The Terror Within II

Picking up from where the original left off (and it does go on to clear up loose ends) we see Andrew Steven's character David wandering through the desert heading for another underground scientific base that his team was originally in contact with in the first film. On the way there, he also picks up a lady survivor where they would become more than acquaintances with her soon expecting. Those survivors at the base are waiting on David, who holds a vaccine for the spreading virus, but what awaits them when David and the girl get there is hideous mutations.

Roger Corman would also produce the sequel (that looks just as cheap) that came two years later with star Andrew Steven (who here had me thinking of him as a poor man's Kurt Russell) not only acting, but directing and also penning the material in another quite low-budgeted, muggy B-grade offering. Tick off; Mushy make-up effects, lousy props, a tad of nudity, clunky dialogues, junky set designs and gratuitously raw violence. At times it reminded me of the Corman produced alien clone --- "Forbidden World". Surprisingly I see this film cop a lot criticism when compared to the first, as I don't see it to be any worse. Sure I wouldn't call it a perfect movie, but in certain regards I enjoyed this follow-up more than the original film. On this occasion it tries to be slightly different in its ideas and execution, but still sharing similarities but consisting of more excitement. It does go on to rehash certain moments in the latter stages. However there seems to be a little more happening story wise (when focusing on Steven's character in the desert or that of a mutating finger from a gargoyle) and its quick tempo makes sure it doesn't wear out its welcome. Steven's practical handling startlingly generates energy and a bit of tension amongst the monster gruel. He's not as confined, but goes for more expansion despite the obvious limitations but these murky visuals/lighting makes for some much needed atmospherics. The cast are all committed with ever reliable R Lee Emery's commanding presence heading the way. Andrew Stevens (sporting a fashionable beard) is sturdy enough in the heroine role, Burton Gilliam is particularly amusing, Chick Vennera is fitting and Stella Stevens (yes that's Andrew's mother) is agreeably good too. What's this type of film without beautiful ladies; in the shape of knockouts Barbara Alyn Woods, Renée Jones and Clare Hoak.

Andrew Stevens returns as David to the sequel, but this time he also acts as writer and director. Gargoyles are still roaming around the world and people are also still living in secret bases. David along with his dog Butch is out collecting raw materials so they can create a vaccination to battle the germ that has been accidentally let loose on the human race. David is colder and more desperate this time around. This time around I found it was PREDATOR that was being ripped off, but not to the degree ALIEN was in the original.

In addition it seems this sequel gets a lot of criticism as being a bad film, but personally I didn't find it any worse than the original. In fact I found it more original with its story. The music by. Terry Plumeri was good even though at times it seemed quite similar to Alan Silverstri's score to PREDATOR. If you really liked the original give this one a try if you want. If you didn't like the original I would just say skip this one. Also starring Andrew's mother Stella Stevens, R. Lee Ermey and Renee Jones. Executive producer was the king of B movies Roger Corman.

The oohgaa freaking horn is annoying as hell right when the movie starts and just keeps getting worse as the thing goes on !!

My review was written in May 1992 after watching the movie on Vestron video cassette.

Andrew Stevens makes a creditable feature helming debut with this follow-up to the sci-fier he starred in. Released theatrically last year, pic's currently in video stores.

Pic notably has Stevens direcign his mother, Stella Stevens, who made her own directing debut in 1989 with "The Ranch" starring Andrew.

Well-plotted with a script by Stevens and Lee Lankford, "Terror Within II" limns Stevens' adventures following a biological war that has wiped out nearly all of humanity. He's en route to the underground Rocky Mountain labh manned by R. Lee Ermey and a co-ed crew.

Accompanied by his trusty dog, he fights off mutants and other foes, and rescues lovely damsel Clare Hoak. Back at the labe, Ermey and medical officer Stella Stevens have to deal with a monster on the loose.

Subplots include a mutant raping Hoak, giving rise to a monster baby, and a mutant's severed finger growing in the labe into a grotesque blob-style monster. Stevens' direction keeps the pic chugging along well.

Cast is fine, with maximum pulchritude provided by Hoak and Barbara Alyn Woods. Monster makeup and gore is low-budget but effective.

Granted that I haven't watched the first "The Terror Within" movie, or at least don't have any recollection of watching it, should I have watched it during my teenage years. But regardless, I was intrigued by the synopsis of the movie, and decided to take a chance on it despite it being from 1991.

I should have gone with my gut instinct and stayed clear of this one. I managed to endure 35 minutes of this movie, before I gave up out of complete and utter boredom and a lack of interest in anything that happened on the screen.

This was low budget in every sense of the meaning low budget. The creature design was just abysmal, and most of the time you didn't see anything more than a poorly constructed oversized hand made out of questionable material. And the guns that people fired had no fire spray at the muzzle, and didn't even leave holes in walls when being shot through thin sheets of plastic. It was just atrocious to bear witness to.

The cast in "The Terror Within II" was relatively unknown to me, aside from R. Lee Ermey. Now that really puzzled me. How did they actually get him to participate in a movie such as this?

From what I managed to witness during my 35 minutes of watching this ordeal of a movie, I suppose the storyline was about mankind struggling to survive in a harsh and barren world overrun with mutants. Now, it was that same synopsis that had me lured in, because it sounded very much like something akin to the Fallout games. It might have been so in theory, but turned out to be a much less effective thing on the screen.

I have no intention of returning to finish watching this movie, and I also have no intention of going to sit down to watch the first movie. It just doesn't seem to be worth the time nor the effort.