Reunion from Hell 2

Let's be clear: nobody asked for this sequel, as the first film probably hasn't been viewed by anyone beyond the director's family and friends and the few unsuspecting suckers who may have stumbled upon it on Tubi (myself included). While the first film is truly terrible, it does have some charm simply in the awful over the top performances and hokey death scenes. Literally nothing stands out about it, so I was super caught by surprise when I see that this sequel was out. Curiosity got the best of me and I checked it out simply because many indie filmmakers learn from their first film and, in turn, grow with their next one. Rest assures this is NOT the case here. This film is miles worse than the first one.

It apparently takes place two years after the events of the first film. Survivor Riley Conner (again played by Writer/Director Hayden Newman) and some of his friends head to a remote cabin to celebrate Christmas with his mom (now played by Lisa Wilcox) and her new sheriff from the first film boyfriend and his uncle (a wasted Danny Hassel). While the first film was terrible, it did have a small fragment of fun to it and the pacing was pretty decent. Here, the first 45 minutes are SLOW and PAUNFULLY BORING. Legit nothing happens except stale conversations among stale characters. While we are introduced to new characters, the script by Newman doesn't know how to properly juggle them all, as there are long stretches where characters disappear from the film, despite them all staying at the same small cabin. The acting all around is really bad; wooden, wooden, wooden, doesn't even begin to describe. Even when genre favorite Mark Patton shows up out of the blue for one of the most ridiculous and unbelievable reasons ever, his performance is so odd and disjointed from the rest of the cast, that it is distracting.

Speaking of distracting, we certainly didn't need a nude scene AND a love scene with Hayden Newman. On top of being one of the most unlikable characters I've even seen in an indie film, I am not sure who told him it was a great idea to cast himself in a lead role where the character he is playing is lusted and obsessed after by numerous good looking men. It just rings silly and completely unbelievable. Also, Newman wrote the script and like the first film, there are SEVERAL lines that are taken word for word from films like Scream 2, Scream 3, Black Christmas 2006 and others. Paying homage is one thing. Plagiarism is quite another.

For a slasher, the deaths are all lame and lackluster. By the time you make it to the climax (if you can last that long), you just don't care. And while the acting is awful by everyone involved, by god the person who plays the "main" killer is on a whole other level of bad. Stu Macher or Billy Loomis he is NOT.

Nothing about this film sticks. At a time where there are some truly talented, visionary indie directors doing some great stuff, there is just no reason to watch or support such an amateurish, pedestrian effort such as this.

Unfortunately, the final shot of the film sets it up for ANOTHER sequel. If they go through with it, it will be interesting to see what films they rip off this time.

Plot is pretty simple. Riley is going with his friends to his family cabin in a remote area for Christmas. This seems to be his first reunion with his mom since the events of the first movie that happened two years ago. While there, a killer is making preparations to attack Riley and his friends yet again.

There are some really strong positives for the movie, but also some pretty big negatives.

Positives: Hayden Newman once again gets horror actors from the 80s to bolster his film. This time he has three actors from the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise.

The film looks really good, with a clear, sharp picture, and decent panning shots throughout. Cinematography is also good for a low budget film.

The special effects are also really good for a low budget film. Deaths are sufficiently bloody, and the practical effects are impressive. Well done, in my opinion.

Lisa Wilcox and Mark Patton do stand out in the film, and the director did well in using their talents. Stokes, Hassel, and Redmond are also pretty good in their roles. The director does give each actor a moment to shine, which helps with some character development.

The plot overall is decent for a horror film, and motivations make more sense than the first one.

The end credits song is actually pretty catchy. Fire Tiger sang a song that is very 80s esque, and I liked it. I wish more of their work had been used.

Negatives: The script is fairly weak. Some dialogue is stilted and exposition is given when it's not really needed in some parts, while lacking in others.

Danny Hassel is severely underutilized in this film. Where he does act, it's good and you start seeing the development he could have gotten with a stronger script.

Hayden's character Riley is not incredibly likeable, and most of that is due to the fits of rage he has throughout the film. His tantrums make you almost cheer for the killer rather than sympathize.

