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This horror prequel depicts the events that lead to the massacre of a family. The movie was based on the actual family who lived in the Amityville house, the DeFeo's, who were all murdered by the oldest son. There are inaccuracies to not only the real events, but to the events depicted in the first movie. I remember being told this movie was "scarier than the first one," but I found myself laughing at most of it. Don't get me wrong, there were still some creepy moments (the mother feeling a presence in the basement, Sonny being attacked by the presence and hearing the voices), but it was mainly made up of bad writing and awkward dialog. Some of the special effects were surprisingly done very well for their time. Jack Magner also did an exceptional job portraying a young man slowly losing his mind to a maleficent force. It was decent, even with the bad dialog, until the last twenty minutes or so. The ending was very weak and fell flat. But overall, I would say to watch it for the good parts I mentioned and then make fun of the rest.

I must admit I was expecting the first one to be a good horror flick but in the end I was really disappointed by it. However, this film (although not a sequel but a prequel) was really. In fact, the best of all the Amityville movies ever made.

It didn't have any prologue or anything. The story immediately have the Montelli's family moved in to the house. Almost immediately the haunting began where as the mother (Rutanya Alda) turned on the tap and black liquid oozed out. Soon after, during the family dinner, as Dolores were saying grace the mirror cracked and fell. This was the scene that ignited the father's chain of abuse on his kids.

All in all, this was the best Amityville film so far. However, it's a pity they didn't make use of the actually DeFeo's name.

Amityville II The Possession was basically the same as the first, except with a bunch of twisted ideas thrown in. But I think the ideas "thrown in" add a sense of kraziness into the whole story. The movie was definitely better than the first story and also gives the viewer an idea of why the house is haunted. Another part that separates this from the previous film is the music. The music provides a sense of anxiety and is perfectly matched to the film from beginning to end. The ideas of possession and incest are really great touches also. Anyways, the movie was decent and worth seeing at least once.

With the box-office success of the first Amityville Horror movie, seemingly a sequel was inevitable. The problem being that the 1979 movie The Amityville Horror (based on the 1977 book) didn't really have much material by way of a 'sequel' to conjure up, since it slowly became apparent after the first Amityville Horror movie that the subjects of that film - the Lutz family - had made up the stories of the house being haunted and the supposedly non-fictional book and movie were a bunch of bunk.

The one truthful aspect of the Amityville Horror book and movie was that a grisly murder spree had taken place there just prior to the Lutzes moving in. In 1974, 24-year-old Ronald DeFeo Junior murdered his parents and his four younger siblings via shooting them with a shotgun while they slept in their beds. During DeFeo's subsequent trial his lawyers proposed several theories for what happened, running the gamut from varying degrees of drug-induced insanity to self-defense. DeFeo himself gave multiple accounts over the decades of his subsequent incarceration as to what happened, claiming at different times that 1) he killed everybody, 2) he had no memory of killing anybody, 3) his eldest sister Dawn helped kill some of the family and 4) 'somebody' else of whom he either couldn't be sure of or couldn't mention who wasn't Dawn helped him. Local lore claimed the house itself was built on the site of an ancient Indian burial ground (a claim that has never been confirmed via ANY type of historical records) which made the property (and, by extension, DeFeo) 'possessed' and that DeFeo and his eldest sister Dawn may have been involved in an incestuous relationship.

Got all that? Whew! Good.

Well, after the Amityville house passed from the Lutzes to different owners - none of whom ever claimed anything by way of supernatural happenings - the producers of Amityville 2 decided to, er...um, 'fictionalize' the DeFeo murders as the basis for the script/screenplay for Amityville 2. Thus, the sequel is a prequel...of sorts.

I guess a bit of context in 2024 is useful as to explaining how the whole Amityville myth got rolling in the late 1970's in the first place, being that back then most people outside of the regional metro New York area had probably only heard of the Amityville house via the book and the 1979 movie. Back then, by and large it was word of mouth in terms of the rumors surrounding the DeFeo case and the Lutz family. Everybody loves a haunted house story, and supposedly this one had some basis in fact. So, into that vacuum of rumor and urban legend came 1982's Amityville II: The Possession.

