LAKE PLACID 2
(unrated)
MOVIE: *** (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5)
STARRING
John Schneider as SHERIFF RILEY
Sarah Lafleur as EMILY
Sam McMurray as STRUTHERS
Chad Collins as SCOTT RILEY
Alicia Ziegler as KERRI
Joe Holt as AHMAD
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Directed by: David Flores
BY KEVIN CARR
In my opinion, there can never be too many giant crocodile movies. Sure, some of them aren’t that good, like last year’s “Primeval.” Others, like the original “Lake Placid,” are actually pretty good. The direct-to-video film “Lake Placid 2” is a sequel of the 1999 thriller with a healthy dose of cheese and extra crocs.
The film stars John Schneider as the sheriff of the small Maine town that a giant croc terrorized almost ten years ago. Although the town through the prehistoric beast was a thing of the past, they soon discover new attacks from a family of giant crocodiles hiding in the woods. The sheriff teams with a wildlife worker and a big game hunter to take out the beasts.
“Lake Placid 2” is far from high art. In fact, I would find it hard to call any part of it any type of art. But that doesn’t stop it from becoming a heap of fun. With a big-budget film like the original, no amount of camp is going to keep the filmmakers from taking themselves too seriously. However, in this low-rent sequel, things transpire with glorious corniness.
The characters are cardboard with random, disconnected emotions. On one hand, they’re terrified of the animals, which devour half of the cast. A minute later, they’re cracking jokes at each other. And don’t get me started on the embarrassingly bad CGI, making the crocodiles look like elements from a video game rather than a formidable opponent.
However, all of this is surprisingly forgivable considering how much fun this movie is to watch. The filmmakers understand their place in making a direct-to-video sequel. There’s no pretense whatsoever, and it revels in its own mediocrity.
This is never so apparent than in the special feature “Lake Placid 2: The Gnawed-Up Version,” which allows the viewer a 10-minute viewing of the film by fast-forwarding through everything but the nudity, violence and crocodile moments. Honestly, I wish all films came with this option.
Other special features include two behind-the-scene documentaries that feature the special effects and a spotlight on the unrated elements to the film.