, the advertisements for a "teaser-role" for cult horror icon Bruce Campbell, were little more than completely false. When I heard this, I figured that Spiegel would be giving B.C. a significant cameo, after they worked together on EVIL DEAD 2. Of course, this is not true. Bruce Campbell does little more than simply walk into frame, say a few words (very few) and die. There has not been a greater example of false advertising since Bruce Lee was billed as starring in the absolute fake GAME OF DEATH.

The plot, if any, is an extremely weak one. The only good work by any actor is that of Robert Patrick, who as usual, never ceases to impress.

Overall, the film was a disgrace to the name of the original. I do not mean to put down Scott Spiegel's previous works at all, nor do I mean to insult his ability to write a good screenplay. This film unfortunately does just not live up to his potential, and definitely does not exhibit his flair for screenwriting.

The special effects really do suck and the actors aren't first string, however fans of cheesy horror movies shouldn't be discouraged from checking this flick out. This is genuinely stylish with some ambitious camera work and some nice art direction touches. I think the director and the cinematographer might have been having a contest to see who could come up with the wierdest pov shot while they were shooting the picture. Also there are a few moments that are funny and border upon being clever. The porno film massacre scene had me chuckling when the donut guy got blown away. I also liked the opening Bruce Cambell(Hail to the King!) and Tiffany-Amber Thiessen elevator scene. The important thing with this movie is to forget about the first one. The first one was a kinetic, over the top, vamp slaughter-fest that was fun but hardly horror. This movie is not great, but still has the elements of a real low-budget horror movie aspiring to be something better.

It goes the genre-blending of the original one better: it melds the heist movie, the vampire movie, and the good-ole-boy movie. The co-writer Duane Whitaker, who has made a number of witty and flavorfully scripted independent movies, is probably responsible for the Texas atmosphere, and the idiosyncracy of the gang of redneck layabouts who make up the cast. Despite the stripped-down special effects, you might feel grateful to the movie for being the first B picture in eons to feature actual characters. Robert Patrick is superb as the hero--who, in the fashion of the first film, seems convincingly about to be revealed as a hotheaded sociopath, then veers in a very different direction. Muse Watson as the safecracker C.W. and Bo Svenson, now ripened in late middle aged, is marvellous as the skeptical sheriff--he could play doubles with L.Q. Jones. The movie isn't much, but it has actors, characters and dialogue--three things that are by now extinct on the direct-to-video shelf.

If you've read the 'Evil Dead companion' or 'If Chins could kill' you'll know what kind of guy Scott Speigel is. I watched Army of Darkness the other day, the bootleg edition, with the commentary on and was belly laughing when two topless slave girls wander on to the screen and Bruce recounts the story of how they got into the movie.

Apparently it was all Scott's idea; he steamrollered the idea past them when they weren't paying attention. Next day when Bruce arrived at the office he was stunned to find hundreds of girls lined up waiting to show Scott their boobs for the chance to get on the screen topless for maybe 2 or 3 seconds. That's the kind of guy Scott Speigel is and I like him.

And, let's face it, that's how come Bruce Campbell's in this movie - they go way back.

Oh yeah - the film - well, it's good in a Scott Speigel kind of way. Not as much fun as the Intruder (which is well worth getting if you're a Deadite fan, oh yeah) but still a good laugh a using loads of Spiegel's trade mark POV shots.

Alot of people are going to disagree though - the people i was watching this with, for example, all thought it sucked. Fair enough, but sometimes people take movies too seriously. If you like trashy B-movies, you'll like this.

If you don't you won't. Oh, and don't expect anything like the first one, it's a totally different kettle of fish. Much cheaper, much cheesier, muchos muchos muchos.

I think you already know whether you'll like this flick or not...