Film Review: Puppet Master II

Posted on the 22 June 2013 by Donnambr @_mrs_b
Review of: Puppet Master (1991)
Film:
David Allen
Reviewed by: David M. Brown
Rating:
2
On June 22, 2013Last modified:June 22, 2013

Summary:

Puppet Master II falls short of the original film and although it's a pretty average horror it's certainly not an atrocious one.

More DetailsAbout Puppet Master II (1991)You can’t keep a good man down or a Puppet Master buried as Tunneler, Leech Woman, Pinhead and the rest of the puppets return to exhume their beloved creator in Puppet Master II, the sequel to the hit horrorfest, Puppet Master.

This time, the little devils are after the special fluid that keeps them alive, which is only found in…you guessed it…human brains. Lucky for the puppets, a new team of paranormal researchers has come to the hotel to investigate its murder-soaked past. (Don’t these guys ever learn?) The puppets led by a new member, the flamethrowing Torch are happy to shed some light on the (brain) matter, as they tunnel, burn, strangle and hook to survive. Featuring the special effects wizardry of Academy Award® nominee David Allen (Young Sherlock Holmes, Willow)

Starring: Elizabeth Maclellan, Collin Bernsen, Steve Welles

Directed by: David Allen

Runtime: 88 minutes

Studio: Full Moon Entertainment

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Review: Puppet Master II

Following on from the first film released in 1989, Puppet Master II revisits the Bodega Bay Inn, a remote hotel situated along a coastline. The deadly puppets that caused mayhem in the first film are back and at the outset they manage to revive their master, Andre Toulon (Steve Welles). Some time later a group of parapsychologists – Carolyn (Elizabeth Mclellan), Patrick (Gregory Webb), Lance (Jeff Weston), Wanda (Charlie Spradling) and Camille (Nita Talbot) – arrive at the hotel to investigate the death of Megan Gallagher that featured in the first film. The group soon find themselves at the mercy of the puppets who are as deadly as ever and on a special mission for their master.

This follows a similar format to the first film. The puppets are now controlled by their master Andre Toulon who returns to the hotel under the guise of Eriquee Chanee (Steve Welles) and sends his minions out to kill and gather brain tissue. The last of the secret formula that gave them life was used to revive their master and now the puppets are growing weaker. Their master is intent on saving them but he also has a more important objective in mind especially when he first witnesses Carolyn and is immediately in awe of her.

Puppet Master II is inferior to the first film largely due to losing the shock factor of the puppets and their methods of killing. There are welcome returns for Pinhead, Tunneler, Leech Woman, Blade and Jester and we also have a new puppet in the form of Torch that has a flamethrower for an arm. He’s pretty cool actually. This will seem familiar to the first film with the parapsychologists being picked off one by one before a final confrontation between our hero and heroine, the puppet master and his puppets. For all the similarities the puppets are once again fun and there are some amusing moments, especially a young boy that encounters Torch and starts throwing him round like a toy! Not a good idea.

Puppet Master II falls short of the original film and although it’s a pretty average horror it’s certainly not an atrocious one. Torch is a decent new puppet that joins Toulon’s ranks but although there are some fairly gruesome death scenes the whole package will seem the same as before and somewhat predictable as you reach the conclusion.

Verdict: 2/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

About the Author:

I was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England and have always been a bookworm and enjoyed creative writing at school. In 1999 I created the Elencheran Chronicles and have been writing ever since. My first novel, Fezariu's Epiphany, was published in May 2011. When not writing I'm a lover of films, games, books and blogging. I now live in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, with my wife, Donna, and our six cats - Kain, Razz, Buggles, Charlie, Bilbo and Frodo.

David M. Brown – who has written 724 posts on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave.

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