Having escaped those crazed cannibals that terrorized his ass a few years previous, Bobby (Robert Houston) and Rachel (Janus Blythe), formerly the freaky family member named Ruby who decided to leave her past and rejoin the modern world, have formed a dirt bike racing team and developed a super fuel… as one does.
Long story short, the team gets the chance to participate in a desert race taking place close to the same wasted hellscape the first film took place in. Bobby, who has common sense, declines, but the rest of the squad soldiers on.
Along the way they take a short cut… then their bus breaks down… and guess what? Those hills still have goddamn eyes and motorcyclist mutton is on the menu!
Hey cats n’ creeps, did ya forget the events of the first The Hills Have Eyes? Well, don’t worry; this sequel has your back! This thing is the Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 of the crazed cannibal genre as the flashbacks flow free like sweet April wine… hell, even the German Shepard that survived the first film has one… and yes, I’m serious.
Despite the recycling going on, this is a fun jaunt back into familiar territory, I mean with a basic plot of motorbikes versus mutants how could it not be? Adding to the positives; John Bloom makes for an imposing villain (playing the hulking Reaper), and it is awesome to get more of the legendary Michael Berryman reprising the character of Pluto; one of his most iconic roles… and the cast of young folks in dire straits could have easily been inserted into any of the Friday the 13th flicks and no one would even bat an eye… so expect corny jokes, pranks, and horny antics a-plenty; always a winner in my beastly book.
Speaking of ol’ Friday, composer Harry Manfredini delivers a score here that sounds exactly like it was Frankensteined together from bits and pieces of his work for that sinister series, and believe you me, I ain’t complaining’ about that!
As for bonus features on this Arrow video Blu-ray, we kick things off with a brutally honest (yet never mean-spirited) thirty minute documentary that details the film’s production, followed by a stills gallery, and the film’s trailer. Also included is an audio commentary featuring the members of the slasher-centric podcast The Hysteria Continues reminiscing on the film and offering up factoids in an entertaining conversation.
Bottom line; The Hills Have Eyes Part II takes a lot of shit, but in the end it’s a damn fine fright flick, and never fails to entertain… so quit all your bitchin’ already, dig?
