Halloween night is here! Maddie (Monica Keena) is all smiles, and she’s ready to go to the big Halloween bash at The Broussard Family Mansion, hosted by Angela Feld (Shannon Elizabeth). Maddie arrives at the party with her friends, Suzanne (Bobbi Sue Luther) and Lily (Diora Baird). Loud music, drinks, an electric atmosphere, and the duo of Jason (John F. Beach) and Dex (Michael Copon) eventually joins the trio. Everything is seemingly perfect, right?
Sure, Maddie sees potential setbacks. She spots her ex-boyfriend, Colin (Edward Furlong), and the party is officially over, after the arrival of a group of police officers (Angela didn’t get a permit!). But Maddie has bigger problems to worry about, when Angela is unknowingly possessed by a demon. After a game of spin the bottle, Angela passes the demon to Dex, starting a chain reaction, that involves Dex, Lily, and Suzanne being sucked into the first round of possessions.
Facing slim hopes of making it to sunrise, Maddie is forced to fight to survive. Maddie slowly emerges as the leader. There’s two specific scenes, where Maddie aggressively speaks up as the voice of reason. Jason freaks out about a possessed Suzanne showing no signs of any damage after he stabs her with a fireplace poker. Also, let’s not forget about Maddie realizing how important it was to protect the spells written on the walls in the upstairs room.
And Maddie has to interrupt the bickering between Colin and Jason to show them a possible alternate exit in the basement. Colin starts whining about his problems, and Maddie sternly reminds him that Jason was just murdered by Angela, and he transformed into a demon. Colin witnessed a demon ripping Jason’s guts out, and he’s still only thinking about himself? Come on, man!
Maddie also plays the role of a babysitter for Jason and Colin. She’s a caring person, and you can see she still believes there’s some hope for Colin to turn his life around. Colin pleaded with Maddie to leave him alone, when he fell through the floor. Yeah, Colin turned into a demon, and she barely escaped, but Maddie still took a big risk to go down and check on him.
Eventually, the story reaches a point, where Maddie is the last woman standing. Everyone else is a demon, and Maddie realizes she can’t wait it out. No more running, or hiding. No, Maddie had to go for the last stand and fight.
One of my favorite moments in all of the Night Of The Demons films shows Maddie walking up to the camera in the dark during the finale. She scans what’s in front of her, cocks the shotgun, and she boldly says “come and get me, motherfuckers.” Truly a cool moment, daring the demons to attack her, because Maddie knew what she had to do.
Monica Keena brings a mix of a wholesome and ordinary presence to Maddie. You’d never believe this is someone, who’s capable of fighting off demons. Maddie has a perky personality, and she justifiably panics every now and then. But Maddie shows flashes of fire in certain scenes. One moment that sticks out for me happens during the scene, where Maddie slams the door in Angela’s face, because she was sick of her taunting and failed attempts to scare her. She gave it her all, but Maddie couldn’t save everyone, and you have to believe losing Colin to a demonic possession was a tough pill to swallow.
Still, Maddie fought off and outsmarted the demons to walk away as the sole survivor. For me, the best shot in the movie shows the aftermath of Maddie calmly landing on the ground after she faked an attempt to hang herself. It’s daylight outside. Maddie is standing there, exhausted, and she’s covered in blood, but she’s also smiling. Maddie, the gutsy and scrappy final girl, beat the odds to escape. No missing limbs, or serious injuries for the woman, who just wanted to hang out and have fun with her friends at a Halloween party.
The Story- Evangeline Broussard (Tatyana Kanavka) hosts a seance at her mansion in 1920’s New Orleans. Madly in love with Louis Devereaux (Michael Arata), Evangeline uses the seance to spark a romantic connection with Louis. But Evangeline is unknowingly tricked by seven demons, unleashing a massacre inside the mansion.
Eighty-five years later, Angela Feld (Shannon Elizabeth) hosts a Halloween party at The Broussard Family Mansion. Angela invites Maddie (Monica Keena), Lily (Diora Baird), Suzanne (Bobbi Sue Luther), Dex (Michael Copon), Jason (John F. Beach), and others, while Colin (Edward Furlong) bribes Diana (Tiffany Shepis) for access to the party. The police force, led by Sergeant Dawson (Lance Nichols), pulls the plug on Angela’s party, but the group has bigger problems to worry about, when Angela and Colin discover seven skeletons in the basement.
