Waxwork 2 - Bentornati al museo delle cere

Waxwork II: Lost in Time (1992) is currently streaming for free on Tubi and serves as a fun follow-up to the '80s classic. The story picks up where the first film left off, but it turns out the wax museum isn't as "finished" as the survivors thought. The girlfriend from the couple who made it out of the first film is framed for her parent's murder-killed by a wax appendage-and the couple must return to the museum to clear her name.

Written and directed by Anthony Hickox (Waxwork, Hellraiser III), the film stars Zach Galligan (Gremlins), Monika Schnarre (Junior), Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead), and David Carradine (Death Race 2000).

The plot takes a very different turn, blending elements that feel like a strange mix of Alien and The Princess Bride, but it remains an entertaining and fun ride. Though Hickox returns as the director, there's minimal continuity with the original film, aside from the returning cast and director. There are also some enjoyable cameos, including Bruce Campbell, David Carradine, and Drew Barrymore. Overall, this is a lighthearted, feel-good film with late '80s/early '90s hijinks. It's worth your time for a fun watch, though far from a masterpiece. I'd give it a 5/10.

Mark (Zach Galligan) and Sarah (Monika Schnarre) survive to the fire in the wax museum, but Sarah is followed by a severed hand that kills her alcoholic stepfather. Sarah becomes the prime suspect and goes to trial. Mark and Sarah search evidence to prove her innocence and they go to Sir Wilfred's house. They find a footage prepared by Sir Wilfred with a puzzle based of the Alice and the Looking Glass. They solve the puzzle and find a compass that opens portals through time. They travel to the most different places in time seeking something to help Sarah in her trial in a dangerous journey.

"Waxwork II: Lost in Time" is the sequel of "Waxwork" without Deborah Foreman that turned the offer down and was replaced by Monika Schnarre in the role of Sarah. Zach Galligan is also different from the original clumsy and rich Mark. The movie pays a tribute to several horror movies and entertains but it is silly and does not work well in many parts. The conclusion is a rip-off "Back to the Future" and does not make much sense that Sarah comes back to the present days to clear her name and return to the past to stay with Mark. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Waxwork II - Perdidos no Tempo" ("Waxwork II: Lost in Time")

Note: On 17 February 2021, I saw this film again.

If you don't have a sense of humor or an appreciation for classic horror you won't like this film. It's a montage of homage that is devoted to capturing the pace, direction style, acting style, dialogue etc. of such films as Alien, The Haunting, Dawn of The Dead, Nosferatu on a relatively low budget. The pared down scenes accentuate the spoof sentiment and remind us why horror is fun. Take the Alien scene, hard talking', pulse rifle carrying space marines complete with transmission samples as background juxtaposed to the reefer madness-esque black and white, highly stylized scene of The Haunting. Battling evil can be funny and Bruce Campbell's cameo, as well as others, lends support. If nothing else, it's a treasure hunt for horror genre fans.

Mark and Sarah survived the mayhem from the first movie only to have Sarah on trial for a murder committed by a dismembered hand. To find the proof that will clear her, the pair travel through time and space to dimensions full of historical, movie, and book characters.

With guest appearances by Bruce Campbell and David Carradine, how can you go wrong? Especially with such intense homages to "Dawn of the Dead", "The Haunting" and more?

If any complaint can be lodged with this film, it is that it is complete nonsense. The logic is even more goofy than the last film (which was pretty bad), the continuity is non-existent, and it does not really follow the first film except in the most vague way... but if you do not mind completely malarkey, this movie is fun.

Waxwork II pays homage to so many genres of horror that half the fun is watching them and trying to catch what's going on. The plot isn't much, but there's lots of laughs mixed in (particularly Bruce Campbell, in the Hell House segment). There's a real sense that the producers and writer are having fun with a concept that really didn't need a sequel in the first place, so they said the heck with it and decided to do whatever they felt like.