Nerds That Geek Movie Review – ‘House II: The Second Story’

Written by Scott Edwards

​There are some things that families like to hand down through the generations. One of the main ones that you always see is Grandma’s wedding ring to help ensure that your love will last forever. While the sentiment is spot on, it is difficult to imagine that this could help in a relationship, but it is the thought that counts. Another thing that families like to keep within their bloodline is their old homestead, since some families have been able to stay there for many generations since they made their way to the States. It does not matter what the heirloom is, if you see the importance of it from your grandparents to your parents, you might want to take note that it should be important to you as well.
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Being taken away from his family years ago, Jesse is finally able to step into his parent’s old house that has lasted many generations. With his wife Kate along for the ride, Jesse wants to get to know who he is and where he came from, just for the fact he never got to know his parents before they died. While taking a look around the house and seeing a stand above the fireplace that should be holding something, Jesse starts to wonder what it could be. Trying to settle in for the night, the couple get a call from someone that they did not expect to hear from.

Arriving to the house drunk, Charlie and his wife Lana are ready to celebrate Jesse’s birthday and make it one for the ages. While the night is no longer young, both couples turn in for the night as they both have long days ahead of them. While Charlie is looking to get Lana a record deal with Kate’s agency, Jesse is more focused on the house and what secrets it holds. Digging through some old photo albums and finding a picture of his Great-Great Grandpa, Jesse finds out who he was named after, along with another family secret, a crystal skull. Wanting to know if the family legend is real, Jesse is able to convince his friend to go to the graveyard and dig up old Jesse and see if the skull actually exists.

Digging six feet down and pulling up the coffin of his Great-Great Grandfather, Jesse is shocked when a hand grabs his and the corpse attached to it, is looking to kill him. Being able to talk briefly with the old man, Jesse is able to convince old Jesse that he is family. Accepting this and returning to his old house, old Jesse a.k.a. Gramps is ready to liven the place up a little bit. After being given room and board in the basement, Gramps tells the stories of the ages to his Great-Great Grandson, but there is a rumbling upstairs. With a Halloween party in full swing, there is someone else in the house that is looking for the family prize as a Barbarian arrives and is looking to claim the crystal skull for himself. Knowing that Gramps cannot survive without the skull in his possession, Jesse and Charlie are tasked with getting it back for him, but little do they know what other horrors the old house has in store for them.

A very interesting sequel for the House franchise, as it is a completely different story, along with a different house. With that being pushed to the side, this story focuses on the importance of family and Gramps is the first one to let you know that there is nothing better. The different rooms in the household different secrets and while it might not get explained exactly why they are there, you should not really care, because the name of the game is adventure. I must admit that I liked this movie a little bit more than I should have, because it is just downright silly with an occasional scare being thrown in for good measure. With alternate dimensional rooms, a past love, a virgin, a barbarian, a crystal skull, some gunplay, some swordplay, and an electrician who can save the day, this movie is just plain fun and while it might be a little bit off the rails as the house comes back to life, it will remind you that there is nothing more important than family. Stay Scared.

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