Being a prequel, the plot loosely concerns itself with the DeFeo family. For screenplay (and, assumedly, legal) purposes, their names are changed to the Montelli family. Most of the Montelli children don't look Italian, but whatever. Amityville 2 throws in a priest called to bless the Montelli house in a throwback to a similar role for Rod Steiger in the first Amityville Horror movie. The Montelli parents physically slap each other around, with the Montelli father in particular being violently physically abusive to the entire family (a claim the real-life Ronald DeFeo Junior made after the murders). The eldest Montelli siblings (named 'Sonny' and 'Patricia') engage in incest after Sonny is possessed by some sort of malevolent spirit which - like the first Amityville movie - originates from the basement of the house. About mid-film, Sonny embarks upon a murderous rampage, shoots the entire family in a rather disturbing sequence, is subsequently arrested and alternates between claiming not to know what happened and while incarcerated intermittently revealing to the priest that he is possessed by a demon. The priest sneaks Sonny out of prison, brings him to the Amityville house, performs a ritual to rid the demon from him and eventually Sonny is cured and returned to prison. The movie ends with the empty house and a FOR SALE sign on the front lawn, presumedly just before the Lutz family bought it.

In factual terms. Amityville II: The Possession is only loosely based on fact. In real life, Ron DeFeo Junior was aimless junkie in his early twenties who was basically supported and overindulged by his parents because they refused to make him accept any meaningful responsibility. In Amityville II, Sonny Montelli is depicted as a decent, Waspy-type with no references of any kind made toward drug addiction. The DeFeo's never had a priest who was meaningfully involved with the family in terms of spiritual counselling vs. Amityville II's priest who actually saw incidents of violent physical domestic abuse, much less heard a confession from the eldest DeFeo daughter claiming she had incestuous relations with her brother. Ronnie DeFeo Junior was taken into police custody within 24 hours after the murders took place, confessed to the crimes while in police custody, remained in custody throughout his subsequent trial and a year after the murders was found guilty of six counts of second-degree murder and sentenced to six sentences of 25 years to life: DeFeo was never sprung from prison via a fictitious priest, taken back to the crime scene and subject to an exorcism. It may seem foolish to go to the lengths I have to explain the reality versus the movie fiction except for the fact that there is apparently no shortage of simpletons out there who blather drivel along the lines of "well, the first Amityville Horror movie was a bunch of bunk, but the second movie was true!" The second movie was 'true' inasmuch as the bare skeleton of the screenplay/script was based on some fact. However, the vast bulk of what ended up onscreen was the product of Ronnie DeFeo's ever-changing story combined with a couple of fraudster parapsychological ghost hunter hoaxers called the Holzers who latched onto the Amityville story immediately after the 1977 book and 1979 movie were commercially successful.

As mentioned, the movie itself is this peculiar blend of uncomfortable moments coupled with laughable attempts at movie horror. Most of the first half of the movie is where most of the disconcerting moments happen, including the violent domestic abuse, incest and the murder sequence. The second half of the movie, unfortunately, goes off the rails into these ridiculousness scenes of Sonny being possessed and the fictitious priest saving his soul that come off as a bunch of half-baked, third-rate leftovers from The Exorcist. ALL of which adds up to an unpleasant and at times disturbing viewing experience with plot holes wide enough to drive a tractor trailer through. There have probably been upwards of a hundred plus films released since 1979 with the word Amityville in the title, yet virtually none of them have dealt truthfully and/or factually with the one incident that verifiably happened there. I suppose for that one would need an accurate true crime documentary.

