Movie Reviews 101 Midnight Halloween Horror Franchise – Tremors 2 Aftershock (1996)

By Newguy

Plot: Earl Bassett, now a laid-back living legend, is coaxed by the Mexican government into hunting and exterminating the Graboids that are threatening an important oil-refinery. But no amount of explosives could prepare him for what the worms have in store.

There may be spoilers the rest of the review

Verdict: Solid Sequel

Story: Tremors 2 Aftershock starts as we meet Earl (Ward) alone now an ostrich farmer, he gets approached by Senor Ortega (Tubert) who has been having problems with the graboids in Mexico, along with huge fan Grady (Gartin) gets offered $50,000 per graboid.

Travelling down to Mexico Earl & Grady team up with geologist Kate Reilly (Shaver) to go graboid hunting and they find themselves picking plenty of graboids. When Earl finds himself having to take on too many graboids he turns to his old friend Burt (Gross) who jumps at the chance to kill some graboids. When the graboids evolve we find our hunters chasing something complete new.

Tremors 2 Aftershock is what would need to be considered a solid sequel, it keeps the idea very simple with hunting down the graboids and what it does means it gets straight into the action. Evolving the creature also helps because we get a new enemy which turns out not to be so easy to kill. The only drawback would be that we don’t get enough supporting cast members to be put into peril. This is an easy story to follow though.

Actor Review

Fred Ward: Earl Bassett has blown his chance at fame now living off the last moments alone on an ostrich farm. He gets a chance to make big money by hunting graboids with a new partner Grady. He uses all his skills to take down the graboids with an old friend and a potential new flame. Fred is still strong in this leading role but doesn’t have the same chemistry with Chris.

Chris Gartin: Grady Hoover a fan of Earl and Val and after failing to get Val to help he turns to Earl where he also wants to be part of the hunting team with his ideas of where to market any extra money out of the graboid situation. Grady goes through plenty of scenes where he makes it clear he is the replacement. Chris is good but not reaching the same levels Kevin Bacon did.

Helen Shaver: Kate ‘White’ Reilly is the geologist in Mexico that helps the guys with their hunting mission. She has learnt how to track them which gives the hunters a big advantage. Helen is solid but seems to just be a supporting member of the cast.

Michael Gross: Burt Gummer is also feeling the effects of the aftermath and sees this as a chance to come after the graboids one more time. He comes armed to a military truck and just as eager as before. Michael evolves his character to become the iconic one from the franchise.

Support Cast: Tremors 2 Aftershock has a very small supporting cast with the man who hires them and a few employees being the only cast members in the film.

Director Review: S.S. WilsonS.S. does a good job directing take the film in a different direction as well as opening it out for any type of franchise idea.

Action: Tremors 2 Aftershock has a lot more action as we go straight into the hunting side of the story.

Comedy: Tremors 2 Aftershock doesn’t reach the same levels on a comical sense which is slightly disappointing but has a few laughs.

Horror: Tremors 2 Aftershock doesn’t reach all the levels of the horror from the first outing.

Settings: Tremors 2 Aftershock takes the action to the Mexico which works but leaves us wondering why the change in location.
Special Effects
: Tremors 2 Aftershock has good effects throughout with only one questionable moment.

Suggestion: Tremors 2 Aftershock is one to try, if you like the first one you will enjoy this. (Try It)

Best Part: Final act.

Worst Part: That one bad moment of CGI.

Believability: No

Chances of Tears: No

Chances of Sequel: Yes

Post Credits Scene: No

Oscar Chances: No

Budget: $4 Million

Runtime: 1 Hour 40 Minutes

Tagline:  The Worms have turned.

Overall: Enjoyable sequel that doesn’t quite reach the levels of the original.

Rating