Review: The Hills Have Eyes 2

Directed By: Marin Weisz
Starring: Michael McMillian, Jessica Stroup, Jacob Vargas, Michael Bailey Smith
Released By: Fox Atomic
Released In: 2007

The Hills Have Eyes II (that's part two–not part eleven) is a follow-up to last year's gruesome hit. The Alexandre Aja directed film from last year, was actually a remake of a 70's Wes Craven film, and in fact, that original movie also spawned a sequel. This continuation has absolutely nothing in common with the original save for the title, so those expecting a dog flashback, will be sorely disappointed.

A couple of years have past since the events that occurred in the first picture. Military outposts have been set up in the hills where the mutants wreaked havoc, and when a group of soldiers go missing, a rag tag team of soldier wannabes are sent in to investigate the situation.

The Hills Have Eyes II is the goriest movie I've seen in quite sometime (it features a gruesome birth, a man drowning in fecal matter, brains being ripped from skulls, and flying limbs etc.), and while I don't exactly endorse the way the MPAA runs things, I'm truly surprised this flick bagged an R rating (reportedly, without much of a fight). Recently, I complained that Dead Silence wasn't edgy enough and felt that a PG-13 was would have been more appropriate than an R.

This movie represents the flip side of that coin. I guess it all boils down to context. Last year, director Alexandre Aja fought several battles with the MPAA and was forced to make cuts in order to acquire an R rating. By comparison, this film (directed by Marin Weisz) is much bloodier. The difference is Aja's movie seemed to be about real people in a horrifying situation, making the violent content far more palpable. The Hills Have Eyes II is simply about the gore and nothing else. There are no "real" people in this film. No one worth caring about, so no harm done I suppose. Furthermore, the mutants appear to possess super human strength this time around, so I guess the MPAA just figured no one would take any of this crap seriously.

If you want a movie specifically for the gore content, then you won't at all be disappointed by this movie. Gore, is to this film, what making love is to a porno.

The Hills Have Eyes II was written by Wes and Jonathan Craven, and it is the horror equivalent of pornography. There is no real plot nor any of the social commentary that brimmed just below the surface of the first film. This is simply a "give me my paycheck" project for those involved, made to cash in on what will undoubtedly be a big opening weekend.

The thing is, I like Wes Craven. Even the most exploitive of his efforts (i.e. The Last House on the Left) have something to say. This one doesn't. Perhaps if he would have directed the picture, he would have been able to establish some sort of defining tone. Weisz opts to cut to the chase with what is ultimately a lifeless slice of horror akin to that recent Texas Chainsaw Massacre prequel.

I must admit, I'm a big fan of gore, and there are some truly twisted moments in this picture, but they don't amount to anything. In the beginning, I thought perhaps the movie might go the comical route, but it doesn't. At least the similarly themed Wrong Turn had a bizarre sense of humor going for it.

Last year, I found myself in many heated debates revolving around Eli Roth's Hostel. I championed that movie for it's perversely dark message and solid direction, while other folks dismissed it as nothing more than pornography. To those folks, I present exhibit A: The Hills Have Eyes II. Watch Hostel, and then watch this. There are distinct differences. Hostel has a sense of style and the violence serves a purpose. The Hills Have Eyes II uses the violence as a hook. Beyond that it is style-less and absolutely disposable.