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Film: The Hills Have Eyes II
Year: 2007
Director: Martin Weisz
Writer: Wes Craven and Jonathan Craven
Starring: Daniella Alonso, Jacob Vargas and Michael Bailey Smith
Review:
This film begins showing us a pregnant woman having a baby. We then see someone holding up this baby.
It then shifts to room that has fake soldiers set up. Archie Kao is rigging up some censors and we learn that this is being done due to what happened to a family that tried to come through here. The military has not been able to find any of the culprits, but they are going to hunt them down. This section doesn’t exist according to the public. We also see that he is working with Jay Acovone, who is monitoring his work, Philip Pavel and as well as a military man, played by Jeff Kober. They are then attacked by Michael Bailey Smith, who plays Papa Hades, as well as David Reynolds who plays Hansel and Tyrell Kemlo who plays Stabber.
We then move to a desert where soldiers are trying to clear an area of insurgents. The best of the bunch is Lee Thompson Young. There is a mother who is played by Daniella Alonso. The communication guy is Eric Edelstein. Jessica Stroup is there and she is amazing looking. Jacob Vargas who has an attitude problem, Ben Crowley, Michael McMillian, who actually doesn’t want to go to war and disagrees with it and finally Reshad Strik, who is a ladies man. They fail when a woman approaches and McMillian goes to help and she is wearing a bunch of grenades. We then realize this is a training exercise.
Their sergeant is played by Flex Alexander. He belittles them and tells them they are going to the shooting range to practice. On the way there we see that Vargas and McMillian do not get along, to the point where Vargas is ready to attack. Young tries to calm them down.
The truck stops at a base, but there is no one in sight. They see a signal mirror and decide to check it out. The radios are not getting anything. McMillian goes to use a port-o-potty, but he is yelled at for trying. He is then put on duty to guard it, but not use it. He also has to hold his rifle over his head and stand on one foot. Stroup is also told to stay with him to try to raise someone on the radio.
The rest of the unit continues on. They don’t get far when Strik falls into a sink hole. He is pulled out, but sprained his ankle. He is told to return to camp.
McMillian back in camp goes to the use the toilet and is shocked when someone is inside of it. He freaks out and Stroup helps the person out. It turns out to be Acovone. He has a bunch of little cuts on his body, killing him slowly due to infection. He dies and that is when they realize they are not alone. Their rifles are missing and the truck is on fire. They are attacked by more of the mutated people.
The rest of the unit continues to climb until they are attacked by Derek Mears. Edelstein tries to shoot him, but ends up taking out Alexander. They find other traps as well as more of these people; they are played by Jeremy Goei and Gáspár Szabó.
When Strik is pulled into the rocks and disappears, McMillian and Stroup decide to catch up with the rest. Alonso is kidnapped and we soon learn what the reason for keeping her alive is, mating. They are at a disadvantage of not knowing the land, but can they make it out alive before it is too late? Will anyone survive?
I have to say that I like the concept of this film. You would think that having soldiers against these mutants would make it easy, but these are National Guardsmen that are still learning what to do. According to their commanding officer, they are not up to what they are supposed to be. I think that makes the film more interesting that they are not battle hardened and not the best at their craft. It might have made the film less interesting if they are not at a disadvantage. I think the mutants in this one each have their own look and make them distinct. This one isn’t as bloody, but there is still some graphic violence, which is what makes these films. I also think that Stroup is very nice to look at as well as Alonso.
My biggest issue with this film is that I don’t believe the soldiers outside of Edelstein, Young, Vargas and Alexander. This does take my rating down about the film. I don’t know why, but this film does come off as a little bit boring as compared to the prequel. It just didn’t hold my attention as much. I’m not sure if it was due to not having as much interaction. I think the hunting of the normal people is much better in the original.
With that said, I would still recommend giving this one a viewing. It is not as good as the original, but it definitely gives us a different group of people in a similar position as the previous films. The acting is not as believable as I want it, but it isn’t bad. There is some action, a little bit less blood, but I still wanted more of either of them. As stated, this one is not as good, but if you want to finish off the series, I would recommend it. If not, then I would recommend stick to the original or the prequel for a better film.
My Rating: 6 out of 10