FILM REVIEW: "Creepshow 2"

CREEPSHOW 2 (1987)

***

Directed by Michael Gornick

Writing credits
Stephen King (stories)

George A. Romero (screenplay)

Domenick John ("Billy" - prologue)
Tom Savini ("The Creep" - prologue)

WHAT IT'S ABOUT

Like it's predecessor, Creepshow 2 features several stories (in this case, three, as opposed to the five tales of the first film) of horror, all of it centered around the demonic character of the Creep, the "Creepshow" comic book, and Billy, the kid who can't get enough of the "Creepshow" -- or those nifty flesh-eating Venus Flytraps advertised therein...

The first story, "Old Chief Woodenhead", is a classic murder-revenge tale. An elderly couple who run an old-timey Mom 'n' Pop convenience store are murdered by some thugs; outside the store is a statue of a wooden Indian chief, who the storekeeper has been lovingly tending to -- repainting his face, and all that. When the store-owners are murdered, the wooden Indian comes to life, and goes on a fairly predictable but still ultimately entertaining revenge rampage against the crooks.

The second story, and the creepiest of the lot, is "The Raft", and features four teenage/college-age friends who go out to a rural lake for some sex 'n' sun 'n' swimming. They end up on a raft in the middle of the lake, only to find themselves effectively trapped there when they discover a strange, oil-like being that dissolves living flesh on contact has made the lake its hunting grounds. The tension ratcheted up by the horror of the creature, the mysteriousness of its nature (we're never told what it is, where it came from, or why it exists), and the mundane settings and hopeless circumstances of the protagonists make for a good show.

The third story is pretty effective, as well. In "The Hitchhiker", an adulterous woman speeds home, hoping to avoid having her husband learn of her affair. However, she hits and kills a hitchhiker on the way, and, instead of helping the man or turning herself in, drives on, struggling with her guilt all the way. She is plagued while driving with increasingly gruesome visions of the dead man trying to get into her car, all the while saying "Thanks for the ride, lady!" She ends up battling the dead hitcher, becoming increasingly frenzied, violent, and vengeful as she does so.

Connecting the stories to the "Creepshow" comic motif are short animated interludes that feature Billy, a young, comics-loving boy, the Creep who sells the comics, and a pack of bullies who chase after Billy and get more than they bargained for.

WHAT WORKS

The stories work well for the "Creepshow" format, which established itself in the first film as stories that were dark, morbid, and in a word, creepy, and these fit the bill pretty well. The last two stories are definitely the most disturbing. There's no real surprises to be found in the stories or incredibly shocking twists--it's just a good, well-done slice of nasty and occasionally darkly comical horror fiction, much like the first Creepshow.

The acting and writing is pretty effective for what the stories are about, and the special effects and makeup, while relatively simple, are gory and effective (and in the case of "The Hitchhiker", quite nasty).

The animation is definitely not Disney-level quality, but it reminded me of the original Heavy Metal, which is never a bad thing.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK

The stories are, as I said, predictable. They're basically your standard revenge or creature-feature stuff. If that works for you (and it did for me), then that's fine. If you're expecting something serious, different, and groundbreaking, then Creepshow 2 is probably not for you.

THE FINAL WORD

Overall, a fun anthology set. See it if you enjoyed the first Creepshow, Tales from the Darkside, or other films and TV shows of that sort.

IF YOU LIKE THIS FILM, YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

Creepshow, Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, Twilight Zone: The Movie, Nightmares.

"Creepshow 2" on IMDB.

"Creepshow 2 on Youtube: Death scene from "The Raft".