Danger Zone II

My review was written in June 1989 after watching the movie on Forum video cassette.

"Danger Zone II: Reaper's Revenge" is a worthy successor to the 1987 release, a model of crisp, well-scripted B-picture entertainment.

Filmmaker Jason Williams returns as the taciturn hero Wade Olson, whose biker nemesis Reaper (Robert Random) is released from prison on a legal technicality. Reaper kidnaps Olson's girlfriend Jane Higginson and our hero is on his trail.

Structured as a trek in the desert en route to a violent showdown, pic is interesting not only for colorful details of its biker milieu but a cleverly interwoven script by Dulany Ross Clements that links (almost mystically) the history and fates of disparate characters.

Olson keeps meeting people on the road who've also been wronged by Reape. They tag along with him to settle their own scores: Rainmaker (Barne Wms. Subkoski) who' been cursed and can't start rain anymore; Doug (Walter Cox) who needs the Reaper's signature to sell a Vegas building and save his wife and adopted daughter; and Francine (Alisha Das), introed to prostitution by Reaper, who also sold her baby daughter. It all ties together.

Acting, especially by the lowkey Random (who probably would kick Charles Manson out of the neighborhood for being too nice a guy) and the attractive female leads, is a plus. Daniel Yarussi's lensing on location is effective as is a hard rock soundtrack.

Although tried and convicted for a multitude of crimes, a man who calls himself "Reaper" (Robert Random) is released from prison pending a new trial and sets out to punish a Los Angeles undercover cop named "Wade Olson" (Jason Williams) who he holds personally responsible for his imprisonment. To further his plans, he and some of his followers kidnap Wade's girlfriend "Donna" (Jane Higginson) and take her to their desert hideout where they not only molest her but take pictures of her at various times to place at strategic locations in order to lead him directly to him. And although he realizes he is heading directly into a trap, his feelings of guilt preclude him from doing anything else. What Reaper doesn't count on, however, is Wade being joined by three other people who have a score to settle with him as well. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this movie turned out to be a decent grade-B action movie due primarily to the suspense involved concerning Donna's fate. Admittedly, the character known as "Rainmaker" (Barne Subkoski) was a bit too ridiculous--but that's Hollywood for you. Be that as it may, I found this to be an adequate movie for the time spent, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.