Turn the brain to stand-by and enjoy

Rating: 4/10 (14 November 2004)

I have to admit it: I enjoyed this movie. Being a huge fan of the original video game saga (and a major horror fan) I was pretty disappointed by the previous first chapter: Anderson's approach was too much aseptic, more of a sci-fi thriller than a Gothic horror (with splatter, of course) as it should be. Besides, the fact that no-one of the original characters was in didn't help. Instead with the sequel everything was clear even before it reached the theaters: they don't want to do - with this particular franchise- horror movies with action twists, but action flick with a little (but very little indeed) horror taste. It makes me angry, but what I can do? This is what we get. Dreaming about what George A. Romero could have done is futile. Luckily, this second installment is really like a video game: you just have to sit down, turn your brain to stand-by and enjoy it. This is a real pop-corn movie with comic-like character, impossible action scenes (some could say "cool"...) and stylish direction. BTW, Witt's style isn't bad: he abuses of the strobo effect and stays too close to the characters in the fighting scenes (so you don't understand quiet anything), but besides this flaws it works. Very good the cinematography: it really gives the idea of wet, cold and dirty. The story has some holes, but who cares? Like I said, it's really a video game. Again, very funny. But if you're looking for a real horror picture you've chosen the wrong door.