The Mangler 2

Now, I have never seen the first Mangler movie, but after viewing part 2, I know that it has almost no relation to the first movie at all. First off, before I start my review, I would like to say that Mangler 2 is the second worst movie of all time (the first movie being Killjoy). I was browsing through the channels at 4:00 in the morning, looking for something to watch. As I scan through the guide, I see this.Mangler 2. I really wanted to see the movie, because I heard it was awful, and I wanted to see if it was as bad as everyone said it was. I pressed ok, and I was so lucky, the movie just started. It was the second worst movie experience EVER. First off, the story of the first movie wasn't very good, but it was a good old-fashioned horror, and it was from legendary Stephen King. But, what the writers try to do with Mangler 2, is they try to use computers to make the movie at least seem a little smart. They used computers and viruses and crap like that to try and override the fact that the plot was awful. I was constantly searching through the guide to find something else on, but there wasn't! The acting is what you would call wretched, the actors give little or no life to the characters, but the bad acting might have improved if the script wasn't filled with ridiculous lines. Speaking of the script, I would like to say that this movie wins second place for worst script ever written. The characters have no personalities, they are all just a bunch of walking, talking clichés. The movie itself tries to be funny, but fails. For example, just when a character is about to be killed off, the computer monitor says in big text, YOU ARE THE WEAKEST LINK. That was obviously a pathetic attempt to get a laugh or a smile. After you're stomach and mind finally get over the terrible script and acting, you will cringe at the constant re-playing of techno music in some scenes. In a part of the ending, a girl shoves a knife between the strap of her pants, and begins to walk with an angry look in her face. This is one of the scenes that make you want to yell obscenities at the TV, and throw something at it as well. This scene is also example of pathetic choreography: The techno music plays-the girl walks into frame.she walks out of frame.the camera is now in front of some other building.girl walks into frame.and then out of frame, and the repetition of that just makes you laugh at how stupid and witless it is! I've seen the trailer for the first film. I can already tell that it has lots of gratuitous blood and gore, but this movie just has blood, there's nothing special or appealing. The deaths are cheesy and clichéd. Now, horror movies these days call themselves horror, but they're not horror. The writers of this movie thought that if they added blood, that people would call it a horror movie. No. This movie does not deserve to called a horror movie because it has ABSOLUTELY no chills at all. You'll laugh more than you'll scream. Bottom line, the acting is wretched, the script makes you want to throw up, the constant re-playing of techno music makes you laugh and cry, the awful choreography makes you point at laugh at the TV screen, and the lame-ass "chills" makes your heart beat slower, and not faster. Take it from me, if you're looking for a good straight-to-video B horror movie, look somewhere else. Hell, if you're looking for some entertainment, go watch paint dry because it'll sure as hell be better than this garbage. It's awfulness matches right up to Killjoy, also a straight-to-video "horror" movie. Mangler 2 is a disgrace to the world.

Overall score: A big fat 0 out of 10.

I saw this movie on HBO just a few short days ago. While I knew all the while how poor the acting, script, etc. really was, I was compelled to watch until the credits rolled. This was for one thing and one thing only: to confirm my already-predicted ending. Awww, look, the loner girl saves the day (or her own ass, leaving everyone else to the Mangler)... or does she??? :::dun dun dun:::

We have here yet another piss-poor sequel that makes more than obvious attempts to grab the youth of america by the balls. (And though I am not equipped, being a girl, I'm pretty confident that I walked away unscathed by the wrath of the super-spooky Mangler)

From the painfully cliche characters... -the "goth" girl who obsesses over chaos -the skanky girl who was sexually abused by the headmaster I'll just end that topic here.

And let's not forget the soundtrack... For a second there I thought I was on ecstacy...all that techno rave music. Well, let's bring out the glow sticks! Ok, while we can all appreciate a movie score which echoes the plot (computer technology = techno), I doubt we could appreciate it as much when it's on a continuous loop. "Jo" could've been tying her shoe, crying over her meaningless existance some more, or hey, maybe even taking a crap and we'd still here that same techno track. I mean, come on.

