October of Horror #3: Return of the Living Dead II
Posted by Trixter on October 3, 2018
(For an explanation of what these posts in October are, see the parent post.)
Synopsis
That pesky toxic chemical Trioxin returns to transform the dead into living zombies that crave the taste of live brains. The four main actors from the first installment return in an alternate storyline similar to the first film.
Opinion
The original Return of the Living Dead is one of my favorite horror movies: It strikes the perfect balance of horror and black comedy. I not only own it on blu-ray, but I made my own version that uses the 1080p video with the VHS audio, retaining the excellent soundtrack.
This sequel, Return of the Living Dead II, is not that movie. It strives for 50% physical comedy, 50% horror, and misses the mark at nearly every turn. An original screenplay forcibly adapted to the Living Dead series, it feels like the filmmakers were trying to create a kid-friendly version of the original.
Recommendation
Not worth spending time on. If you’re thinking of seeing it anyway, know that it has 0% on Rotten Tomatoes. Skip it and watch the vastly superior original instead.
Oldskooler Ramblings 
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