Hayden's performance is also hurt by the script. There are times when he shines, and times when he is not great, and most of that is due to the dialogue he gave himself. Since his character is shouldering the bulk of the movie, it does hurt the film.

It's a low budget film, so sound quality wavers. It is strong when the camera is facing the character, but wavers when dialogue comes from someone away from it. Editing also is choppy in several areas.

The score was not as strong overall as the first film. I thought the first film's score from Hodge was better for a horror film than the reorchestrated Christmas music he used in this one.

I would give this film a 5.4 out of 10, which rounds down to a 5 in IMDB.

Reunion From Hell 2 is a fantastic sequel to the first movie, and an improvement on the story of Riley Connor and his family. It's Empire to A New Hope. RFH 2 is leaps and bounds better than its predecessor. The combination of the writing, acting, story, cinematography and chemistry between then actors draws you in to this thrilling Christmas time slasher.

Mark Patton is Comedy gold in his role as the roaming reporter who wants to cash in on the events from the first movie. Lisa Wilcox is a stunning replacement for Cathy Podewell as the matriarch of the Connor family. She goes through an emotional Rollercoaster as she and her family try to put the past behind them, and as the past comes back to haunt them. Danny Hassel plays the role of "Everyone's favorite Uncle", and he plays it perfectly. He's funny, protective, caring, and supportive. Everything you'd expect from that character. Hayden Newman returns as Riley Connor and is less messed up in this movie. The events of the first movie still sit in his head, but he has a firm grasp on life and reality, until it all comes crashing down. Lydia Manson as the best friend is perfect casting. She's sassy, provocative, and supportive, and her acting really shines during her emotional scenes, they make you feel her pain.

James Stokes returns as Sheriff Mike, but this time he's much closer to Riley and his family. James' acting is top notch exhibiting the full range of emotions. Whether he's the overprotective Sheriff or the kind, caring "Just Mike" Stokes finds a way to shine in all of his scenes. Jake C. Young, plays the young and spunky Julian. Not much is known about Julian, but the way Young portrays him, he is a perfect foil for Stokes' character. Seeing the two on screen together was very reminiscent of James Avery and DJ Jazzy Jeff, from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Evan J. Mackey and Darren Lee Cupp, are very relatable as best friends, Cameron and Wes. Their interactions felt real, and as a viewer made you think about about conversations you have with your own best friends. This acting team pulls you in, to every scene they are part of, like you're just "one of the guys". Steve Holiskey plays Jason, in the traditional role of "Straight man" to the comedic Mark Patton. Steve's serious delivery of his lines and perfect timing, elevated the performance of whomever he shared the screen with.

Mike Katz absolutely kills it in his role as Dawson. Katz' portrayal of the love interest Dawson, is a work of art. Though some of his dialog falls flat, his acting skills are above par. Whether he's portraying passion, humor, jealousy, or comedy, Katz goes above and beyond to make his role more than believable.

Chris Redmond is added to the cast, as a recast of the character Chris. While the first actor to portray Chris was good, Redmond brings something different to the role. There's more passion, more on screen chemistry, making him a more realistic character. Typically recasts are bad but I think in this case, it works. Johnna Hodge makes a suprise appearance in this movie, and without giving anything away, her appearance will absolutely take your breath away. The way she commits to her role is stunning, and she definitely has one of the stand out scenes from the movie. Rounding out the cast is a very comedic Blake Holsworth. His role of Carl will leave you in stitches, and that is all I can say at this time.

This movie has a great supporting cast, who nail there respective roles. There are some spots where the delivery of lines feels a little flat and dry, but for these young actors it is entirely acceptable to watch, they absolutely deliver throughout and as I said before the chemistry pulls you in and you get invested in these characters as the movie progresses.

Special effects are great, not just for an independent film, but for films in general. There are one or two death scenes where the SFX looked cheesy, but overall stellar special effects.

The score and cinematography are years better than the fist outing. Its like the team found their footing with the first movie, and climbed for the gold with the second. Wide angles, pov shots, and gorgeous lighting movie this story along flawlessly. This coupled with the phenomenal score, leaves the viewer riveted for the entirety of the film.

