Critters 2: The Main Course (1988)

   

Directed by: Mick Garris

Written by: David Twohy & Mick Garris

Starring:

Scott Grimes .... Brad
Liane Curtis .... Megan Morgan
Don Keith Opper .... Charlie
Barry Corbin .... Harv
Tom Hodges .... Wesley
Herta Ware .... Nana
Lin Shaye .... Sal
Sam Anderson .... Mr. Morgan
Lindsay Parker .... Cindy
Terrence Mann .... Ug

Special Appearance:


Eddie Deezen .... Hungry Heifer Manager

Release Dates: Theatrical: April 29, 1988; Fantasporto Film Festival: February, 1989

 

Rating:

 

It is Easter time and Brad (Scott Grimes) who survived the horrible incident with those Crites two years before travels to another town called Grovers Bend where he meets up with a beautiful girl named Megan Morgan (Liane Curtis) and meets with an old enemy named Wesley (Tom Hodges) who makes him unwanted.
A batch of unhatched Crites eggs were discovered after their last visit there and are mistakened for Easter eggs and after they hatch they end up eating many of the locals there as well as some of the cattle too.
Brad doesn't want to believe that they have returned as he convinced Megan about his story 2 years before was made up. However, they are being trapped by these Crites.
Ug (Terrence Mann) returns to Earth to try and save the day once again with Charlie (Don Keith Opper) and a new bounty hunter named Lee (Roxanne Kernohan) who has a hard time keep a form together.
They blow many away but however these Crites keep on breeding
and breeding


 

The beginning of this sequel looked a bit confusing with other beings being shot and so fourth but yet it explains itself later since we see our alien hero Ug as well as a now bounty hunter sidekick Charlie joining him.
Then they go to their mission as there's great discussions between the two of them as well as a monitor on the head alien telling them as to what to do. This alien looked very dated from like a cheesy sci fi flick from the 50's or so.
Two thugs Quigley and Wesley go to a barn from what happened in the first flick as they find these on what looks like Easter eggs and decides to collect them. This for sure doesn't leave off a good impression. Also what happens later with Quigley looked terrifying as to what happened by some of these eggs hatching. It was more hilarious to watch as to what these beings do though.
Nice settings of the county there and people hiding easter candies and Crites eggs around the church. This of course leaves an imnpression that the terrors will happen during the ceremony. It looked well set for sure.
A nice conversation between Nana and a child Cindy when she gives her a nice chocolate bunny as it really looks like that they have the Easter spirit. All of this looked perfectly natural along with leaving the chills by wondering if the Crite from that egg will get her or not.
When Cindy is at home and in bed for the night we have a camera shot rolling in under a bed which is supposed to be a Crite and then Cindy's hand is lying there and a nice zooming in on her hand. This for sure made me watch in terror wondering if this poor innocent girl is going to be ok or not.
The next day focuses on a hamburger joint and involving supporting dweeby employer
taking an order sounding annoying and nerdy which looked great for the story since it's a comedy/horror/scifi.
In the joint Wesley comes on too strong towards Megan as the two of them act well with this like a tough guy against an upset girl.
When Brad approaches to try and stop this Wesley challenges him as it looks bad for this dude as he is about to get his butt kicked. A scene that looked powerful to watch wondering if Wesley will get out of this or not and hoping that this bully will get what's coming to him in the end.
Meanwhile, the celebration at the church is about to happen, a local tries to dress up as the Easter bunny but can't seem to zip up his suit which looked funny to watch along with a shot on a hatched Crite egg as I was thinking to myself "Uh oh!".
Then a hilarious moment with three Crites curled up in a ball that jump into his suit which will make you laugh as this added some good dark comedy. Plus a painful way to die so it wouldn't be in everyone's taste to think about the tension here. A perfect shot on him crashing through a church window. This situation was one of the most remembered to anyone who saw this.
What was a great add into a sequel is when Megan trying to confront Brad about the Crites returning when he tries to convince her they aren't as it was perfectly done.
When the new bounty hunter is about to change into a form, Charlie finds a Playboy magazine and forms into a lustful one as this looked corny but in a campy fun way along with some good special effects.
They go to the burger restaurant to shoot out the Crites gorging out on food at a local diner and partying. Good takes on all of this which looked hilarious as well as great moments on Ug and Lee preparing their weapons with plenty of laser shooting action which was another memorable scene. Brad was great approaching Ug and Lee
after they destroy some Crites and talking to them which looked very touching.
A good shot with Cindy running away on a tricycle and the Crites rolling after her while Brad whacks them with a bat. This scene for sure kep me in suspense wondering if she will survive since these beasts are really catching up to her.
Then Harv is swinging his guns looking lowdown and tough in his sheriff uniform after shooting some Crites. Which was a great touch to the story showing that he's back in action.
A very sad moment later on as to what happens to Lee when trying to suff out some other Crites as it truly made me upset while watching this scene.
The locals decides to find a trap for them using hamburgers that's piled up in a barn as bait to attract them with a nice shot on what look like a Crite leader leading them on. This for sure looked creepy to watch but keep watching as you're in for a big surprise.
When the trap seemed to work it looked very effective but then best moment and terror is yet to come which is when all the Crites form into a gigantic ball and crash out of a barn devouring everything in it's site. Great terror effects here as I loved every bit of this moment.
Bottom line: The sequel to the original cult classic really meets up and is just as adventurous and good although many critics and fans have bombed this sequel but I find this film highly entertaining myself.
We have alot of neat effects with the shape changing of a bounty hunter and lots of laughs too.
The Crites are very hilarious and deadly at the same time as we have perfect dark comedy and great action sequences with this film having the heroes which are the bounty hunters from outerspace terminating these deadly critters. If you enjoy action hero fighting with lots of good laughs then you may adore this film

