The Hills Have Eyes Part II (1985)

User Rating:

3.3/10   

Director:

Wes Craven

Writer:

Wes Craven (writer)

Release Date:

August 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

So you think you're lucky to be alive...

Plot:

A group of bikers, which includes some of the survivors from the original film, embark on a journey...

Plot Keywords:

Bus | Desert | 1980s | Threatened With Knife | Well Shaft

Cast

Tamara Stafford	...	Cass
Kevin Spirtas	...	Roy (as Kevin Blair)
John Bloom	...	The Reaper
Colleen Riley	...	Jane
Michael Berryman	...	Pluto
Penny Johnson	...	Sue
Janus Blythe	...	Rachel / Ruby
John Laughlin	...	Hulk
Willard E. Pugh	...	Foster (as Willard Pugh)
Peter Frechette	...	Harry
Robert Houston	...	Bobby
David Nichols	...	The Psychiatrist
Edith Fellows	...	Mrs. Wilson
Lance Gordon	...	Mars
Susan Lanier	...	Brenda

Also Known As:

The Hills Have Eyes Part 2 (USA) (video box title)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1986) (video release) | Finland:(Banned) (1985) (theatrical release) | Finland:K-16 (1996) | Finland:K-18 (2005) | Sweden:15 | Australia:R | Norway:18 (video premiere) | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 (nf)

Filming Locations:

San Bernardino, California, USA

Company:

VTC

Trivia:

Wes Craven claims that he did this film because he was in need of money and since then has disowned it.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Pluto is supposed to be holding on to the rope that is dragging behind The Reaper's bike. But, at one point, both of his hands are off the rope, indicating that it's attached to his body and dragging him along.

Quotes:

[only line]
The Reaper: Reaper no dumb like Papa Jupe!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Directors: The Films of Wes Craven (#1.4)" (1999)

One of the characters, upon seeing a "Welcum" sign: "Why don't I feel welcome?"

A gaggle of kids - standard slasher movie characters, all of them - who are associates of one of the first film's survivors, go to the desert to race their bikes and test their experimental fuel - and are menaced by the surviving mutant (Michael Berryman) from the first film, as well as a new ugly thug, "The Reaper" (John Bloom).

Silly sequel; truly a disappointment from a talented horror veteran (Wes Craven), from whom I expect more than just a run-of-the-mill slasher film, which is what this is. The first film could have been seen as a statement on the breakdowns of family units, but writer / director Craven obviously didn't care about making Part II particularly intelligent.

Highly reminiscent of a "Friday the 13th" movie, with a Harry Manfredini score that sounds much too familiar.

Cast is nothing special at all, though it is amusing to see Penny Johnson (Jerald), recently of the TV series '24' (she played Sherry Palmer), paying some serious dues, and to see Janus Blythe reprise her role from the first film.

Michael Berryman is fun as always; with those distinctive features of his, he was born to be a cult actor.

The fiery finale is okay.

You know you can't take a movie seriously when even the dog has flashbacks!

3/10