CHILDREN OF THE CORN II - (1992)

TMP RATING: 2/5

REVIEW:

Straight after the events of the first film, the children are moved to Gatlins neighbouring town Hemmingford. A failed journalist called John comes to Hemmingford to find out what happened in Gatlin. His son Danny is with him, John and Danny don't get on well together. They are staying in the same house as Micah a boy possesed by He who walks behind the rows. Danny becomes Micah's friend and comes under his influence. Danny then falls in love with Lacy but in the end Danny has to make a choice which could mean life or death!

With the first film being so hit and miss...more miss than hit in all actuality. It is not surprise that it took almost a decade for a sequel to be made. However, the fact that they even decided to make a sequel surprised the hell out of most. Well, let's see how they did this time around.

The story for this film starts right where we left off...which is a direction I personally would not have gone. But this time around, we get to see the town of Hemmingford, which is where Vicky and Burt were trying to find in the first film. For the town the Hemmingford, all I can think of is a line from John Carpenter's Halloween...”Death had come to your little town Sheriff.” Yes indeed...death has come to Hemmingford...let's see what it looks like.

My biggest complaint with the first film was that not all the “children” were scary by any stretch of the imagination...this time around, they make all the kids dangerous. But it goes to the extreme. These characters try to play so evil, that it comes across to the viewers as ridiculous. You can be evil, dangerous, and homicidal without going to the visual extremes this film does. I mean, the big bad this time is Micah, and he looks constipated have to time. I guess whatever acting classes this guy took, they told him “evil=constipated: End Scene.”

There is nothing redeemable about this story line. They bring in Native American lore into this now, which to me seems like they are grasping at straws. And they link moldy, bad corn to the reason of why the children did what they did. Ok, I like where they are heading...if they kept up with it. They mention it once, and they never touch on this again to the very end of the film. And in this scene, those who believe the corn is tainted, sell it overseas to Germany. ARE YOU KIDDING ME. Give the corn to the Krauts, and turn their little Nazi children into homicidal maniacs. Sorry...you lost me there.

The acting in the film is terrible...which actually doesn't bother me. Horror movies aren't known for their acting chops, although most actors get their start in horror. But this film is just loaded with no talent actors, most of which you will never see or hear from again...unless you go to horror conventions. So a film with lack luster story, is of course going to have lack luster acting.

The look of the movie itself is where I kind of really enjoy this film. It was the early 1990's when this film came out, and everyone was trying to out do the next company. So the film is a little more violent than the first, and a little more “techie” if you will. For instance, He Who Walks Behind The Rows, has now gone RC. Micah is literally playing with a RC car, while following an old woman in a wheelchair. Then with the simple switch of a button on the controller, accompanied by the line, “watch this.” He begins to control this elderly woman, and leading her to her inevitable death, and sending the wheelchair through the window at the Bingo hall.

Putting the entire film together as a whole, it's really hard to judge. It is a great example of classic B-horror, but that doesn't mean it's good. This is one of those films that I watched over and over when I was younger, but today...I just don't get into it. I wish they had done more with it, and then maybe it would have turned into one of those films that I would be able to watch again and again. But I would much rather throw on pretty much any other Children of the Corn film, than to sit and watch this one.

I cannot recommend this film. Because those who I would recommend it to, the horror fans, I know have already seen it. And the majority of them, that I know, have the same love hate relationship with this film(and the franchise itself). Where they don't care for this movie, but once ever couple of years, they will throw it in, just to do a complete marathon watch. So there you have it. Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice is only good for a franchise filler. Buy it id you're a completist, but avoid it at all costs for anyone else.

Till Next Time Kiddies...

-RJ