Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Return of the Living Dead Part II’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

​I have said it before, and I will say it again, I really don’t admire anyone in Hollywood who is new to a franchise and is tasked with helping to bring a sequel to life. For that production crew, has to figure out how to create an entertaining story that not only satisfies the fans, but also breathes new life into the saga in order to keep things fresh and original, and the mixed results that come about from this fascinating process speak for themselves and if anything, it’s what has led to some unique, and uniquely awkward horror sequels throughout the years since profit over creativity tends to control the fates of terror themed sagas.
 
Yet horror fans always hold out hope that a true gem awaits them when they hear a sequel is coming to a scary movie that they loved through and through, and optimism is something that surged through my veins when I heard that The Return of the Living Dead was getting a sequel, since that movie left the door open for all kinds of fascinating possibilities storytelling wise. So when Return of the Living Dead Part II hit home video in late 1988, I was eager to see how the world survived the unexpected plague of the dead that tore through Louisville, Kentucky in the first movie, and well…imagine my surprise when I quickly learned that this particular sequel was going to go in a vastly different direction that more or less, ignored a majority of what came before it.
 
For this film features no mention of the Louisville incident, or the fact that a low-yield nuclear device destroyed most of the town. In fact, the only real ties to ROTLD here are the canisters filled with the dead, and the brain loving zombies themselves and this grand shift away from the original story made for some fascinating results when it comes to this particular sequel. Take for example the fact that it allows for a vastly different adventure to come to life, one that shifts away from the big city setting that many zombie films employ, thrusting us instead into the heart of suburbia, and that was a refreshing venture to say the least and the pleasant surprises when it comes to sequel don’t end there.
 
Becuase this story works hard to provide horror fans with a genuine sense of fun, and while the first movie in this saga had its black humor and gags, the scares always took the center stage first, but here…the comedy becomes the focus and that makes for a unique viewing experience. Because it allows for some twisted and fun gore to play out on the screen, and some quality chuckles to come forth as the characters deal with the silly surrounding them and oddly enough, this is refreshing in its own right too because up until this point, I personally hadn’t seen any horror films that made zombies funny in the slightest and the gags and the splatter work here, and create an entertaining ride. 
 
If anything, Return of the Living Dead Part II is that rare sequel that actually manages to captivate its audience by doing something new and risky, and heck, I love the fact that the movie even goes so far as to bring back some of the cast from the first one to play some new roles. And while this movie is no critical darling, I know I’m not alone in enjoying this one since it has quite the following in this day and age, and it pleases me to no end that this movie is truly the exception to the norm that fresh blood will sometimes ruin a franchise, because this flick is a lot of fun, the kind you easily get lost in and sadly, this is the last sequel in this saga that was able to catch anyone’s eye. Because after this film, this beloved series spiraled out of control, and squandered great opportunities storytelling wise, which oddly helps to cement this film’s status, as the finest sequel in the franchise. 

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