 Like I say, it is a very different movie from the first, and liking the original certainly doesn't mean it's a shoe-in you'll go for this one. Everything is far more direct, and the oddness of everything is incredibly in your face. It is more fun than the first, which I enjoyed fine, but if you like things a bit more straight-laced then the odds are you're in the wrong place Last time around we took a long, lingering stare inside the basket with the first part of this trilogy, which came eight years prior to this sequel. Part of me thinks that's no bad thing – all too often sequels can feel a bit thrown together and rushed out if they follow a year or so after, and what's interesting is that Basket Case 2 feels far more a piece with Basket Case 3 than its predecessor. We'll get to that final component of the trilogy, of course, but for now let's get on the case (get it?) with Henenlotter's sequel to his debut picture. We pick up here right from the end of Basket Case, with Duane and Belial Bradley in hospital after the fall they suffered at their hotel. Of course Belial has his concerns about being there, with his long-standing hatred of doctors, so it's not long before he takes control of Duane in order to make his escape. If I was really picking I don't remember Belial doing this before or since in the trilogy, but it's a way to get the beleaguered brothers out of hospital and into the loving arms of Granny Ruth and her assortment of unique individuals. I will use that term a lot in the next two reviews, because it is what the movie states and frankly I rather like the concept and the way the group sees each other. Duane and Belial try to settle into this unorthodox new environment, but it's not long before once again the attraction of the Bradley boys' story is attracting interest, this time from a prying journalist and the team around her. And prying really isn't welcomed in this community... As much as I liked the more urban, gritty feel of the previous movie – although even that had plenty of silly moments – with this and the final part of the series we do slip into full-on horror comedy mode. The deaths are typically overblown and extravagant, and the cast of the movie is sort of fascinating to watch, with some incredibly inventive and creative make-up involved – I have to give plenty of credit to the team involved there. Annie Ross deserves a lot of kudos as Granny Ruth, and when she really lets fly as a character she hams it up absolutely beautifully. Belial himself looks a much better model than previously, and I feel like Kevin van Hentenryck as Duane serves up a far broader performance here, leading to a pretty unforgettable finale. While I did recall the unfortunate ending for Duane's own love story, what has haunted my dreams for many years – and knowing my luck will again now I've rewatched it – is the closing sex scene between Belial and Eve. As I type this I feel like I want to bleach my eyeballs just to get rid of it. You have been warned folks... Like I say, it is a very different movie from the first, and liking the original certainly doesn't mean it's a shoe-in you'll go for this one. Everything is far more direct, and the oddness of everything is incredibly in your face. It is more fun than the first, which I enjoyed fine, but if you like things a bit more straight-laced then the odds are you're in the wrong place. Personally I did think this was a riot, and is probably more emblematic of Henenlotter's later work in its absolutely bizarre visuals and over-the-top dark comedic flourishes. If I were picking at it, the pacing isn't what it might have been, with the ending feeling a bit rushed and a sort of 'mini-ending' before that feeling like a bit of a dummy, and one or two plot elements do feel a bit half-cooked. With all that said, this was an enjoyable time all round – if you're into this sort of thing... RATING: 7.5/10. Probably the weakest entry of the three, but still plenty to give credit for in its own right. It's bold to take a series in a new direction, and Basket Case 2 certainly does just that. But what was still there was the energy, the enthusiasm and the imagination that the director and indeed the acting team seem to have brought to this one. It's hard not to enjoy a film when the people involved seem to be having fun, and the 90 minutes once again shot by here, so a very creditable 7.5/10.   |
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