Effective chiller about a strange house located in Long Island that causes creepy goings-on in a family . This is the second version about the infamous Amityville house with lots of screams and weird deeds in which a troubled family falls into supernatural terror . The night of February 5 , 1976 , George and Kathleen Lutz and their three children fled their home in Amityville , New York . Their living nightmare shocked the audiences around the world , but before them , another family lived in this house and were caught by the original evil . They weren't so lucky , this is their story . The flick starts when a family formed by parents (Burt Young , Rutanya Alda) and children (Diane Franklyn , , Jack Magner) moves to Long Island where is purchased a notorious Victorian home , their house of dreams but they find only devilish horror and full of nightmares . A loathsome lout with his family (the Montelli family in this film were fictional characters and loosely based on the real life DeFeo family) and hell breaks loose . The new home, which proves to be evil, resulting in the demonic possession of the teenage son (Jack Magner, mercilessly hamming it up as upsetting possessed young , this is his debut theatrical feature film of actor Jack Magner whose only other screen acting credit after this movie was in Stephen King's Firestarter). The teenager begins experiencing frightening and vivid dreams of horror . And soon the poltergeists make their nasty appearance originating a lot of unusual rattles and creaks before deciding to utilize its powers to possess the son and attack the family . Only the local priest (James Olson) can save him . And now a possessed son is plunged by demonic forces into supernatural attitude driving him to mistreat and beat parents and brothers . Meantime ,the priest is attempting to find out the bottom of events by ways of the cellar . The priest tries praying to vanquish the malignant spirit , staggering from room to room with the doors mysteriously slam . There happens a grisly mass killing based on an allegedly real life occurrence in Amityville that turns out to be a haven for demonic forces .

The film contains restless terror and great loads of blood and usual poltergeists phenomenon caused by the curse and the ordinary ghastly shenanigans result to be the cracking pipelines , basement ooze ,icky stuff , and doors suddenly slam , among others . This is a throughly familiar retread of spirit-in-the-house formula with a father who buys the dreaded as well as haunted Amityville house and his possessed son ; being alternatively loathing and dull . It is produced with medium budget by Dino De Laurentiis and well recreated with high grade special effects that are frightening and horrifying to spectator . Based on Jay Anson's (suppposedly) non-fiction best-seller , though George Lutz wanted this sequel to be based on John G. Jones' book "The Amityville Horror Part II" ; however, producer Dino De Laurentiis, in conjunction with American International Pictures, made this sequel based on Hans Holzer's book 'Murder in Amityville". It's actually halfway decent terror movie that achieved enough success at the box office and it will appeal to ghostly and eerie events fonds . Competence at every level keeps this from being rubbish . Acceptable FX , the explosion scene at the end of the film is real , a highly explosive chemical which produces flames that burn out instantly was used ; during filming the effect reportedly backfired and burned the side of the house . A highly explosive chemical which produces flames that burn out instantly was used. During filming the effect reportedly backfired and burned the side of the house. The movie's setting takes place in the same house as in the original Terror en Amityville movie .

The picture packs a colorful cinematography by Franco Di Giacomo and eerie musical score by Lalo Schifrin who also composed the original that will be used in the innumerable sequels . The motion picture was professionally shot , being American directorial debut of Italian director Damiano Damiani. The original ¨Exorcist¨ film (by Friedkin) spawned a wave of demonic possession movies that continues unabated today as ¨Changeling¨ (by Peter Medak), ¨Amytiville ¨(by Stuart Rosemberg with James Brolin , Margot Kidder and Rod Steiger) are two further examples of this sub-genre . Following a great number of clumsy , stupid sequels directed by Richard Fleischer titled ¨Amityville 3D¨ with Tony Roberts , Tess Harper , Lory Loughlin and Meg Ryan ; another directed by Sandor Stern (screenwriter of Amityville) titled ¨Amityville: The Evil Escapes¨ with Patty Duke and Jane Wyatt , ¨The Amityville Curse¨ or ¨Amityville 5¨ by Tom Berry with Kim Coates ¨Amityville: A New Generation¨ with David Naughton , Julia Nickson , ¨Amityville: Dollhouse¨ with Robin Thomas and other bad followings just go on and on attempting to cash in on the success of the first movie . However , recently is made a good new adaptation by Andrew Douglas with Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George and Philip Baker Hall . Rating : Acceptable and passable .

Strange things are happening at 112 Ocean Avenue. Just as the Montelli family have moved into their humble abode, arms start coming out of walls, blood starts gushing from the water faucets and what we can only assume is ghostly fecal matter has started to flood the basement. These are the least of the families worries, however. Regular beatings aside, the family finds their routine shaken up when the eldest Montelli child starts rebelling. It turns out he is being possessed by some sort of demon and just when you think things couldn't get any worse, they get much worse. Much worse.

