Here we have a sequel to a classic cult film, made almost two decades after the original. Guess what? It's rubbish. Oh yes, obviously someone had a bright idea to make a sequel to a well known film in the hope that it would emulate the original's cable TV success in the dreary direct to video market. Trouble is, while this was being thought through; these people obviously forgot to hire a decent scriptwriter - d'oh! What we are left with, therefore, is a rehash of the original film - except with less excitement, less ideas and less reason to see it. The film has a few flashbacks to the original film during its running time, and ironically - these are the best bits. The film's plot has written itself, and sees the hero from the original film making the mistake of driving back down the road where the events of the original happened. As if this mistake wasn't silly enough, he then makes the mistake of picking up another hitchhiker! Some people just don't learn, but in his defence - it was naturally all the fault of a woman, in this case his girlfriend. It doesn't take a genius to guess what the rest of the film is about.
The original film was very much a B-movie, and this one is too. We have, therefore, a B-movie cast. C. Thomas Howell is in it for the money, as he reprises his role from the first film. He is joined by Jake Busey; Gary Busey's son, who actually manages to turn in a decent performance amidst this train-wreck of a film -but nowhere near Rutger Hauer, of course. B-movie actress Kari Wuhrer tops off the central trio. I saw Kari Wuhrer in the pointless seventh part of the Hellraiser series ("Deader") recently, and along with her small role in Eight Legged Freaks - have come to the conclusion that she needs a better agent. She's not a brilliant actress, but she's good looking and definitely deserves better roles than what she's been getting. The action is generally very tame, and stinks of a film that couldn't get the budget. The original didn't have much of a budget either - but that made the best of it, this one doesn't. Several sequences in this film are merely rubbish rehashes of scenes in the original - including the most famous scene from 'The Hitcher' - which isn't nearly as effective here. On the whole, this film shouldn't be seen by anyone. If you're not a fan of the original, you won't like it anyway - and if you are; you won't want to see one of your favourites defiled like this. Avoid!
The original film was very much a B-movie, and this one is too. We have, therefore, a B-movie cast. C. Thomas Howell is in it for the money, as he reprises his role from the first film. He is joined by Jake Busey; Gary Busey's son, who actually manages to turn in a decent performance amidst this train-wreck of a film -but nowhere near Rutger Hauer, of course. B-movie actress Kari Wuhrer tops off the central trio. I saw Kari Wuhrer in the pointless seventh part of the Hellraiser series ("Deader") recently, and along with her small role in Eight Legged Freaks - have come to the conclusion that she needs a better agent. She's not a brilliant actress, but she's good looking and definitely deserves better roles than what she's been getting. The action is generally very tame, and stinks of a film that couldn't get the budget. The original didn't have much of a budget either - but that made the best of it, this one doesn't. Several sequences in this film are merely rubbish rehashes of scenes in the original - including the most famous scene from 'The Hitcher' - which isn't nearly as effective here. On the whole, this film shouldn't be seen by anyone. If you're not a fan of the original, you won't like it anyway - and if you are; you won't want to see one of your favourites defiled like this. Avoid!