My Thoughts- Amelia Kinkade’s Angela was a goth nerd, the outsider, who was into witchcraft and the occult. Shannon Elizabeth’s Angela? She’s clearly more popular, has a wild side, and Elizabeth brings out a more cocky and confident side of herself, when the demonic possession takes over. There’s a scene, where Angela is taunting Maddie about her chances of survival and Maddie’s feelings for Colin. Good stuff from Elizabeth during this scene, as her eyes are deviously wandering around the room, with that big smirk on her face, because you can see Angela’s having fun toying with Maddie.
The remake fills out the rest of the cast with likable characters, who are easy to root for. Monica Keena’s Maddie easily leads the pack, the scrappy fighter, who slowly emerges as the leader, and a sensible voice of reason. Keena brings a wholesomeness to Maddie, but she steps up to FIERCELY fight back towards the end. “Come and get me, motherfuckers” is one of the cooler one-liners in the movie. Keena really nails the delivery for that line, and the timing is perfect, because it comes at point, where the odds are not in Maddie’s favor, but she’s not going down without a fight.
Edward Furlong’s Colin is a sad sap. He’s a struggling drug dealer, who just can’t catch a break. You get the impression life has just run him into the ground, and to make matters worse, he’s on a hit list, if he doesn’t make enough money after Angela’s party.
John F. Beach is consistently hilarious. No denying he owns all of his scenes and numerous moments throughout the movie, with nervous or spirited rants and outbursts. The paintball scene (“NO COSTUME, NO CANDY, MOTHERFUCKER!”) is a good pick, and his explanation for what happened with Lily after the lipstick scene is just priceless.
Characters with bit parts and limited screen time deliver some notable highlights here. Tiffany Shepis is good for a few laughs as Diana. She’s sneaky, and Diana doesn’t care about breaking Angela’s rules, if she can make some extra cash on the side.
I wish Jamie Harris’ Nigel had a bigger role in the movie. Real show stealing stuff from him during his scene with Furlong, while Harris is laying it on thick as this unhinged crime boss. And another thumbs up for Lance Nichols playing the grinning and smarmy cop, who gladly leads the charge to ruin Angela’s party.
Dex, Lily, and Suzanne? No complaints about the performances from Diora Baird, Bobbi Sue Luther, and Michael Copon, but I just wish their characters had a bit more depth. Dex is a normal and nice guy, and that’s it? Lily’s entire personality basically revolves around being obsessed with Dex. Suzanne is spunky and she likes to have fun. But Bobbi Sue Luther brings some good positive energy to Suzanne, and I did get a laugh out of the costume snafu with Lily, because they’re not just cats, they’re pussy cats!
No more Hull House! If I’m being honest, I actually prefer the dark history and the lore behind Evangeline, her disastrous seance, and The Broussard Family Mansion over Hull House and “Old Man Hull.” Everything behind Evangeline and the demons feels more sinister. The thought of this seemingly innocent woman going to extraordinary lengths to chase the man of her dreams, and her quest for love blowing up in her face in the worst possible ways, is more of an impactful story.
I’m always a sucker for fine details, and there’s no denying The Broussard Family Mansion has a rich history. The secret room in the basement, underground tunnels, the protective spells written on the walls by Evangeline’s maid (Tiffany Billiot) in the safe room, and they drop a few hints for bootlegging runs throughout the mansion during prohibition. If we’re talking about overall visuals, I guess you could make the argument for Hull House (limited to the original Night Of The Demons and Part 2 only) being more spooky, but Broussard Manor still works as a death trap that you’d want to avoid at all costs.
The demons! The designs and the makeup for the demons in the remake are far more grotesque and bizarre. Boobs with tentacles, horns, and bloody, decaying flesh? Oh, the horror! I never had any real problems with the designs for the demons in the original trilogy, but the demons in the 2009 film are more believable as monstrous creatures.
Going back to the lore behind the demons and details reinforcing the demons as serious threats, after doing some research, Maddie reveals the seven demons were cast out of hell, because they were too much to handle. Imagine that. You get kicked out of HELL, because you can’t follow the rules.
