Wishmaster 2

I have seen the 1999 movie "Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies" maybe three or four times now. And I have to say that the movie sort of pales in comparison to the 1997 first "Wishmaster" movie.

Sure, it was nice to see Andrew Divoff return to reprise the role of the djinn, and he still does bring a lot of wicked charm and dark humor to the character. He actually makes the djinn character very memorable.

However, the storyline in "Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies", as written by Peter Atkins and Jack Sholder, just sort of never gets up into a thrilling pace. The movie sort of trots on monotonously throughout the course of the 96 minutes that it runs for. And it is a shame, because there are some fair enough scenes and moments here and there. But hey, it is still a watchable movie, just don't expect it to be on the same level as the 1997 "Wishmaster" movie.

The acting performances in "Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies" are fairly okay. This was, again, Andrew Divoff's movie, hands down. But the movie also have the likes of Paul Johansson, Robert LaSardo and Tom Lister Jr. On the cast list, so there are some familiar faces.

Visually then "Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies" was a mixed bag of nuts. Generally, the special effects in the movie are good, and I liked the effects in the movie, because they certainly helped to keep the otherwise bland storyline afloat. And then there was the scene with the insects in the casino. That was seriously the worst CGI I have ever seen, as in ever. You have to see how abysmally bad it is to believe it.

While we are on the effects, then I have to say that the wishmaster costume and appearance in "Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies" is really great. I like how much we get to see of the djinn creature throughout the entire movie. Lots of nice details to the costume, and the creature design is just fantastic.

Watchable for what it is, as Divoff makes it bearable to sit through. But "Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies" was not a masterpiece.

My rating of director Jack Sholder's 1999 "Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies" movie lands on a five out of ten stars.

Campy, Tongue-In-Cheek sequel brings back the Wishmaster from the '97 original. Remains entertaining enough from beginning to end, and has a wider sense of humour, with campy situations replacing the original's gore. Andrew Divoff's performance as the Wishmaster is a must see, he alone makes the film worthwhile.

***

Wishmaster 2 was very good for it to be a straight to home video sequel to a theatrically released first movie in a series. It really surprised me. I thought it was going to suck, because the first one was so good. Anyway, this film has more great death scenes as the first one. If you liked Wishmaster then you'll love Wishmaster 2. It captures the same elements that part one did. Though it is not as excellent as part one, it surely aims up there and almost hits the mark like the first one did. A must see.

Unlike the first Wishmaster, there are no Horror Icon cameos here, which is kinda disappointing but then it's also something of a relief because there's a chance that any cameos they DID have might have been wasted...on the plus side, the movie does have Vyto Ruginis - who's always fun to watch - AND the incredible icon that is Tiny Lister Jr - in a relatively unique role for him as a prison guard rather than a random thug-type character. The real draw, however, is of course Andrew Divoff doing exactly what Andrew Divoff does - knowing his role, knowing his character, and committing fully to what that role and that character need. I will never knock back a chance to see this man work, and it's a shame he's not widely regarded as being on the same level as Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Tony Todd and the rest, because he IS on their level, his movies just don't have the wider appeal that everyone else's do.

The story is...meh...but then you're not REALLY here for a top-tier story, you're here to see Jack Sholder and Andrew Divoff work the magic that they work so well. So it's not really that big a deal that they change the lore so much from the first movie I guess - mainly in the number of souls the Djinn needs to collect - because it's secondary to everything else. And everything else works pretty bloody well.

It could have been better, but...

Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies is the second installment of the Wishmaster series. There is nothing groundbreaking or innovative in this film, it's just entertaining to watch. In the sequel to the mildly successful prequel, the Djinn is freed again from his prison and proceeds to wreak havoc on the human race. He does this by granting his victim a wish, an effective method for achieving his goal because everybody wants something. The film has it's gory glory moments, something I thought was done well. There are a few comedic moments, especially when the Djinn approaches somebody to grant them a wish. The actor who plays the Wishmaster is perfect. This guy needs more work in the horror/sci-fi field, he has a sinister look to him and an unsettling voice. If you're a fan of horror movies, give the Wishmaster series a try.