"Amityville II: The Possession" is a prequel to the 1979 semi-classic "Amityville Horror" and is (very) loosely based on the DeFeo murders that took place in the famed house before the Lutz family moved in. The script, as penned by Tommy Lee Wallace, is about as brutal and dark as it can get. Just when you think the film won't go there, it goes there. We're talking children being treated violently, a relationship between brother and sister that goes too far and the worst offender of all: the farting priest. See the DVD at exactly the 26 minute mark for evidence.

The first two thirds of the film set things up beautifully. The film is stylishly shot by Damiano Damiani, giving the film a visual edge over its predecessor. While the sequel comes very close to besting the first film, it unfortunately comes crumbling down in the third act. Without giving too much away, the main business is dealt with in the first hour, leaving the last forty minutes to just sort of dangle in the wind a bit. To quote Jerry Seinfeld, "that's a pretty big matzo ball hanging out there." Somehow the film becomes an odd amalgamation of the first film and "The Exorcist" and in doing so, does a great disservice to itself.

When compared to the later installments in the series, this one at least comes out on top. In spite of its awkward ending, it's still a disturbing and thrilling ride that will take even the most jaded by surprise. Fans will get a thrill out of a story that takes things to the next level, while the average viewer will get a kick out of seeing Uncle Paulie himself, Burt Young, going off the deep end. Without a doubt, "Amityville II: The Possession" is a film you're not likely to forget anytime soon.

If you enjoyed The Exorcist and the original Amityville Horror film then you might get a kick out of Amityville 2: The Possession. This movie is based on the story of Ronald DeFeo Jr., the man that killed his family in real life - he was tried and convicted of 2nd Degree Murder.

The original Amityville Horror film is based on the real story of George and Kathy Lutz who left the home 28 days after of living there - claiming it was haunted.

It is safe to say that Amityville 2 is a prequel to Amityville Horror. Both films are worth watching if you like haunted houses and demon possession stories.

8/10

Amityville II: The Possession is directed by Damiano Damiani and co-adapted to screenplay by Tommy Lee Wallace and Dardano Sacchetti from the Hans Holzer novel, Murder in Amityville. It stars James Olson, Burt Young, Rutanya Alda, Jack Magner and Diane Franklin. Music is scored by Lalo Schifrin and cinematography by Franco Di Giacomo.

Film is essentially a prequel to The Amityville Horror that was released in 1979. This is loosely based on the real life DeFeo family who were murdered at 112 Ocean Avenue by Ronald DeFeo Jr. On November 13th 1974.

In spite of mixed critical and horror fan reaction, Amityville II was a success at the box office and does in fact have a fan base that believes it is easily the best film of the franchise. Now that may not be saying much since the first film, which is often considered the best of the bunch, isn't exactly great horror anyway, but Amityville 2, in spite of its obvious flaws, does contain good ideas and moments of genuine spooky unease. The main problem with the film, apart from Alda's woeful acting that is, is that it cribs its last quarter from the most revered of horror films, The Exorcist. Even to someone like me, who isn't particularly struck with The Exorcist's popularity, can acknowledge that any sort of imitation of that films central conflict is going to pale in comparison. However, for those who like their horror to be about creepy houses and a haunting of some kind, then there is much to enjoy in this prequel.

From the off the tone is set as we hear the creepy strains of cherubic warbles, the house, with its distinctive Dutch Colonial face, homes into view and then it's the introduction of the Montelli family, a family soon to be terrorised by one of their own after a demon is released and takes possession of the eldest son. Build up is standard stuff as a series of strange occurrences begin to unsettle the already unstable Montelli family (father is a brutish oaf, mother is overtly religious), particularly a weird animal drawing that presents itself on the young children's bedroom wall. Then once the demon identifies its target and begins its stalking process, film shifts from creepy haunting into violent terror, with the added kickers of an incestuous relationship and the introduction of a stoic bastion of religion courtesy of Olson's Father Adamsky. The effects and make up work seem tame by today's standards, but they are very effective regardless, and Schifrin has a good ear for tonal horror shifts.