The front gate is a problem here. Again. It’s one of those strange plot holes, and I’m wondering if they did it intentionally as a weird wink to the original, and the problems with the gate in that film. One gate is capable of causing so much trouble? Sorry, not buying it.
The stuff with the gate is still annoying, but Night Of The Demons 2009 is a good remake. The 1988 original works as the quintessential 80’s horror film. But NOTD 2009 proves you can still make an entertaining film, without settling for a lazy shot for shot remake.
Adam Gierasch and Jace Anderson created their own version of Night Of The Demons, while still paying homage to the original. Angela is different, Linnea Quigley’s cameo is a callback to the convenience store scene in the original, and Suzanne’s disappearing lipstick scene makes a comeback! But the magic trick with the tube of lipstick goes a few steps further in this one. The puddle of blood on the floor, and Lily’s blood soaked hand, when she yanks the tube of lipstick out is something else. Also, a big thumbs up for all the effort they put into Evangeline’s backstory. Starting things off in 1925 with the old style black and white silent films era was a nice touch for something unexpected.
New Orleans! During, the opening there’s some short highlights of Halloween festivities in New Orleans. Before the cops show up, Angela’s Halloween party is a big bash. Remember, in the ‘88 original it was just supposed to be a little get-together between a small group of friends at a dusty old funeral home. Nigel briefly mentions how New Orleans is still struggling after Hurricane Katrina, but it’s not a big plot point for the story.
Night Of The Demons 2009 is truly different, because you can see a lot of noticeable changes. They left out the underground stream acting as a barrier that prevents demons from leaving the property. More graphic gore, a lot of blood, and overall, NOTD 2009 is a more extreme film, if we’re comparing it to the original. There’s also more sexual innuendos and jokes. NOTD 2009 also reveals it’s possible to pass demonic possessions through anal sex. So, yeah, that’s a thing here.
NOTD 2009 delivers consistent humor and laughs, including the post-credits scene, and all the bickering between Maddie, Colin, and Jason, when things go south. It’s a bloody and fun horror remake, good practical effects, a hefty amount of gory violence, and there’s one really good jump scare that plays around with the usual tropes for mirror jump scares.
As far as the music goes, I’ll give the edge to the original for the overall better soundtrack, and how they used each song from that soundtrack. But Night Of The Demons by 45 Grave is a perfect fit for the remake. It’s catchy, campy, and it’s a good choice for the fight scene after the demons invade the mansion.
The Story- Evangeline Broussard (Tatyana Kanavka) hosts a seance at her mansion in 1920’s New Orleans. Madly in love with Louis Devereaux (Michael Arata), Evangeline uses the seance to spark a romantic connection with Louis. But Evangeline is unknowingly tricked by seven demons, unleashing a massacre inside the mansion.
Eighty-five years later, Angela Feld (Shannon Elizabeth) hosts a Halloween party at The Broussard Family Mansion. Angela invites Maddie (Monica Keena), Lily (Diora Baird), Suzanne (Bobbi Sue Luther), Dex (Michael Copon), Jason (John F. Beach), and others, while Colin (Edward Furlong) bribes Diana (Tiffany Shepis) for access to the party. The police force, led by Sergeant Dawson (Lance Nichols), pulls the plug on Angela’s party, but the group has bigger problems to worry about, when Angela and Colin discover seven skeletons in the basement.
My Thoughts- Amelia Kinkade’s Angela was a goth nerd, the outsider, who was into witchcraft and the occult. Shannon Elizabeth’s Angela? She’s clearly more popular, has a wild side, and Elizabeth brings out a more cocky and confident side of herself, when the demonic possession takes over. There’s a scene, where Angela is taunting Maddie about her chances of survival and Maddie’s feelings for Colin. Good stuff from Elizabeth during this scene, as her eyes are deviously wandering around the room, with that big smirk on her face, because you can see Angela’s having fun toying with Maddie.
The remake fills out the rest of the cast with likable characters, who are easy to root for. Monica Keena’s Maddie easily leads the pack, the scrappy fighter, who slowly emerges as the leader, and a sensible voice of reason. Keena brings a wholesomeness to Maddie, but she steps up to FIERCELY fight back towards the end. “Come and get me, motherfuckers” is one of the cooler one-liners in the movie. Keena really nails the delivery for that line, and the timing is perfect, because it comes at point, where the odds are not in Maddie’s favor, but she’s not going down without a fight.
