40 years after the theatrical release of I Spit on Your Grave became one of the most depressing experiences of Roger Ebert’s life, Director Meir Zarchi has returned with a sequel so vile, so morally reprehensible, the new generation of film critics won’t be able to contain their stomach contents. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a new Day of the Woman! The ultimate day of terror!
After the success of Brian De Palma’s Carrie in 1976, there has been no shortage of films and TV miniseries based on Stephen King’s novels. And with success comes the inevitable sequel…
Unlike Escape Plan or its sequel, Escape Plan 3 strips away all elements of science fiction and instead injects realism into this dramatic tale of revenge. And whilst Escape Plan 2 left us with certain expectations as to where the third installment was headed, the organisation responsible for “The Tomb” and “Hades” – now known to be Zhang Innovations – is not central to the plot of Escape Plan 3. That distinction is instead given to Devon Sawa’s character, Lester Clark Jr. Because of this, its likely that Escape Plan 3 – previously marketed as the final installment – will receive a fourth outing.
Five years after the nostalgia trip that was Escape Plan – a dream team of 80s action muscle; specifically Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger – its sequel, imaginatively titled Escape Plan 2, replaces Schwarzenegger with former professional wrestler, Dave Bautista and Xiaoming Huang. Escape Plan 2 is a sequel that Stallone himself has called “beyond awful”, and yet I have to admit that I actually quite enjoyed watching it for the same reasons I enjoyed its predecessor: its excessive, over-the-top action; although this time there is a lot more martial artistry, courtesy of Xiaoming Huang.
After the success of John Carpenter’s original independent slasher film Halloween (1978), Rick Rosenthal takes over the reins for the second instalment. Immediately picking up where Halloween’s bone-chilling ending had left off, Halloween II (1981) continues Laurie Strode’s (Jamie Lee Curtis) struggle to survive the night, as the seemingly immortal Michael Myers (portrayed in the sequel by Dick Warlock) continues his relentless pursuit.