It's hardly a masterpiece for sure, and some of it creaks for the wrong reasons, but it hits the right notes for the sub-genre of horror it sits in. 6.5/10

Well, I picked up a two for one package of Amityville Horror and Amityville II at Sam's Club, so I can't complain too much. The original is a slightly above average horror movie, while the prequel is really just pathetic.

In Amityville II, we meet the previous owners of the house on Oceanview Drive. Unfortunately, whoever wrote this mess, totally ignores all the facts set up in the first installment and they can not even figure out what year it is. This movie is just too easy to pick on but let me give you a couple examples of how laughable it is:

1. The movie is supposed to be set in 1973, yet Sonny wears a Walkman everywhere. EXCUSE ME, the Walkman was not introduced until around 1980.

2. In the first Amityville, it is firmly established that George Lutz looks incredibly like Sonny. George Lutz has a beard yet Sonny looks like he is about 15 and has not begun to shave yet.

3. The opening scene of Amityville Horror depicts the killer (Sonny) walking from room to room shooting his family while they sleep but in Amity II he has to chase some of them around the house before he shoots them.

4. A pub owner in Amity I tells George that the police arrested Sonny in his bar, right where George is sitting, but in the prequel he is arrested at the house and does not remember the crime at all.

Ok, so the list of factual errors goes on and on, just take my word for it. As for the story itself, well it is ridiculous even without all the factual errors. Whoever wrote this movie tried so hard to copy the "Exorcist" that you literally want to throw the nearest bottle at the screen during the "finale".

It is a lousy sequel, a trivial movie, and a big waste of time. Skip it.

After a nothing-short-of ridiculous Amityville Horror, I was loathe to spend theatre bucks on this one. I first saw it when it hit cable. Ok, I was a grown man, very secure, I believe I was in college at the time.

Im a very normal guy (mmmmwhhhaaaaa)...and this movie scared the DEVIL out of me! It was extremely well done...well acted...it was a BIG plus to see the gorgeous young Diane Franklin (whose promising career must've derailed somewhere along the line). The suspense is abundant in this flick...the morphing scenes...where the demon morphs into different people were way ahead of their time.

I am not kidding, this is a movie I will own one day. It is a fine example of its genre. Don't think about it, just watch it and squeeze the hand blue of someone you love...it is classic eighties. The best of its kind, IMHO.

I wonder whatever happened to Diane Franklin?

Go on, rent it...you'll lay a brick! You'll have a laugh or two also...but I dare ya...(smile)

A horror film that is truly Horrible for all the wrong reasons.The Movie has no scares no chills bad acting and a disgusting incest angle thats truly tacky.The ending is a poorly executed Exorcist Rip Off.This is just about as bad a movie as one could get.1 out of 10

If you watch a movie like "Amityville II: The Possession" looking for a little insight on possession, exorcisms, murder, incest and the other truths of home ownership, it must be hard for you to read this, what with your head spinning around and split pea soup spurting from your mouth.

Then again, "Amityville II" was no doubt written with you in mind. Lots of gore, sensationalism, special effects and a priest who wields a mean crucifix. But as far as entertainment value....

You know that bug zapper hanging out on your front porch? It has more chance of scaring you than this tripe. Just pretend you're a mosquito.

One star. And Paulie, if Rocky only knew how you spend your off hours....

**SPOILERS** The horrors of the house in Amityville starts almost as soon the Montelli family moves into it. One of the movers, Danny Aleilo III, notices a secret room in the basement of the house and when he crawls into it he's hit by this foul and nauseous odor that almost cause him to lose consciousness. What he inadvertently did was release an evil spirit that's festering under the house that was originally built back in the early 18th century on a sacred Indian burial site.

By the next day this evil spirit took over the body of the Montelli's oldest son Sonny, Jack Magner, and created such havoc in the house that Mrs. Dlores Montelli, Rulanya Alda, became very religious and went to see the local Catholic Priest Father Adamsky, James Olson. Dlores wants Father Adamsky to come over and bless the house to cleanse it from the evil thats infecting it.

The crude and uncouth Mr. Tony Montelli (Burt Young), who's no Robert Young in "Father Knows Best", acts like a wild lunatic beating both his wife and two little kids Jan & Mark, Erika & Brent Katz, thinking that their responsible for the strange and weird things thats happening in the house. When Father Adamsky comes over to bless the house Tony acts so unfriendly towards him that he has to gracefully leave and at the same time leave the house under the spell of the evil spirit thats dwelling in it. Going back to his car Father Adamsky finds his bible ripped to shreds by something that has to do with whats happening in the Montelli home.

