Die Fliege 2

Yep, the same studio that made the original classic "The Fly" from the late Fifties decided that it was time to revisit the franchise a few decades later. But this sequel to the far superior David Cronenberg re-visitation is not so much a vehicle for its grade-B cast, as it is a showcase for its new director, special effects wiz Chris Walas. To his credit, he knew that this was his opportunity to go bananas, and that's exactly what he did.

Eric Stoltz is given the unenviable task of picking up where Jeff Goldblum left off, as the equally hapless son of the Seth Brundle character. Geena Davis wisely took a time-out, so a lookalike actress takes her place as Veronica "Ronnie" Quaife, who conveniently gets to die in the first few minutes, in a childbirth sequence that may make anything in the "Alien" series pale by comparison.

As ooky and icky as Cronenberg's bodily mutation-horror point of view was in the previous outing, Walas takes those cues to the 'nth' degree here, so those who are animal lovers or possessing delicate stomachs are hereby given fair warning: this is NOT a pretty picture.

Cinephiles who have wasted oceans of print criticizing THE FLY II should take note: the notices were equally severe all those years ago for RETURN OF THE FLY, when Fox tried to cash in then on the predecessor that had such a great pedigree. That cast included Vincent Price, Herbert Marshall, Patricia Medina and Al (David) Hedison.

With the new-fangled model starring Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis, didn't anyone get even a hint of "deja vu all over again?" C'est la vie. The only person sticking around (pun intended) from the "new original" is John Getz as the unfortunate bastard Stathis Borans, and to his credit, he played it with deadpan perfection, not to mention that his character is given the sequel's best dialogue. In other words, it's pretty obvious from the way he played things that Getz "gets" it.

Even if Stoltz and the non-descript Daphne Zuniga had been up to the task of overcoming the FX bombast on display (which they obviously weren't), the producers, writers and director weren't out to surpass the last episode in quality, as much as in the queaze quotient. Only Lee Richardson as Anton Bartok, the wicked, narrow-minded industrialist bent on exploiting the late Dr. Brundle's experiments to the max, does his job admirably well. You love to hate him on first sight, and the fact that he delivers the goods makes the gruesome fate his character suffers that much more satisfying.

So, in closing, let's sum up the main points here: for classic terror and the not-so classic follow up, go back to the Fifties original and its progeny. For modern-day mayhem and mounds of moldering makeup effects, go to the creepy Cronenberg version, then do not pass go, skip lunch and try this ordeal of offal on for size. You will be grossed-out, guaranteed, and popcorn is definitely optional, skipping the extra butter, of course.

A lot of horror sequels from the 1980's seem to get an unfair criticism. What happens is the first film becomes a classic. A staple of the decade. And the fans/viewers expect a sequel to be of equal caliber and are disappointed/angered when a sequel shifts direction, style, story, or setting. For example, "Return of the Living Dead part II", "Halloween III: Season of the Witch", "Friday the 13th Part 5", "Bride of Re-animator". "The Fly II" falls in with the other mentioned horror sequels as underrated, classic 80's horror flicks that should be enjoyed on their own merit.

"The Fly II" features a decent enough plot about Seth Brundle's son Martin (Eric Stoltz) and the evil corporation that is trying to control him. There's some nice character interaction between Stoltz and Zuniga (even though their chemistry is a bit off) and a touching scene between Stoltz and a mutant dog. But the real reason to watch "The Fly II" (besides Stoltz outstanding performance) is to see the gore and carnage that ensues once Martin becomes the fly. It's some of the best gore I've seen and instantly launches the film into 80's classic territory! Heads get crushed, people melt, body parts gets ripped off. It's an awesome sight and worth sitting through the dull parts for (like the chase/on the run scenes in the middle).

"The Fly II" is not on the same level as Cronenberg's classic but that doesn't mean it's not a great film. "The Fly II" delivers the goods and that damn scene with the dog makes me tear up every time! Only bad part...no nudity.

This movie, like Psycho II, has no right to be this good compared to its 1986 all-but masterpiece original/remake...but it is. I truly believe this keeps on getting better with each viewing and is never brought up when great horror movies and/or sequels are mentioned and that's a pity. While this isn't perfect, it's damn near great and has some very decent acting and gory special effects. Plus, it's a tad scary, hilarious at times and is original on its own from what was set up in its predecessor. HIGHLY recommended and of the first 9 I've recapped/seen for the first time from 1989, FINALLY we get to a reason to call 1989 my favorite year in cinema.

Without the likes of Cronenberg or Goldblum to carry this bizarre film, you would expect it to sink under its own weight. Fortunately, The Fly 2 is able to capture most of the unsettling and horror beats from the original, while putting a unique spin on it. The cast certainly does a great job jumping into this freaky world and working with the crazy guidelines given, but they lack the certain flair that Goldblum brought in the first. The story takes you out out Seth Brundle's seclusion and lands us in a place where privacy is rarely an option and the evolution can be seen by many. The setting and story give it the chance to have different experiences than the first, but also sacrifice a bit of the uncomfortable alone feelings that you wish it had. The Fly 2 stays true to the original and nearly keeps up in terms of quality.

Seth Brundle's offspring, Martin, is born and begins his life in a controlled lab environment at Bartok Industries. He grows at an accelerated rate both physically and intellectually. After seeing some of the ruthless ethic that the company has towards its experiments and the length they go for results Martin goes on a rampage and escapes. Also, his mysterious and idling chromosomes start to become active and he begins to mutate. First he has better strength and speed and soon he turns into a monster.

Much of the visceral symbols and themes from David Cronenberg's film are lost at the expense of gore and special effects, but parts of this obviously inferior film are nonetheless engaging. The character's motivation is clear, the atmosphere is pretty defined, and the film's last act is pretty exciting. Featuring some good gore effects and a ruthless act of revenge against an evil character ultimately make this film more satisfying than its reputation would suggest. 5/10

Rated R for violence, gore/gruesome images, and a sex scene