(Out of 4)
Directed by: Victor Salva
Starring: Ray Wise, Jonathan Breck, Travis Schiffner
Running Time: 103m
Most Interesting Preview: Not too much really caught my eye, but Texas Chainsaw looks good, as does Cabin Fever.
Reviewed by: Jason Kolman
Chaka Says: "Me scared a little, but only for small time. Maybe next time be better."
Being on a horror kick and after being so blown away by “Freddy vs. Jason” (see review) and being so excited about other upcoming horror titles such as “The Order”, “Underworld”, and “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, I decided to try my hand at “Jeepers Creepers 2.” I never saw the first movie in the theater, I waited for it on Video and needless to say, I was a little underwhelmed. At first, JC 1 was scary, the opening car chase is particularly memorable because it happens so unexpectedly. I also loved the angle of the brother and sister rather than stupid teenage lovers. I had high hopes that the film was going to be different. I think I’m safe in saying that the movie left a little to be desired. I thought for sure when the end credits started that I had skipped a chapter by accident. It was no accident after all, and JC 1 left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. It was disposed of, however, by the thought that there HAD to be a sequel, and here it was before me.
I have no horror stories to tell of this film. The theater was pretty quiet as opposed to my first viewing of FvJ. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. I got some popcorn and a Mr. Pibbs and sat down. (On a side note, does anyone else think that popcorn beings to smell like piss about halfway through the film? Or perhaps, somebody pissed in the theater? Who knows?)
Jeepers Creepers 2 takes place mere days after the events of the first film (yet the Creeper looks totally different, not a big deal considering it is supposed to be supernatural, isn’t it?) and starts out with a boy(Shaun Fleming) who is doing his chores in the cornfield. Anyone who has seen the trailer pretty much knows the scene. He glances to his side and notices the scarecrow next to him appears to turn it’s head towards him, and then away. As he approaches the scarecrow, we get a great backlit shot which is actually quite scary looking. The scarecrow moves again and the boy takes off running towards his father and older brother.. He is quickly taken down by the Creeper as it leaps from it’s perch and follows him. The Father and son run toward the boy and see a “man” in a hat and cloak grabbing the boy by his hair and taking off through the cornfield. The father watches in horror as the Creeper leaps out of the field and takes flight, still holing the screaming boy in it’s hands. Once again, JC has a solid opening scene, even if some of the drama was removed by the trailer.
Now we get a bunch of teens on a bus on their way back from the big game. No points awarded to those who guess who is next on the menu. Here comes the Creeper, through the field and throwing what appears to be a chinese star that takes out a tire. Now they are stuck and have no radio contact. “Can you here me now? No? Damn” says the Sprint PCS guy. As night falls, the unlucky teens find themselves coming face to face with the Creeper - who for some reason gets to eat for 23 days every 23rd Spring. Today is day 23. Sucks for them. Looks like somebody should have planned the schedule better. Now JC 2 has degenerated into some kind of teen slasher flick, where the first movie felt like a genuine mystery with no conclusion, this one completely goes in another direction.
I think the thing that really kicks my ass about these films is that we really have no clue what The Creeper is all about. So he gets to eat every so often. I’m gonna need some kind of back story. I don’t want maybes, or it could be this or that. Give something. You have to give me a reason to care. In FvJ, Ronnie Yu wanted to give Jason a broader emotional palette. He did this by adding tiny elements of back story as to why Jason is the way he is. The result was the viewer actually feeling sorry for Jason and treating him as a kind of tragic hero. Here, Salva does nothing to really make us care about his creature, evil or good. Sure, he looks mean and he has cool powers and killer instincts, but why? For what reason does he need to do these things. The film drops little teasers here and there, but nothing to really latch on to. Though, to Salva’s credit, we get a better indication of how much of a bad ass the Creeper is. He does a lot more flying in this film and seems to have far more agility and aggressiveness. Truly an awesome looking movie monster.
Another thing that goes slightly askew in the film is that it isn’t really creepy, or scary, or anything. It’s got a few good shock moments, but overall it feels like a car that can’t stop stalling....kind of like my dad’s old ’89 Ford Escort. It meant well, but just couldn’t get the job done. There is also some kind of a side plot with Izzy (Schiffner) and his sexual preferences and his run-ins with Scott Braddock (Eric Nenninger) and his homophobic problems.. It is good for a few chuckles, but comes off as mere “cheap pop” material, only designed to get an easy laugh. Another sub-plot centers around one of the female characters and her “psychic” visions of the dude from the first film, who appears to be waning them about the Creeper and his hunting style.
There are also several obligatory “teen slasher flick” characters, i.e. the guy who constantly guesses the carnage is over and decided everyone on the bus should leave and find someplace safe. Why not check out the barn? You’ll be quite safe there. Hehe. Thank God they weren’t near the church from the first film...cuz somebody would no doubt figure it was safe in there.
The true be all, end all bitch of the film is that I just couldn’t get into it. I didn’t care at all about these people on the bus. There was no reason to. I wanted this movie to be so much better than it was. I wanted to enjoy it, but it didn’t do anything for me. There are a few great action sequences and a fair number of genuine shock and jump moments, but the film, at a running time of 103 minutes never gave anything substantial. Do I feel like I wasted my time, not at all, but if there is a third sequel (any by the fact that the film opened at #1, displacing FvJ, there may very well be) it better start tying up some loose ends.
Roger Ebert states, “Victor Salva's "Jeepers Creepers 2" supplies us with a first-class creature, a fourth-rate story, and dialogue possibly created by feeding the screenplay into a pasta maker.” I’m apt to agree. Salva has talent, but he’s not there yet. If he keeps it up, he is going to be really good. Everyone needs to take their lumps. I can forgive JC 2 for the most part for now...but third time better be a charm.
In closing, JC 2 isn’t an awful film, is isn’t a great film. It is a good film. Nothing more. It isn’t a complete waste of time yet isn’t something I’d care to see again in theaters. Salva cleverly blends styles from “Jaws” and “Jurassic Park” to create a slightly better film than the original. I’m rooting for him and a JC 3.
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