I have to admit, I wasn't expecting a whole lot when I picked up this movie off the blockbuster shelf. I thought the first one was pretty bad but was curious to see if they had improved themselves. And besides, everything else I wanted to see was rented. So I got it, took it home and prepared for a crappy looking but marginally scary low budget horror flick. Boy was I wrong.
Ghostwatcher2 is one of the best horror movies to come down the pike in a long time and I've seen most of them, folks. I've only watched it once so for all I know there are lots of things to pick apart but I was so wrapped up in it that I didn't notice a one.
The first movie looked like it cost all of $10.98. But someone must have seen potential because the new one can stand side by side with anything that has been released on the big screen and that takes a budget and people who know what to do with it. The danceclub scene alone is better looking than anything in the first film and that's one of the reasons why this one is so much more enjoyable. Instead of being locked in one room for almost the whole movie (even though that did have it's claustrophobic charm) the sequel moves out into the world and delivers more scares (one character being sucked into a closet really got me) and allows for greater things to happen to the characters.
The acting is definitely of higher caliber than your usual horror movie acting. My personal favorite was the actor who played Glen, Steve Polites. Although not a major character, he plays it with just enough charm and comedic timing to make him completely believable. In the movie's most crowd pleasing moment, his reaction to getting hit is priceless. I think we should expect to see bigger things from everyone in the cast in the future.
And kudos to the filmmakers for pulling off that ending. Could it have benefited from more money? Sure but I didn't care because I was so happy that the director had the balls to not chicken out and go all the way with his idea that I was willing to overlook it. Great job all around.