Edward Furlong’s Colin is a sad sap. He’s a struggling drug dealer, who just can’t catch a break. You get the impression life has just run him into the ground, and to make matters worse, he’s on a hit list, if he doesn’t make enough money after Angela’s party.
John F. Beach is consistently hilarious. No denying he owns all of his scenes and numerous moments throughout the movie, with nervous or spirited rants and outbursts. The paintball scene (“NO COSTUME, NO CANDY, MOTHERFUCKER!”) is a good pick, and his explanation for what happened with Lily after the lipstick scene is just priceless.
Characters with bit parts and limited screen time deliver some notable highlights here. Tiffany Shepis is good for a few laughs as Diana. She’s sneaky, and Diana doesn’t care about breaking Angela’s rules, if she can make some extra cash on the side.
I wish Jamie Harris’ Nigel had a bigger role in the movie. Real show stealing stuff from him during his scene with Furlong, while Harris is laying it on thick as this unhinged crime boss. And another thumbs up for Lance Nichols playing the grinning and smarmy cop, who gladly leads the charge to ruin Angela’s party.
Dex, Lily, and Suzanne? No complaints about the performances from Diora Baird, Bobbi Sue Luther, and Michael Copon, but I just wish their characters had a bit more depth. Dex is a normal and nice guy, and that’s it? Lily’s entire personality basically revolves around being obsessed with Dex. Suzanne is spunky and she likes to have fun. But Bobbi Sue Luther brings some good positive energy to Suzanne, and I did get a laugh out of the costume snafu with Lily, because they’re not just cats, they’re pussy cats!
Maddie is the sole survivor! Obvious? Yes, Maddie narrowly escaping wasn’t a big shocking surprise, because you could see it coming. There’s a good effort for teasing Maddie possibly committing suicide by hanging herself, similar to what Evangeline did in the 1920’s. Lining up the flashbacks with Evangeline’s suicide, while Maddie is preparing to jump off of the balcony with the rope around her neck ALMOST works as a good nail-biter. They wanted to give you the impression that Maddie would sacrifice herself to stop the demonic invasion, while showing you how Evangeline did it step by step, but it just wasn’t believable.
Still, it’s an excellent final girl ending for Monica Keena. Maddie, clothes torn and covered in blood, and beaten up during sunrise, but also smiling and relieved that it’s finally over and she survived. That is truly a great visual.
No more Hull House! If I’m being honest, I actually prefer the dark history and the lore behind Evangeline, her disastrous seance, and The Broussard Family Mansion over Hull House and “Old Man Hull.” Everything behind Evangeline and the demons feels more sinister. The thought of this seemingly innocent woman going to extraordinary lengths to chase the man of her dreams, and her quest for love blowing up in her face in the worst possible ways, is more of an impactful story.
I’m always a sucker for fine details, and there’s no denying The Broussard Family Mansion has a rich history. The secret room in the basement, underground tunnels, the protective spells written on the walls by Evangeline’s maid (Tiffany Billiot) in the safe room, and they drop a few hints for bootlegging runs throughout the mansion during prohibition. If we’re talking about overall visuals, I guess you could make the argument for Hull House (limited to the original Night Of The Demons and Part 2 only) being more spooky, but Broussard Manor still works as a death trap that you’d want to avoid at all costs.
The demons! The designs and the makeup for the demons in the remake are far more grotesque (faceless demon Suzanne is truly impressive) and bizarre. Boobs with tentacles, horns, and bloody, decaying flesh? Oh, the horror! I never had any real problems with the designs for the demons in the original trilogy, but the demons in the 2009 film are more believable as monstrous creatures.
Going back to the lore behind the demons and details reinforcing the demons as serious threats, after doing some research, Maddie reveals the seven demons were cast out of hell, because they were too much to handle. Imagine that. You get kicked out of HELL, because you can’t follow the rules.
The front gate is a problem here. Again. It’s one of those strange plot holes, and I’m wondering if they did it intentionally as a weird wink to the original, and the problems with the gate in that film. One gate is capable of causing so much trouble? Sorry, not buying it.
