The Hills Have Eyes Part 2

I swear this music is straight out of the earlier Friday the 13th movies... Either way, if you don't count Mindripper (and you shouldn't), this is the worst of the Hills Have Eyes franchise. Though they do scream a little less, and my ears thank Part II for that.

Final rating:★★ - Had some things that appeal to me, but a poor finished product.

Maybe I was tired but man this was a boring ass horror movie. Really didn't care for this one at all and the only surprising element was the dog actually survived. 1.5/5

Wes Craven brings us an unlikely sequel to one of his most infamous films. The Hills Have Eyes Part II is a very low-budget survival horror film that is, like many, a victim of studio meddling. The film was written by Craven and had originally been planned to be much longer. However, production was halted after the budget ran out. The film stars Michael Berryman, Kevin Spirtas, John Bloom, Janus Blythe, Tamara Stafford, and a number of acting school graduates. It was filmed in 1983 but didn’t get a release until October 5th, 1984, at the Sitges Film Festival.

A group of young adults ventures into the desert for a motocross event, not far from the location of the first film. Unbeknownst to them, one of their own was once part of the cannibalistic family that inhabits the barren wasteland.

There is some really cool stuff in this movie, but it’s no wonder why Wes Craven wanted to remove his name from the finished product. It’s very disappointing. And kind of a surprise considering this film followed Deadly Blessing and Swamp Thing. Both movies, while not perfect, were far more impressive. But also considering that this is before Craven had blown up with A Nightmare on Elm Street, we can see why studios were hesitant to cough up big bucks. They just didn't have the confidence in old Abe Snake. With a bigger budget, this film might have had blockbuster potential. However, given Craven's admission that he was motivated by money, perhaps its fate was sealed regardless.

The lack of funds had terrible effects on the film, leaving a good portion of it unfinished as Craven went on to work on Nightmare on Elm Street. And, following the success of that feature, the studios granted permission for Craven to finish the rest of The Hills Have Eyes Part II but without any more money or any more filming. Meaning we have a ton of padded-out time using clips from the first film across multiple flashback sequences. And these are full, uncut scenes, not just highlights from the f...

5/100

This time, it's a bus load of young folks heading to a bike competition that gets stuck in the desert. It amazes me how Wes Craven could make such a classic cult horror film with the original and then follow it up with an absolutely awful sequel. This is simply horrendous. Not a single likable character, everyone is a total moron that makes completely ludicrous decisions. In fact, that's the only reason the 2 (yes, only 2) cannibals have any success as they're too damn stupid to be threatening. A totally amateur effort. I've seen better home movies. -- DrNostromo.com