The demons are back, spreading through the television screens of a modern apartment building, turning the residents into fanged, clawed monsters. The exits are sealed, the power has been cut off, and the number of human survivors grows smaller with every passing minute…. This is director Lamberto Bava’s own cut of the sequel to the popular 1985 Italian horror hit.
Starring: David Edwin Knight, Nancy Brilli, Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni, Bobby Rhodes, Asia Argento
Directed by: Lamberto Bava
Runtime: 91 minutes
Studio: Starz/Anchor Bay
Amazon USAmazon UKIMDBReview: Demons 2
The original Demons was an amusing, poorly acted film with some good special effects and it was also a lot of fun. This sequel is similar in story line. The movie theater of the first film is swapped for a tower block of apartments and while a film on the big screen seemed to instigate the horror in the first film, it is a late night horror film that triggers things this time. Frustrated at her own birthday party, Sally (Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni) locks herself in her room and watches a group of teenagers on TV find the remains of a demon and inadvertently revive it. The demon kills them then heads through the television to take out Sally. A now demonised Sally then attacks her party guests and all of a sudden the apartments are swarming with demons with a large group of residents in a frantic battle for survival.
This is all very familiar having seen the first film and many of the elements from its predecessor are in place. The effects are good, the acting is dreadful, it’s funny in places and there is a great soundtrack in the background including The Smiths with, you guessed it, Panic. Among the residents are George (David Edwin Knight) and his pregnant wife Hannah (Nancy Brilli). George is a studious type, up to his neck in preparation for an exam but given a demon plague, the tie is off and he turns into an urban version of Rambo. The highlight of the film is the return of Bobby Rhodes as Hank. Rhodes was loud and an enthusiastic leader in the first film. In this one he’s loud, an enthusiastic leader and also the head of a group of bodybuilders that leads the residents into battle against the demons in the garages using cars, axes, fire extinguishers, you name it, Hank is up for the challenge.
Demons 2 is an average horror flick with laughable acting, decent effects, amusing exchanges and a cute demon baby. If you enjoyed the first film then this one is certainly worth considering. If its predecessor wasn’t for you then I’m certain this one won’t be either.
Verdict: 2/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
Film Review: Demons 2 | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
