Just when you thought it was safe to go into the inbred-hillbilly filled woods again, those pesky monstrous breeds return for another round of cannibalistic mayhem.
American Idol runner up Kimberly Caldwell (played by… Kimberly Caldwell) is tooling around the woods in her red convertible trying to find the set for a new survivalist reality show that she’s going to appear on. She happens upon one of the wood’s residents and it doesn’t look like she’ll even be a runner up on the show. The show is hosted by retired Marine Daly Murphy (Henry Rollins, channeling R. Lee Ermy) and directed by M (Matthew Holmes).
The contestants are ex-jock Jake (Texas Battle), Goth girl Nina (Erica Leehrsen), the jerk Jonesy (Steve Braun), Iraq war veteran Amber (Daniella Alonso), the slutty Elena (Crystal Lowe), and M’s girlfriend Mara (Aleska Palladino) who has been pulled into the game when Caldwell doesn’t show. Of course, the woods are full of inbred mutant freaks and they decide to get in on the fun and participate in the game. Unfortunately for the contestants they muties are playing for keeps or at least a good meal and the contestants are on the menu.
Wrong Turn was a throwback to the crazed cannibal cinema of the 70s and Wrong Turn 2 seems to be a throwback to the sequels to those films. Sure, WT2 can be a fun romp of inbred cannibal craziness and gore, but I’d not say that it is a better film than the first one. Put your brain in the jar on the dinner table of our backwoods folk and just enjoy the ride. It is interesting that director Joe Lynch tries to show his land sharks as a family, heck they even say grace before they put the meal on the table – the problem is that you’re the meal.
However, they’re reduced to snarling at the camera and that seems to take down the character development a peg. Henry Rollins is suitably badass as the crazed show host who turns the tables on the villainous non-vegetarians. The rest of the cast is acceptable, but they’re playing archetypes and you know that most of them are going to be a side dish or main course before the credits roll.
It was still a fun ride and seems much less serious than the first film, which laid on the horror over comedy (to my memory).
Wrong Turn 2 is presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Special features include a commentary with director Joe Lynch, Henry Rollins, and Erica Leehrsen. Next is the 12-minute “Making Gore Look Good” which interviews the personnel responsible for making all the blood and guts that splatter on the screen.
Again I ponder, for such a gory and gruesome film the behind-the-scenes folks seem to be having a fun time (especially director Joe Lynch). The preview copy I was sent only had those features, however the back of the box makes it sound like there are two more featurettes and perhaps some more commentaries.
I’m not sure if my review copy is wrong or the back of the box is wrong. Sometimes if the disc is double sided they send us only one side of the disc, but I don’t see any indication that the actual release is double sided.
Wrong Turn 2 really doesn’t surpass its predecessor, but it is a fun film if it strikes you in the right mood. I’d not recommend stopping to watch it if you’re running through the woods being chased by one of the deranged inhabitants, but for a Friday night with a six pack (of the beverage of your choice) it fills the bill.
Wrong Turn 2: Dead End (Unrated) is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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