And I know someone already mentioned the pointless product placement of sorts, i.e. the Mangler quoting "Tell me what you want what you really, really want" of the Spice Girl fame. Well, I did laugh...so I guess that was the attainable result of the writers. But I laugh only in mocking of their collective effort...and the miserable failure in the process. Not to mention that I was picturing a wired Lance Henrikson as the next Scary Spice...

But moving right along... I have seen, for lack of a better word, prequel--The Mangler.

And I have a few questions: How exactly did the evil spirit Mangler end up on the internet via virus? I was just wondering... oh wait, that's right. THE MANGLER 2 WAS NOT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM RELATED TO THE ORIGINAL. Ok, so there are many horror movie sequels that fail to acknowledge the previous installments. But for the love of all things sacred....could they at least leave us with something!? The Mangler 2 may as well been called...Killer Virus on Campus, or something. And by the other incriminating evidence (read: non-stop techno, empty stock characters), I declare The Mangler 2 to be in direct violation of movie ethics. The writers go far beyond focusing on a target audience...they dumb down the target audience to the effect of complete idiocy. Sure, we'll buy the latest shoe or guzzle the new flavors of the slurpee machine at the 7-11. But please, don't force-feed us with sugar-coated crap, if there is nothing in it for us. Not all teens, after all, are hell bent on chaos. And not all teens fit into those neatly-woven cloths they cut, in their close-minded cliche ridden dialogue. Playing some funky synthesizers and having well-endowed women on the screen does not ensue entertainment. I mean really, I am 19 years old. And even im my darkest hour of self-pity, I doubt I'll be putting any "Manglers" on my college's main frame. Then again... :::cue the techno music:::

Okay fine it's true I watched the Mangler franchise a bit wonky, I saw the first which I think was a watchable effort followed by the third which was a total mess and now finally all these years later have gotten to part 2.

Now going in my hopes were fairly high, it stars Lance Henriksen so it couldn't possibly be that bad, right?

Well The Mangler 2 follows on from the first movie in no shape or form, it's an original tale about a virus that takes over a heavily automated school and starts killing folks off.

Devoid of originality, oddly dull, with awful death scenes and instantly forgettable characters The Mangler 2 tops part 3 but just barely.

Not entirely sure what they were going for but I can confidently say that it doesn't work, not even slightly.

Watch The Mangler (1995) and pretend it doesn't have sequels.

The Good:

Decent soundtrack

The Chef stole the whole film

Lance Henriksen

The Bad:

Weak connection to the original film

Really quite boring

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

I'm left wondering whose idea it was for one of the girls to just wear her bra for near the entire film

Holy Macaroni! This one really is as bad as everyone says it is. Poor Lance Henriksen! This truly is one of the worst movies I ever saw him in. This movie should have been called "The Cables of Death" or whatever, because it has nothing to do with the original "The Mangler" (1995) and all we see is some cables and wires moving around once in a while. At least in my country DVD distributors had the sense to re-name it "Virtual Death" (a more stupid & more fitting title). All killings are off-screen and there's no real tension whatsoever throughout the whole movie... And that stupid, cheap electro/techno soundtrack... Ow, aw, ugh! On to the points: One point because this movie makes "The Mangler" look incredibly good (and the original one needs that, in my humble opinion), if not to say excellent! One point for Lance Henriksen hanging on cables with wires running through his head and body near the end. One point for Daniella Evangelista doing a lot of running dressed in a tiny red bikini, making her boobs go up and down and up and down and up and down and... wooow, what a fascinating sight that was. There you have my generous rating for "The Mangler 2" explained.

It seems there is a few form of terrorism being unleashed upon the Western World and that is of sequels to bad Stephen King ideas. Mangler 2 is a mess. Rarely does a feature film rated a 'bomb' generate a sequel that is actually worse! The premise is embarassing. Computer wires killing people? Even for a horror, where is the carnage? Everyone dies off screen or in some routine fashion that makeup expenses can be ignored. Lance Henrickson mails in the performance as the 'dean' of the school and should crawl back to the Millennium creators and ask for a job back. Stay away from this direct to video release. The box may look intriguing and the premise may look promising, but you will not find a worse direct to video release this year!