Dämonen

Yes, sequels get a rough ride. They never seem to live up to the original and in horror movies that's truer than most. However, the imaginatively-titled 'Demons 2' seems to be just as good is its predecessor – largely because it's the same film. The first film was about a group of unfortunate people trapped in a haunted building that was slowly being overrun by bloodthirsty demons (who are basically zombies by another name). Here, we have a group of unfortunates trapped in a haunted building that is slowly being overrun by bloodthirsty demons. In fact, many people seem to wonder whether this is actually a remake rather than a sequel.

It's kind of both, in the same way that Evil Dead 2 was basically a remake that had been re-done and extended to make it a new film of its own. The events of the first Demons film are pretty much glossed over to the point where it's just a brief one-line mention which can be taken different ways. What you're left with is another gore-fest of excellent special effects (for the eighties, anyway), pretty scary demons (they out-creep any shuffling zombie in my opinion) and a completely nonsensical plot which will leave you scratching your head as to whether what you're witnessing is either true genius or a complete mess.

Demons 2, like the first one, is a masterpiece of its genre. You may find it one of those 'so bad, it's good' films, but it's also got its own charm. The gore is better than most of its contemporaries and it's daft feel and loud eighties rock music give it a look and feel of its own (unless you count the first film, obviously). Plus Bobby Rhodes returns and the film is all the better for it. It's a shame he couldn't headline the film as he steals every scene he's in as the manic gym instructor! If you've seen the first film, what you'll get is a re-tread, but, if you enjoyed the first outing, you shouldn't mind. If you haven't seen the original, don't worry – you'll soon pick up what little 'plot' is required to understand this. Do you like daft eighties horror? Do you like zombies? If so… give this one a watch, just get your mind in for something that doesn't always make sense and try not to pick too many holes in the story. I swear that demon child only wanted a cuddle.

Aug 21

So not as good as the first film but still decent stand alone film.

Different characters and different setting so this can be watched independantly of the first film.

Still its an 80s Italian horror so i like it.

7.5 out of 10.

Maybe Lamberto Bava's original Demons was like a strike of lightning that couldn't be replicated or maybe this sequel was rushed into production too fast, but something is missing from Demons 2. The makeup effects are still well done even if the gore has been toned down significantly (and curiously so).

The biggest disappointment is that the story is basically the same as the original film, except the cursed movie now plays on TV and the rules of how to get possessed are a little bit different and don't make as much sense. In the original, a character was cut by the demon mask (just like in the movie within the movie) and that's what turned her into a demon and, in turn, allowed the virus to spread. In Demons 2, the demons emerge from the TV at whim with nothing channeling them to emerge from the screen. It all points to poor planning.

Demons 2 always trades a theater location for a high rise apartment complex, which just isn't as moody. Bobby Rhodes returns as a completely different character from his character in the original which further complicates things.

This isn't to say that Demons 2 is necessarily an awful film or anything. It's entertaining and gets the job done, but it feels like there was a lot less thought and passion put into it than the first.

Okay, first of all, anybody who is expecting The English Patient from a movie called "Demons 2" will be sorely disappointed. This is an 80s low-budget Italian horror movie and as such has serious plot, dubbing and acting problems. That said, this is actually a very good movie for the genre.

The connection to the original movie is a bit blurry but it does try to connect the two together. Apparently somebody made a movie about the first incident, and it is this movie that "infects" a new building filled with badly-dubbed Italian actors.

The make-up effects are quite good, and the demons pretty unsettling. I'd say this movie is on par with the original Demons (largely because it is almost exactly the same movie). This is a pretty brutal movie. None of the humorous subtext that you'd find in the "Nightmare on Elm Street" sequels, "Scream" or most other modern horror movies. Nope. Just a bunch of people desperately fighting to survive, and not doing a very good job of it. They aren't all stupid either....they do try. Unfortunately the screenwriters arranged it so that all the windows are unbreakable, and the electric doors unable to be opened.

The movie also breaks some horror movie taboos as children were surprisingly made into victims.

On a lighter note, I would also say that this is the first horror movie I have ever seen (barring Antichrist/Second Coming films)in which a character goes into labor while fighting demons.

An entertaining horror movie.....Never looked at my watch once.

In a residential building, demons are released though a television horror film, where two couples visit the forbidden area nearby the Metropol movie theater to seek vestiges of the demon infestation some time ago and accidentally resurrect one demon. The guests of Sally (Coralina Cataldi Tassoni) in her birthday party are infected by the demons and spread the contamination to the residents. Each viewer that is infected by a monster, is contaminated and transformed in another monster, threatening the rest of the defenseless persons. The survivals realize that they are trapped in the locked building and organize a defense in the garage. Meanwhile, George (David Knight) and his pregnant wife Hannah (Nancy Brilli) seek a way out through the roof.

"Demons 2" is a rip-off of "Demons", using television in a residential building to spread the demons, instead of a screen in a movie theater, and funnier. I saw this film many other times on VHS and today (05 November 2010) I have just seen it on DVD. This film has great make-up and special effects, but the original "Demons" is better and scarier. One attraction is the eleven year-old Asia Argento, in the role of Ingrid Haller. This movie is only recommended for fans of trash-movies. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): 'Demons 2 – Eles Voltaram' ('Demons 2 – They Are Back')