The stuff with the gate is still annoying, but Night Of The Demons 2009 is a good remake. The 1988 original works as the quintessential 80’s horror film. But NOTD 2009 proves you can still make an entertaining film, without settling for a lazy shot for shot remake.
Adam Gierasch and Jace Anderson created their own version of Night Of The Demons, while still paying homage to the original. Angela is different, Linnea Quigley’s cameo is a callback to the convenience store scene in the original, and Suzanne’s disappearing lipstick scene makes a comeback! But the magic trick with the tube of lipstick goes a few steps further in this one. The puddle of blood on the floor, and Lily’s blood soaked hand, when she yanks the tube of lipstick out is something else. Also, a big thumbs up for all the effort they put into Evangeline’s backstory. Starting things off in 1925 with the old style black and white silent films era was a nice touch for something unexpected.
New Orleans! During, the opening there’s some short highlights of Halloween festivities in New Orleans. Before the cops show up, Angela’s Halloween party is a big bash. Remember, in the ‘88 original it was just supposed to be a little get-together between a small group of friends at a dusty old funeral home. Nigel briefly mentions how New Orleans is still struggling after Hurricane Katrina, but it’s not a big plot point for the story.
Night Of The Demons 2009 is truly different, because you can see a lot of noticeable changes. They left out the underground stream acting as a barrier that prevents demons from leaving the property. More graphic gore, a lot of blood, and overall, NOTD 2009 is a more extreme film, if we’re comparing it to the original. There’s also more sexual innuendos and jokes. NOTD 2009 also reveals it’s possible to pass demonic possessions through anal sex. So, yeah, that’s a thing here.
NOTD 2009 delivers consistent humor and laughs, including the post-credits scene, and all the bickering between Maddie, Colin, and Jason, when things go south. It’s a bloody and fun horror remake, good practical effects, a hefty amount of gory violence, and there’s one really good jump scare that plays around with the usual tropes for mirror jump scares.
As far as the music goes, I’ll give the edge to the original for the overall better soundtrack, and how they used each song from that soundtrack. But Night Of The Demons by 45 Grave is a perfect fit for the remake. It’s catchy, campy, and it’s a good choice for the fight scene after the demons invade the mansion.
Following the events of Laid To Rest, Tommy (Thomas Dekker) and The Girl With No Name, or “Princess” (Bobbi Sue Luther) narrowly escape the wrath of the ruthless killer, ChromeSkull (Nick Principe). After unknowingly pouring booby-trapped glue into his chrome mask, ChromeSkull’s face was destroyed by a corrosive substance. Tommy and Princess were the only living suriviors after ChromeSkull’s recent rampage, and after the final showdown in a convenience store, Tommy and Princess escaped before the police arrived.
As investigators and local police arrived at the convenience store to examine ChromeSkull’s seemingly lifeless body, ChromeSkull’s special team, led by his top assistant, Preston (Brian Austin Green) infiltrated the crime scene. Preston and ChromeSkull’s team killed everyone on the scene, and they escaped with ChromeSkull’s body before backup arrived to help out. Eventually, ChromeSkull was taken to one of his hideouts for surgery by a secret team of surgeons. The surgeons reconstructed ChormeSkull’s mangled face, and ChromeSkull was given time to rest and recover.
Meanwhile, Preston tracks Tommy and Princess to a hotel. Tommy agreed to look after Princess for a while, but the hotel was the end of the line. But when Tommy goes out to get food, Preston sneaks in the hotel room, and murders Princess. Tommy returns to find Princess’ dismembered body, and Tommy is rushed to the local police station for questioning and protection.
Three months later, ChromeSkull is fitted with a new chrome skull mask, and he’s looking for his revenge against Tommy. Tommy is the one that got away, and ChromeSkull doesn’t miss his targets. And ChromeSkull isn’t alone, because he receives help from his underground network of associates. While Preston tries to locate Tommy, ChromeSkull targets a new victim. Jess (Mimi Michaels) and her friend are home alone one night, when ChromeSkull sneaks in. He murders Jess’ friend, and takes Jess to his hideout as a hostage.