The acting is still very good as we have another two thumbs up for Scott Grimes (Brad) reprising his role and acts just as adventurous. He does well with his blocking during the struggling and surviving situations when the terrors happen around him. He shows off some nice excited energy and enthusiasm. Also was beliveably bright on what to do in a situation.
Liane Curtis
(Megan Morgan) was another great one in the film as she brings so much character to her part in it as the town local trying to stop the Crites as well. She comes off a nice decent girl along with showing good energy when the terror strikes along with what to do and so fourth.
D
on Keith Opper (Charlie) still has the knack with his comedic performance reprising his role as well but this time as a bounty hunter. He really was energetic when he drives the spaceship towards the Crites during the near end of the story. Way to go!!!!
Barry Corbin
(Harv) does a classic performance as a tough as nails retired sheriff who stands out terrifically too. Shows off a good grouchy type of behavior during the beginning and then shows it off perfectly as a heroic type when he shows to others that he's back in action.
Supporting actor Tom Hodges (Wesley) really knew his work by playing a dorky teenage bully. He for sure was believeable with his sarcastic and cocky behavior. Shows off a good powerful force while he belittles someone else. Offers tons of enthuisiasm when trying to help others by fighting off the Crites whicj he showed off some great action.
Herta Ware
(Nana) knew her craft as an elderly and kind woman in which she does well associating with others and showing some good natured characteristics. She for sure studied this role inside out and made her role truly loveable.
Lin Shaye
(Sal) tried to be funny with her role as someone paranoid in the film but she didn't cut it as perfectly as you'd expect. She wasn't that bad bujt I've seen her do better work. She's not best remembered in this one.
Child actress Lindsay Parker (Cindy) is great as a nice and helpful little girl for the Easter celebration. She showed off some nice innocence and great spunk into whatever she did here as well as showing some great fearful energy too,
Terrence Mann
(Ug) is still wonderful as the head alien bounty hunter as he shows tough energy and a nice attitude too. Does well with his upsetting reactions after his bounty hunter is killed by his loud shouts. He still was a true force of nature by how he does stuff throughout his performance.
Supporting actress Roxanne Kernohan (Lee) only had one line each time she said something but that didn't really matter as she presented herself wonderfully and was almost on her road to fame as a scream queen due to her work in this film but sadly in the early 90's died in a car accident. Bless her soul.
Eddie Deezen
(Hungry Heifer Manager) was only in this film for less than 5 minutes with two different scene's as a nerdy manager at a fast food burger barn joint but really does wonderful and will be remembered for his performance in this film giving the film that perfect slapstick moment. A hilarious performance by him when he is cloned into a bounty hunter trying to do away some Crites which was a classic moment.

Roxanne Kernohan exposes her breasts in her first apperance of the film when the outfit she's wearing is torn off exposing them.

A bit more gore in this one.
People are bloodily chewed up
A bit off hand
Cattle are devoured
Crites are squashed up and blown away

There's some comedic classical music and some advertureous music too by Nicholas Pike as it seems passable but nothing too over the top until close to the end of the film with the Crites forming in a gigantic killing ball. However this time it sounded very powerful along with the final story before the closing credits with violin and trombone playing in it. In the story however I heard some screeching violin music when the terrors occur as it sounded similar to what you'd hear in a Friday the 13th flick.

Quigley: It's just a dog.
Wesley: So was "Cujo".

Brad: Nana, the critters are here.
Nana: No, shit, Bradley! Damn meat eaters!

[Repeated line]
Lee Evans: Kill Crites!

Megan Morgan: Brad, You can't go in there. Let's just get help!
Brad: Who are we gonna call? Critter Busters?

Megan Morgan: We need you, Harv. We Need a sheriff.
Harv: Go check the yellow pages.

Brad: Look!
Megan Morgan: Where are they all going?
Brad: I don't know. Looks like some kind of critter convention.