The Stepfather II: Make Room for Daddy (1989)

   
Directed by: Jeff Burr

Written by: John Auerbach

Starring:

Terry O'Quinn .... Jerry Blake
Meg Foster .... Carol Grayland
Jonathan Brandis .... Todd Grayland
Caroline Williams .... Matty Crimmins

Special Appearance:


Mitchell Laurance .... Phil Grayland

Release Dates: Theatrical: November 3, 1989

*Images courtesy at:
www.outnow.ch

 

 

Rating:

 

Jerry Blake (Terry O'Quinn) is in a psych ward after the incidents on murdering people around the previous family he was engaged to along with trying to murder them as well in which his shrink at the ward Dr. Joseph Danvers (Henry Brown) talks to him about these situations in which Jerry tries to explain the things he does.
However, Jerry has a deadly plan up his sleeve in which he escapes the asylum and the news is out in which he puts on a disguise as well as changing his name along with moving to another part of town where he gets a profession as a marriage counsellor in which he meets a beautiful woman there Carol Grayland (Meg Foster) whom is a real estate agent along with her young son Todd (Jonathan Brandis). Carol is also having a sketchy relationship with her soon to be ex-husband Phil (Mitchell Laurence) but good old Jerry has a plan for him since he conjures up his way of dealing with troubled marriages like Carol's by doing him in.
He then proposes to Carol and she accepts but a close friend Matty Crimmins (Caroline Williams) thinks that she is going just too fast since she doesn't know this person too well plus finds out that some of the stories that were told are lies in which she confronts Jerry himself to tell Carol the truth but Jerry finds terrific therapy for her just like what he did for Phil in order to keep keep his family together without anyone knowing his dark and deadly secret.

 

This sequel was very worthy in which it starts off with what has happened last which is a perfect touch introducing this sequel as well as this maniac Jerry waking up in an asylum which is a great touch. But the beginning showing what happened previously in the first film seemed to should please the same fans who watched the very beginning in Halloween II even if the plots were different but same kind of viewers.
The story really goes in a great direction with a shrink seriously talking to Jerry about the previous relationships he's had and how he goes beserk in which there's moments of sarcasm in which this seems to suit the story. After all we've seen it work in other horror sequels with a shrink having a discussion with a counsellor. Yet you do think to yourself that this dude will not last for long. Then you see him doing strange things in his room as well as constructiong house figures as well as people figures too which seems to come together as to why he's doing this for a deadly plan to get out.
I won't give away as to how he escaped in which you have to see this one for yourself but it's not the most original idea. However, it's tough to make something original but it's the typical kill and escape with a disguise situation.
There's a moment where Jerry slams a car trunk on someone's hands and takes his car but you never know what he did to this fellow. That remains an unsolved mystery.
But then Jerry disguises himself as a marriage counsellor which seems to work well as this character is totally deceiving as someone harmless and trying to help women deal with their losses of marriage.
Then he falls for one of them named Carol which seems typical for Jerry since he wants to marry the perfect family else he will slay them. He goes and talks to her sketchy husband Phil and right away I was thinking to myself "Oh no he's gonna kill him" Worst of all Phil shows attitude towards him which is a big mistake to do to a psychopath.
After Jerry gets into a maniacal moment to someone mellow and understanding to Carol's son Todd in which this makes a real turnaround for him saying "I'm not such a bad guy". This does make you wonder on how he can be a real switch but again psycho's can seem like normal everyday people which is really scary in real life.
Then he proposes to Carol along with lies about her husband leaving as well as her accepting which really makes you think that this woman is a total basketcase not really knowing this guy. I mean there are alot of those types making huge mistakes in their life.
Then comes along Carol's family friend Matty who finds out that Jerry is telling nothing but lies and confronts him about it and getting closed minded to him manipulating him to confront to Carol while he tries to act reasonable which is another great mistake on her end as we all know that she will be the next one to die. This was well put in and reminds you as one of those protective people against a scumbag.
Then there's another good key character as a blind old man hearing Jerry whistling while taking a shortcut through his yard after he makes a killing next door. This was also perfectly put in as a witness.
Afterwards we see Jerry and Carol caressing one another and him confessing to her but then we all know that it isn't the truth since a killer would never give away his secret. I was thinking to myself this dude is such a good liar.
Then when the wedding ceremony is about to happen. I was thinking to myself is she really going to officially marry him until she reveals his dark twisted secret but that would be a spoiler. Yet this is the best part ever in the film which looks greatly done in a horror fashion. Just see this for yourself and you will all be pleased by this.
Bottom line is the story happens a bit quicker compared to the first film but it's a real exciter like the first one which should please the fans a great deal. It will desperately make you want to jump into the next sequel right away.

The acting is still powerfully performed in which Terry O'Quinn (Jerry Blake) returns to play the psychotic family killer. He shows a different type of personality this time when he tries to act like a deceivingly innocent type since he disguises himself as a marriage counsellor in which he comes across as someone believeable by portraying this. Plus he really brings out alot of good feelings and emotions to his part. When he turns he sure becomes more menacing than ever which is a terrific nice twist adding more dark humor to his part which he showed great timing while doing this.
Meg Foster
(Carol Grayland) really portrayed a terrific troubled family woman as well as having a passive attitude too about everything. She shows some good emotional behavior when needed to as well as bringing on a niceness to her role as well.
She also had the nice beautiful looks too for the film which is a bonus for a horror flick.
Jonathan Brandis
(Todd Grayland) makes his first co-starring role in a motion picture in which alot of people start out in these types of flicks before making it big. He really focused on his nice boy next door type of appeal with a great innocent and easy going attitude. He brings on a nice charm onto the picture here. So sad he took his life since he was a talented fellow.
Cult icon Caroline Williams (Matty Crimmins) seems to really shine on with her role in the film as a friend of the family. She brings on a nice energetic and outgoing performance as well as getting to the point with stuff in which she came across perfectly doing that too. She proved that she could perform another character in a different fashion than in Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2.

A shrink's neck is bloodied and he lies in a pool of blood
Phil Grayland is bloddily stabbed by sharp glass from a broken wine bottle
Jerry Blake is stabbed in the chest as well as having the back of a hammer impaled in his chest too

There's low hissing sounds as well as good deep keyboard playing for the dark moments in the film when a terrifying moment is about to happen. We also hear some good chiming and peaceful harp tuning music during the mellow and romantic moments in certain areas too.