In no time at all the evil spirit completely takes over Sonny's body as he, among other things, forces himself on his teenage sister Patricia, Diane Franklin, leaving her feeling both hurt and unclean. Patricia later goes to confession but is unable to tell Father Adamsky, who's taking confession, what happened between her and Sonny; she only tells the father that she had a tryst with a best friend. Father Adamsky realizes that it's a lot more serious, or sinful, then what Patricia is telling him but seems to be unable, or do nothing, to help her. At a birthday party for Sonny later in the week Sonny holds Patricia in such an amorous embrace that his and Pat's mom, Dolores, gets sicken by it and later tells Patricia just how depraved she and her brother are.

The movie "Amityville II" then follows the story of what really happened at the house on 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville NY with Sonny, like Ronald Defeo who in real life murdered his entire family back on November 13, 1974,in an act of demonic insanity murders, with a shotgun like Roland DeFeo did, his Mon Deloros and dad Tony as well as his two sisters Pat and little Jan and his younger brother Mark.

Father Adamsky feeling guilty over what happened at the Montelli house, by him doing nothing to stop it, goes on his own by first releasing Sonny who was arrested by the police at the crime scene from prison, under the eyes of the prison authorities. Father Adamski taking Sonny to the Montelli home to have him and the house exorcised, without the approval of the Catholic Church, doesn't exactly work out like he thought that it would and ends up costing the good Father Adamsky's soul.

Much better then the original "Amityville Horror" with a better script and far more superior special effects, three years in FX improvement in Hollywood made a real big difference. The ending of the movie is a lot like the ending in the film "The Exorcist" but this time the Catholic priest Father Adamsky did it on his own unlike Father Merrin in "The Exorcist", who did the exorcism with the help of Father Karras, and without the approval of the Church of Rome but got the same results as in that 1973 shocker of a film.

This is an extremely fictional movie as Jacob Cremins stated - the film based on the Hans Holzer novel is ridiculous and embarrassing. He had the nerve to use the DeFeo family in this thinly disguised, loose adaption. This film is utterly worthless and the ending's a definite rip-off of The Exorcist. For God's sake, what were they thinking when they made this sorry excuse of celluoid!

This film, though extremely creepy, is a prequel of sorts to the 1979 hit, "The Amityville Horror." It is loosely based on the 1974 mass murder of the Long Island family who resided in the infamous house. Knowing the true story behind the killings made this movie all the more creepy to sit through. It is, however, highly exploitative and totally absurd during the last act. Maybe one day, a film can capture the true story of this family, without having to resort to such nonsense. This film is indeed a slap in the face to the memory of the DeFeo family. It's a good thing they changed names to either protect the innocent or avoid countless lawsuits. Otherwise, this film is somewhat entertaining if you can separate yourself from the true story.

OK, your question for today is: why do horror movies not have to make any goddamn sense whatsoever? I don't mean that things like vampires, werewolves or demonic possession don't really exist. I mean that characters behave in totally implausible ways, and that the way the world works in so many horror flicks bears no resemblance to anything on Planet Earth. That isn't true of all horror movies, of course, but it's true of a lot of them, especially lazy, half-witted sequels like this one.

The plot is barely worth discussing. Family of unpleasant people moves into creepy old house, kid gets possessed, it all goes very much pear-shaped. You know the drill. It's based (a bit) on Ronald Defeo Jr's murder of his entire family in 1974, but that's where any link with reality ends.

For a start, there's obviously something nasty going on in the house. You know, your average holy-water-turning-into-blood type deal, a sea of poo being discovered under the basement, kid going slowly nuts. So what do the family do about this rather major problem? Well, nothing. If they did, there wouldn't be a movie, so they can't do anything, can they? Why does the evil kid's sister allow herself to be seduced by her own brother? No idea. Perhaps the actors were trying to show us a range of full-blooded, hitherto suppressed passion, but they ended up just looking mildly uncomfortable. I wasn't MILDLY uncomfortable watching that incest scene, I can tell you that. It's the most horrific thing in this movie, by a looooong way, and for all the wrong reasons.