The deaths are cool but not gruesome. The love scene is tasteful, while still being sensual. The timing in this movie is on par with a big budget movie. It hits all the beats at the right times. There's drama, jump scares, and the hard one, comedy, and as the viewer you find yourself on the edge of your seat, occasionally laughing out loud from the depths of your soul.

To sum it all up. I will watch this movie again and again, and recommend it to anyone who will listen. Mark Patton's role as a roving reporter is a huge success and its due largely in part to the writing and directing of Hayden Newman. Seeing three Elm Street Alum on the same screen was a nostalgic blast from the past. Reunion From Hell 2 hits all the right beats, and will have no problem finding its place it horror history.

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Not familiar with this series, but a huge fan of the Elm street series, decided to check this out as it promised the first time pairing of 3 Freddy alum; Mark Patton, Lisa Wilcox and Danny Hassel. And unlike most movies that promote alum from previous series, these three all have main parts; these aren't one minute cameos. They are prominent thorughout the whole film!

Elm Street folks aside, the Reunion movies are like a Scream homage; both are whodunit slasher flicks with interesting cast and backstories. While the first seemed a bit more run-of-the-mill, the second one shines in its cinematography, setting (cabin in the woods), and characters. Seemed everyone stepped up their game in part 2 to make it bigger and better. For an indie flick, sure some dialogue/scenes could be a tad better but overall was a fun flick and the actors involved show their potential on what they can do later on and show their commitment here. If you haven't seen part 1, it might help to establish more of the backstory but part 2 does a good job explaining what happened previously that it's not a requirement (I did watch both). Kudos to the cast involved here with some good gory kills and acting and eager to see where everyone goes from here. If you like slasher whodunit flicks, check this out.

Reunion From Hell 2, as a second effort in the Riley Conner saga, while challenged in story and flow, definitely improves in its entertainment value over the first installment. While the story is egocentric and a little far fetched in believability, it is horror fiction after all. The cast is greatly improved with the addition of Lisa Wilcox, Danny Hassel, and Mark Patton (who steals the show). Some other worthwhile efforts include Steve Holiskey - his banter with Mark Patton offers good tension relief.

One of the greatest improvements, overall, is the use of the killer and the mask made from a former victim's face. While it isn't the first time that's been done, it was well utilized given the drastically different and bleak color and lighting scheme. It would have been cool to see some snow in the movie, given the fact that we see snow in the opening credits with blood dripping. But, I guess without a huge budget, you can't always control that.

There are some genuinely creepy moments in the movie and that is already an improvement over the first one. Johnna Hodge works well within the time provided in the movie to give a pretty grotesque performance and definitely offers something actually scary to the flow! Jeremiah Lee returns in a unique way and delivers a solid performance. It would be interesting to learn how much of the "killer's" performance was from Lee as the stunt operator behind the mask. Kelly Layne, like Hodge, should have had a larger role because she was solid as well.

Negatives - there are a couple of particularly over-the-top, over-acted performances from actors I won't call out, but they are particularly distracting. It would have been nice to see a larger world beyond the isolated cabin we already arrive at, because, when Mark Patton arrives, we ask... "Why? I'm confused." But, when Mark does arrive, it's horror comedy gold. And lastly, the sex scene. No...

Positives - Newcomer, Evan J. Mackey is written very slowly at first but eventually makes it his own and delivers a solid, angry performance that ends in the wildest way possible! His interaction with Darren Lee Cupp works well and hits the banter mark effectively. Lisa Wilcox brings some nice stunt work and handles her emotional range well! She is refreshing and brings something solid to the screen. Danny Hassel, this dude is solid, especially when he is allowed to offer something more than quippy one-liners. He gets into some good stunt fighting as well! Along with the positives I mentioned earlier, there are some really cool kills in this one - death by deepthroat?!?! Knife exits the face? Drowning? Gratuitous slashing and stabbing? Yup! Better blood content and better over all effects in general. Cinematography, music score, location, the mask, and overall mood.

It appears Hayden Newman did assemble a good group of filmmakers and cast for this one and has improved in overall performance. 7/10.