Detective King (Owain Yeoman) and his trusted co-worker, Max (Christopher Nelson) work together to find Jess, while keeping Tommy safe at the station. Meanwhile, a series of problems within ChromeSkull’s organization could spark a catastrophic implosion. Preston is tired of living in the shadows, and his role as the clean up guy. Preston wants to be the new ChromeSkull, but ChromeSkull isn’t ready to retire anytime soon. And ChromeSkull is still bitter towards Preston for killing Princess, because he likes to kill and “catch his own fish.” On top of all that, ChromeSkull’s more loyal and trusted assistant, Spann (Danielle Harris) plots to turn ChromeSkull against Preston (Spann‘s #1 rival within the organization).
One night, Preston slips inside the station, and kidnaps Tommy. Tommy and Jess are prisoners of ChromeSkull at his hideout. Detective King launches a last second mission to save Tommy and Jess, and put an end to ChromeSkull’s murderous rampages.
Ugh, why, oh WHY did they have to kill off Lena Headey in Laid To Rest! Thomas Dekker, Brian Austin Green, and Lena Headey in the same cast could’ve provided the perfect Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles reunion. Yes, I know. I’m probably one of the very few people, who actually wanted to see this, but a TSCC reunion in Laid To Rest 2 would’ve been a great nostalgia kick for die hard fans of the show.
Anyway, the cast is solid enough. Nick Principe is still intimidating and creepy as ChromeSkull. Brian Austin Green is OKAY, but he tries way too hard most of the time. Thomas Dekker is given more screen time in part two, and he delivers the best performance, as the broken and traumatized victim. Yeoman and Nelson are decent enough, but Mimi Michaels’ is kind of annoying at times (the character, not her performance). And you won’t see too much of Danielle Harris here. Her character’s screen time is limited to here and there appearances
Robert Hall (the writer and director for both Laid To Rest films. Well, he co-wrote the screenplay for part two, because he had some help from Kevin Bocarde, but still) picks up where he left off in Laid To Rest 2. And he provides more details to fill in some of the giant plot holes in the first film. How is ChromeSkull pulling all of this off by himself? It’s the one question that constantly popped in my mind during Laid To Rest, and Hall answers those questions here. Well, ChromeSkull was working with an old man at a funeral home (the old man kept an eye out for police, and would hide dead and alive victims in the funeral home, because ChromeSkull used the funeral home as a storage space for his victims), but still, one old man helping the mass murderer wasn’t enough. It was too far-fetched, but adding a network of assistants tied up the remaining loose ends.
Hall also downplayed ChromeSkull’s camera on the shoulder POV stuff here. ChromeSkull likes to record his murders as they happen, so he wears a camera on his shoulder. They really abused this POV in Laid To Rest, but Hall toned it down for the sequel.
Killing off Bobbi Sue Luther’s character during the intro was a good call, because Laid To Rest 2 is loaded with a bunch of sub-plots: Preston being jealous of ChromeSkull, and wanting to become the new ChromeSkull. Spann plotting against Preston, and seemingly developing a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship with ChromeSkull. Jess struggling to fight for her life, and Tommy trying to survive another attack from ChromeSkull. The survival of Princess would’ve cluttered the story into a bigger mess, so I’m happy they pulled the trigger early. Also, I’ve seen some interviews with her, and she’s on the video commentary for Night Of The Demon’s ’09. Bobbi Sue Luther seems like a nice and humble person in real life, and as far as looks go, she’s a ten in my book, but she’s a terrible actress. Her character was beyond annoying in Laid To Rest, and it’s a problem, because Princess is the primary protagonist.
Laid To Rest 2 provides more inventive and brutal deaths, as ChromeSkull hacks his way through another slaughter fest. Problem is, it’s nothing you haven’t seen before. The VAST majority of kills in this film don’t have that sickening shock factor, because they really pulled out all the stops in Laid To Rest. A lot of nasty and bloody stuff in this film, but for me, the deaths couldn’t reach any squirming levels of disgustingness, because they gave away all of the good stuff in part one.
Hall is building towards a part three, he planted a lot of seeds for another sequel, and there’s a cliffhanger at the end. But instead of going with another sequel, the third entry in Laid To Rest is going to be a prequel, explaining the origins of ChromeSkull, and “how it all began.” I wasn’t too crazy about part two, but the story progressed, and now you’re going to backtrack into a prequel? I dunno. It just feels kind of weird to me.