Then there's Father Adamsky, the world's worst priest. A guy who gets a desperate call for help from a parishioner - who, by the way, he knows is getting a porking from her brother - and he hangs up on her. Later, this hero charges into a crime scene, trampling all over the evidence, shouting 'I'm a priest!' Apparently, this is a good way to get admitted to crime scenes, since no one answers with the rather obvious 'so what, you can still stay behind the lines, fella.' Later still, the same priest springs the killer from a maximum security jail and takes him back to the crime scene. The unguarded crime scene, yet, without a cop to be seen. I guess the cops in that town really trust priests.

But you don't care that the plot makes no sense at all. You don't care that some of these actors are at embarrassing levels of crapness. You probably don't even care about that icky incest scene (but you should, really you should). You just want to know if it's scary, right? No. It isn't. Not even slightly. It's just a bit rubbish, with fairly random special effects instead of any actual tension or horror. Hey, look, we can totally make this table spin around! Wow, that guy's head is like all expanding and stuff, gross! I found myself watching these bits and going, well, so what? I've seen the Exorcist, I've seen Poltergeist, you ain't gonna scare me with a spinning table, guys. In fact, you ain't gonna scare me with anything in this piece of hackwork.

It does have one good bit of dialogue, between bro and sis just after he's got her naked. Bro waves her smelly old undies in her face. 'I took your panties from the laundry' he says. 'Oh,' says sis, looking entirely nonplussed but not particularly concerned. 'Why did you do that?' Why indeed?

May contain some spoilers:

It's true. I have read some of the commments in here and there's are actually two people that said the exact same thing about the film. And that was that the film should have ended when the priest was looking into the house and he sees the spirit of the dead girl walking. Then the old lady comes up to him and says she has heard stories about the house. That would have been an awesome way to end it and I then would have given it a ten. As it stands I am still giving it an 8 because even though the end was contrived and straight out of The Exorcist, it is still one hell of a scary film. And if you thought you had reason in the first one to yell " Get out!" then wait till you see this one.

The first hour of this film is absolutely terrifying. It has so much atmosphere and chilling scenes that I couldn't understand why people hated this film so much. The room in the basement is dark, dingy and the camera work is so spooky that you can't help but get suckered into believing that something is in there. When the mom is ironing and she feels something touch her arm and then the wind, that was a perfect scene. It was frightening. But the highlight of this film is when the family minus Sonny goes to church. It is here that Sonny gets stalked by an unseen force. And I even caught myself yelling at the TV, " GET OUT! " When he goes up the stairs and then down and then back up again into his room, it bothered me and it literally gave me chills. The camera work is so creative and haphazard that you really can't tell where the demon is. Is it on the ceiling, behind him, in front of him, where? That was a brilliant sequence in the film.

Some of the acting is pretty bad especially from the mom, but it makes up for that with its chills and tension. I really think that people that criticize this film are perhaps people that should watch it again. I saw it for the first time when I was about 16 and thought it was okay, but then I rented it today and it frightened me during the day. That is pretty good film making. And is it me or are Italian directors better at good horror than the average north American director? Because I've seen some pretty scary horror films that were directed by Italians and they seem to have a style all their own. Just a thought.

Amityville II is a perfect film to watch before the original. It is actually a prequel and it is good to watch them back to back. Give this film a chance and I'll bet it will scare you. It did a pretty good job on me.

8.5/10

Bizarre and insensitive re-telling of the DeFeo case, Amityville II plays like two different movies. The first hour, while partially funny, has an engaging incest plot line, which of course is in the middle of this muddled house horror. The last 39-minutes, however, drag on and on as a cheap rip-off of The Exorcist. I was happy laughing at the books flying and the wife overacting by a billion fold. This movie takes 10 minutes to follow Ronald DeFeo around as he looks over his shoulder at NOTHING! The directing is shabby at best, with ridiculous zooms and shabby camera work. The only thing worth seeing this for is the pretty girl that plays the sister (and a convincing 14-year old). Besides that...Skip it. Please.