Sunset Killer 2

'Dead On' picks up mere months from where things left off. It's still very much a cop's hunt for a killer, but other elements are new. Question becomes is it enough to break up another routine story & does the cast stand out? This first sequel - two more follow - doesn't have a lofty bar to hit. I was hoping it would at least match the original's level.

Det. Sam Dietz (Leo Rossi) solving the 'Sunset Murders' damaged his family. He's separated from his wife & son (Meg Foster, Brendan Ryan) and has become much more of an obsessive detective. When random victims start showing up linked together by method of death & bloody symbols drawn on walls it appears to be another serial killer (Miles O'Keeffe) at work. This time he's teamed up with FBI Agent Vassone (Ray Sharkey) who says it's the work of a guy who already has 22 bodies to his name and is moving across the country from East to West.

There's no getting around the obvious. Dietz has gone from a cop begging to be able to do good police work & a measure of respect to being a downright A-hole. It's kinda off-putting. Especially when the hurt is shown caused to his estranged family. Meanwhile the flick is pretty face up about Vassone being deceptive so you have to play the waiting game to get the obvious reveal. Lastly the killer isn't given any personality. Only when the ending comes does he get fleshed out in back story 101 and have dialog.

'Relentless 2' is stomping pretty familiar grounds. Cops not getting along, family troubles and murder most foul. The cast is sufficient, but there's no standouts. Betrayal & political intrigue gets injected, but much isn't very good. Dietz's thinking becomes a stretch & I was left wondering how much sentiment will be irrelevant come 'Relentless 3'.

I sort of enjoyed the first one, so bought the DVD of the second to watch, wish I hadn't bothered.

Apart from the odd bit of fairly restrained violence, this plays as a bland made for TV movie type thing, and the acting is truly awful.

For me, films like this need a bit of sleaze, and there's none on offer here at all.

I'm really surprised that some people hold this one in higher regard than the first. At least director William Lustig managed to create a bit of atmosphere in the first.

Don't think I'll be bothering with 3 and 4 of the series as I can't see them being an improvement on this.

For several years I've enjoyed the other two "Relentless" films, but for some reason I missed this one until tonight.

It's not easy to find these films on line, but it's worth the effort.

The villains in each film are well cast. They present a frightening collection of killers!

Leo Rossi does an excellent job playing a frustrated cop trying to solve a case. He doesn't get much help from superior officers, or the FBI agent with whom he's required to work.

If you're somewhat jaded you will enjoy the killing techniques used...including cable ties.

Finally, you'll see some artful shots of ice cube baths, etc.

Enjoy!

The first movie was a "Maniac Cop" clone, sans the cop uniform. But all the excitement, and energy, and suspense of Part 1 is gone. This time around, it's basically just a police procedural, with the killer playing second fiddle to the plot. We don't see nearly enough of the killer, and what we do see of him is not particularly interesting. Instead, why not just resurrect the original character? I thought Judd Nelson was the ideal choice for the killer in the first movie. Hopefully, parts 3 & 4 will be a lot better.

Incidentally, doesn't Leo Rossi look a little like Robert De Niro?

** out of ****

A Very Well Thought out Masterpiece. Good Plot, Well Developed Characters, and Outstanding Acting is what Makes this Film even more Worth while. It's not jut that, Though. It's just the Simple feeling of Involvement I Get from this Movie. I Feel like I'm in the Movie, One of the Characters, etc. That is how Excellent this Script is.

I Also really Enjoyed the Action and Suspense Packed Tightly into Very Heart Racing Scenes. The ending is Very Good, also. It is Important For one to Know the Very Low and Tight Budget these Producers had to Go on. The Special Effects are nothing to Jump Up on, and the Video and Audio Quality is Terrible, but that Still can not Ruin the Movie. I also Enjoy the Fact that this Movie is not Widely Known. Why? I Don't know. It just seems to me that once I Movie is Widely Known, I Hate it. My Theory is that: When Expectations go Up, Quality goes Down! I Guess I Also like not Only this Movie, but the Whole Series.

On a Scale of 10 I'd give The Plot an 8, The Acting a 7, The Suspense a 10, The Setting a 6, and The Gore a Simple 5.

As Far as The Sequels Go: Part One was Very Good and Scary. Part 2 (This One!!!) is Good, But more Action Packed than Scary. Part Three is More of a Rambo Movie than It is of It's own Series. I Have not Yet Seen Part 4, but Hope to in The Near Future.

Good Movie, 10 out of 10

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