Return of the Living Dead: Part 2

The stage curtains open …Ever notice how it always seems to rain at the worst possible times in these movies? LOL… We are back for more zombie mischief and mayhem in this 2nd installment into the franchise which finds our new batch of characters battling it out with the living dead in late 80’s suburbia. I know this particular movie has gotten a bad rap, even by the creators and actors involved with the film, but I still loved it!

We join the action as two neighborhood bullies lock our young protagonist, Jesse, inside of a nearby mausoleum while they go to investigate a military cannister they discovered inside a drainage pipe. Being the ignorant fools that they are, they unwitting open the cannister and unleash zombie hell on the streets of the town. Jesse manages to get out and rejoin his sister and the local tv repair boy, as well as two grave robbers who find their way to them during the ensuing chaos.

Finding that they have been sealed off on all roads leading out of town by the military, they have to take matters into their own hands or suffer the same fate as all the unfortunate souls around them. This was a healthy slice of 80’s horror/comedy goodness bringing us the sounds and styles that were prevalent during that time. One of the characters, Brenda (played by Suzanne Snyder), was an exact replica of the teen pop star Tiffany, red hair and all.

I was half expecting her to break out into a chorus of “I Think We’re Alone Now” at any time. Even though director, Ken Wiederhorn, was not hot on directing the movie, it was his script and his idea to keep it comedic. It was also his idea to bring back James Karen and Thom Matthews in different character roles to provide a link between the original film and this one. I personally really enjoyed this film.

It was a lot of fun. Most of the jokes made me smile, and it moved along at a good pace. I loved all of the major sets from the mausoleum, to the hospital, to the climactic, “shocking” ending. As mentioned before, it has been largely panned, but it has gotten a following of fans over the years, and I am now one of them. I give it a recommend! Not as good as the first film, but a worthy sequel.