A
group of dirt bike racers embark on a
journey on a bus in the desert on the
same roadway where the incident happened
to a family being pitted against a family
of murderous cannibals 8 years before as
Ruby (Janus Blythe) helped save some of
the survivors and is now part of coaching
the dirt bike team and changed her name
to Rachel to try and forget about her
former life.
However, because of a mistake they are
late for their race and decide to take a
shortcut through the desert and their bus
breaks down right where the
canniballistic family used to live as
they were supposedly all dead.
Some repair the bus and others wander off
to mini ghost town that were placed there
as well as spotting a welcome sign made
out of animal bones which all seems
strange.
Ruby is suddenly attacked by her brother
Pluto (Michael Berryman) as him and his
hulking brother The Reaper (John Bloom)
were the two survivors left as well as
setting deadly traps for the rest and are
being killed off.
Ruby tries to gather up the survivors and
to find a way to look for one of the dirt
bike racers named Roy (Kevin Blair) who
has been missing since chasing after one
of the demented family members as well as
trying to kill off her two brothers.
Roy's blind girlfriend Cass (Tamara
Stafford) also tries to feel her way
through passageways to find him as well
as escape from the Reaper before she
becomes his next victim.
Alot of people
don't remember this sequel as it bombed
at the box office not meeting up to the
original cult classic. Well it certainly
isn't frightening enough like the first
one although they tried to make it out to
be with the voices calling from the
bushes but it just didn't do the trick as
it's been done before. The hills don't
look as tall or creepy looking either.
There is a great beginning to this film
with some narration credits rolling up on
the screen like they did for Texas
Chainsaw Massacre as this Wes
Craven's intention to do so a year
after his success with A
Nightmare On Elm Street. It also
blends a bit of Friday the 13th
as well.
Although some hated this sequel I quite
admired it although it was cheesy but in
a good way.
If you like low budget 80's slasher
flicks I'm sure you'd get a kick out of
this one.
The acting is well
a bit cheesy but we have some nice
performances too nonetheless. Tamara
Stafford seemed to do well with her
job as a blind one but yet at times she
doesn't come across as being blind with
her actions in the film.
Kevin Blair seems to bring his
character across nicely with his tough
attitude as a dirt bike racer as I liked
his work in it.
John Bloom came across perfectly
with his large size and was great as an
intimidating cannibal in the hills.
Michael Berryman still delivered as
the role of Pluto but not as well as the
first film but still had a good menacing
attitude.
Janus Blythe does great reprising
her role by being with the good people
instead of the canniballistic hill
family. She proved to be versatile by
having good sane actions in this one.
Willard E. Pugh was another cast
member who stood out and having an
outgoing attitude as well as being a
wiseass.
Peter Frenchette was perfect in his
role clowning around and performing with
such dynamic energy to his part.
Penny Johnson
exposes her breasts in a bus at night
A guy is stabbed
by a spear
An axe in the head
A girl's throat is slit
There are some body parts on a table
Wes Craven was
slightly cheesy with his work on this
sequel for this time around but does make
it fun to watch.
There are cheesy but good close up shots
on supporting actors Robert Houston
reprising his role as Bobby and David
Nichols as a Psychiatrist discussing
about what happened 8 years before with
good flashbacks.
A nice shot on Houston crying
with Janus Blythe comforting
him. Yet, Craven could use some
work on Houston's emotions as
his crying wasn't overly believeable.
Some good humor with Peter Frechette
driving the bus joking about what they'll
run into while taking a shortcut which
shows some good shots on the other cast
discussing what happened etc.
There is a good close up shot on
Blythe falling asleep in the bus
mumbling.
A great reaction on Frenchette
sarcastically freaking out when the bus
breaks down.
We have a cheesy but nice attack scene by
Michael Berryman against Blythe
in one of the shacks as she seems to
do well with her kicking and punching.
Blythe seemed to do so so at choking
out her words trying not to sob
explaining to everyone who attacked her
and who she once was.
There's great shots on Kevin Blair
and Peter Frenchette bringing
out their dirtbikes and chasing after Berryman
acting raunchy shouting out words. Berryman
looked quite corny running away on a
dirtbike.
A good moment with Blair kicking
the crap out of Berryman and
holding a knife up to his neck as well as
good shots on him pushing him around by
the rocky cliffways.
Frenchette does well calling out as
well as his blocking by trying to duck
under a rope leading to a boobytrap in
the rocky areas and then acting mocking
like that they didn't get him as you know
there'a another catch to it. There's a
good camera looking up with a boulder
falling down from the rocky walls.
A nice shot on Berryman being
tied and dragged with a dirtbike that is
driven by John Bloom who plays
his canniballistic brother which also
looked corny but good.
A perfect shot with Blair
speeding on his bike and then caught in a
net as well as a good shot on Bloom's
boots walking up to him.
We have a nice reaction with Willard
E. Pugh setting up a boobytrap in a
shack and acting full of life with the
rest of the cast that's involved with
that scene.
There's nice dialogue between Tamara
Stafford and Colleen Riley
joking around and enjoying each others
company in another shack at the desert.
Good blocking on Stafford
feeling around a room as she almost makes
her part believeable by being blind.
We have a perfect dialogue between Blythe
and John Laughlin walking
and talking about their former lives and
crazy past.
Good expressions on Pugh after
he hears someone calling from the bushes
outside at night yet the scene isn't as
creepy like Craven made it in
the original when the cannibals calling
out.
A perfect moment with Blythe
pinning Pugh down and trying to
keep him quiet asking him what is going
on.
There's a good camera shot on a small axe
next to the bus with Pugh
looking down to see it and then a hand
grabs him and pulls him underneath which
looked scary and good.
A good shot on Stafford feeling
around a passage way leading to a ladder
with a red light glwoing on her.
We have a frightening moment with Riley
looking around a room and trying to
see if someone is playing games with her
which looks scary as it sends a chill
down your spine that someone's going to
leap out
A good camera running shot towards Johnson
with her turning around and
screaming as well as a good shot on a
body double crashing through a window
along with a good menacing laughter
by Bloom and having his blade
next to her throat with her screaming
which was a perfect camera shot.
nice shot on Berryman looking
menacing with his words as well as a good
shot on Blythe pinned to the ground with
a blade pointed at her. She also did a
good job with her vicious words warning
him about the dog that once attacked him.
A great camera looking up on Berryman
jumping over a cliff.
A nice shot on Blythe looking
around cautiously near a bush with the
voice of Bloom calling to her.
Stafford does well feeling around
near an attic of the shack with fearful
expressions and a great shot on a roof
window crashing through with Bloom
trying to attack and her screaming.
There's a nice moment with Blair
calling towards Bloom and
mocking him with Bloom standing there and
taking out his blade.
Perfect shots on Bloom trapped
in a ring of fire near the bus.
Harry Manfredini used
alot of the same music that he composed
in the Friday the 13th films
with the creepy suspenseful violin music
along with some odd new sounds to the
film to top it off.
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