It's weird to me that there aren't more horror movies starring/about wrestlers. I mean, I think you have to be a fan of often campy and unsubtle entertainment to be a fan of either. Plus, both very nearly require you to have a high tolerance of (or a fondness for) stupid and/or terrible stuff. And I say that as a big fan of both. So it's just odd that there isn't more of a cross-pollination between the two.
I remember seeing the first See No Evil shortly after in came out and being a little disappointed. I don't recall it being outright bad - just that it could have been more fun. At any rate, I don't think anyone was clamoring for a sequel. But much like Roman Reigns' presence in the main event scene, sometimes it doesn't matter what the public wants.
Despite coming out eight years later, See No Evil 2 takes place the very same night as part one. Crazed murderer Jacob Goodnight's (Kane) dead body has been taken to the morgue, where Final Girl Amy (Danielle Harris) is working on her birthday. She was just about to go out and celebrate, but Goodnight's killing spree has packed the morgue to capacity. But Amy's friends (including Katherine Isabelle of American Mary fame) and coworkers are not going to let a bunch of murder victims get in the way of their fun, so they bring the party to the morgue. But, it turns out the EMS on the scene kind of sucks, because Goodnight isn't actually dead. (It's never made clear if this is supernatural or not - and I don't care enough to go back and check. Maybe it's mentioned in part one?) Now he's got another group of young folks to kill... which he does. Good times!
See No Evil 2 is sort of a mixed bag. There are certainly things to like about the film (its unpredictability, good performances from the likable leads), but there are annoying things too (iffy script, kind of bland kills). If there was another cool set piece or something, or even a notch better kills, this could be a solid slasher. As it stands, it's just passable. Which is too bad - I like everyone involved (directors Jen & Sylvia Soska, Danielle Harris, "the devil's favorite demon" Kane) and was hoping to get more into it.
There are just some bothersome aspects to the script. Why is Goodnight just alive again? Why do they lock up everyone's cell phones? (Is this standard morgue practice?) Why is it nearly impossible to get out of the morgue? Why are the non-leads so aggravating? It feels a bit nitpicky to call all of these things (and others) out, and it'd be easy to let one or two slide. But there is enough examples of little annoyances that they kind of add up and leave a sour taste in your mouth.
And it's be easier to excuse if the kills were a little better. There's nothing really bad per se, but nothing all that imaginative. (Throat cuttings, and not particularly deep ones, seem to be Goodnight's method of choice.) And it doesn't help that they all pale in comparison to the deaths from part one, that they (unwisely) cut to from time to time. But still, the kills here in part two seem mostly practical and are well done. It's just that the ante usually gets upped in slasher sequels... and it definitely doesn't here.
It's mostly the performances that keep this thing watchable. The supporting cast is roundly annoying - special mention must be made of Amy's brother, who is *way* too overprotective. But the leads are pretty solid. Danielle Harris turns in a good performance as Amy, and has good chemistry with her potential romantic interest. And Katherine Isabelle kind of steals the show as Tamara, Amy's hyperactive friend, who sets things into motion by sinning with her boyfriend in front of Goodnight's corpse. (As a killer, Goodnight's deal is that he hates "sinning.") She gives a really energetic and humorous performance and is a treat to watch. Sadly, Kane isn't all that good... he's big, and that's about it. He doesn't have many lines of dialogue and certainly doesn't embarrass himself. But from seeing him do pretty well for himself on WWE television I feel like he could probably bring more to the role than he does here.
While See No Evil 2 follows a lot of genre conventions, there are just enough tweaks to the formula to keep things vaguely interesting. And it's a decently made film too. The morgue/hospital is well-shot/lit, and there is a good deal of tension wrung from the shadowy corridors our characters run through.
Overall, I wanted to like See No Evil 2 more than I did, but it's still a serviceable slasher. Not really worth the 8 year wait... but I'd imagine all of the Jacob Goodnight fans out there are just happy to have their hero back in *any* form.
I would maybe? recommend this film.
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