Horror Queen

THE PLOT

Taking place several years after the first movie ended, this film follows Ariel Wilson the sister of Sarah from the first movie. While Sarah seemed pretty damn happy at the end (and who wouldn’t be? She ended up a millionaire and probably had sex with Taye Diggs that night) she’s now turned into a recluse that’s been gathering information on the house. After she dies, her sister inherits the journal belonging to the old doctor and is kidnapped. Apparently the old doctor had some hidden idol/statue that possesses evil powers and a group of treasure hunters need her help to find it. A college professor and his helpers also appear at the house to find the statue. Of course they all get locked inside and then it turns into a rehash of the last movie.

THE GOOD

Well, at least they kept the same effects as the first movie! Oh and they brought back Jeffrey Combs! It also looked like they tried to recreate some of the old set pieces and I appreciate the effort.

THE BAD

Cerena Vincent. Come on! Who keeps deciding that she’s a good actress? Fake tits do not an actress make and that’s about all she has going for her. Eric Palladino also pops up, the same Eric Palladino that’s done nothing with his career since leaving “ER”. If you’re looking for an explanation of how Sarah and Eddie got off the top of the house at the end of the first movie, don’t look here. All we learn is that Sarah became obsessed with the house and lived in a small, crappy apartment despite the fact that she got several million dollars. Honestly the plot was pretty ridiculous too, with huge holes and facts that they didn’t bother to explain.

FUN TRIVIA

Jeffrey Combs is something of a horror movie icon with roles in Re-Animator, Castle Freak, The Pit and the Pendulem and even I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.

THE BOTTOM LINE

This movie really isn’t as bad as I made it out to be on here. It has its moments, albeit not a whole lot of them. They used some of the same actors and effects as they did before and at least tried to connect the two movies. I can’t help wondering what could have been had they just sent a new group of unrelated characters out to the house…

It also invalidates the first movie, which I actually liked enough to see three times in the theater. This one claims that the doctor and his staff weren’t just crazy, but under the influence of an evil ancient statue. I think I like the crazy theory better.