Anyway, ChromeSkull: Laid To Rest 2 isn’t something to brag about. Laid To Rest 2 is a dud with a very messy and convoluted story. You still won’t see ChromeSkull’s face, and he still doesn’t speak a word in the sequel, so his character maintained the silent and deadly monster mystique. Still, Laid To Rest 2 is just another mediocre and forgettable slasher.
It’s 1925, and one night in New Orleans, Evangeline Broussard decides to
hold a séance at her mansion. Evangeline is obsessed with Louis
Devereaux, but Louis doesn’t love her. Evangeline will do anything to
seduce Louis. Her love spells aren’t working, so Evangeline seeks the
help of some seemingly kind spirits. But the spirits are actually evil
demons, who are trying to possess living humans. The demons need the
help of a spell to return to the living world. Evangeline is desperate
and vulnerable, so the demons see an easy target. Promising to secure a
relationship with Louis, the demons trick Evangeline into inviting Louis
and five other friends to the mansion.
Evangeline follows their instructions, and once the séance begins, the
demons attack the guests. In order to complete their return to the
living world, the demons need to possess seven humans before sunrise.
Terrified and confused, Evangeline tries to escape the possessed party
guests. Standing on the upstairs balcony with a rope around her neck,
Evangeline prepares to commit suicide. A demonized Louis professes his
love for Evangeline, but she doesn’t buy into the lie. Determined to
prevent the demon’s return to Earth, Evangeline jumps, and kills
herself. Evangeline’s maid is the sole survivor. The maid locked herself
in a room, while scribbling spells on the walls for protection.
Eighty-five years later, Angela Feld prepares to throw a Halloween party
at The Broussard Family mansion. Angela needs the money and her friend,
Diana collects the cash and she gives out hand stamps for admission.
Suzanne has known Angela since high school. Maddie and Lily are friends
of Suzanne. They join the party, but a few odd encounters with
ex-boyfriends could change everything. Lily still has feelings for her
ex-boyfriend, Dex. Dex’s friend, Jason doesn’t want to ruin anything, so
he leaves Lily and Dex alone, and Jason befriends Maddie. A ruthless
drug lord named Nigel gives Maddie’s ex-boyfriend/drug dealer, Colin a
life-or-death ultimatum, so he must sell all of his merchandise to the
party guests.
Angela’s party is a money-making success, but eventually, the police
pull the plug. Failing to show the proper permit, the police shut down
Angela’s party. Diana sees an easy opportunity during the confusion, and
she decides to steal all the money. Fearing an arrest and Nigel’s
wrath, Colin hides his drugs in the basement. After the cops and the
majority of the party guests leave, Maddie, Lily, Jason, and Dex return
to the mansion to find Suzanne, who appears out of nowhere after passing
out from too much alcohol. With Angela’s help, Colin retrieves his
drugs from the basement, but at the same time, Angela and Colin
accidentally discover a secret room that contains a group of skeletons.
Angela tries to remove a gold tooth from one of the skeletons, but the
skeleton suddenly bites her finger. Maddie, Lily, Suzanne, Colin, Jason,
and Dex try to leave, but the entrance gate mysteriously locks by
itself. Unable to find another exit, the group returns to the mansion
for drinks.
Meanwhile, Angela is slowly possessed by a demon, and once she realizes
her powers, Angela possesses Dex during a game of spin the bottle. Dex
takes advantage of Lily’s desires for a second chance, and he possesses
her during an awkward moment. Plus, Angela mutilates and possesses an
unsuspecting and drunk Suzanne. Maddie, Colin, and Jason will have to
fight for survival until sunrise, as demonized versions of Angela, Lily,
Suzanne, and Dex reek havoc throughout the mansion.
Character Rundown
Angela Feld (Shannon Elizabeth)- Angela is a wild party girl with
an aggressive attitude. The hardcore punk rock look is a perfect fit
for this character, and Elizabeth brings some sex appeal to Angela.
Shannon Elizabeth is known for the Nadia character from the American Pie
films (the REAL American Pie films, not the shitty straight-to-video
releases), and she delivers a solid performance as Angela here.
Maddie (Monica Keena)- Remember Monica Keena? She played Lori in
Freddy VS Jason, and Keena brings the same kick-ass attitude to the
Maddie character. Maddie is down-to-earth, and she’s a fearless fighter,
who refuses to give up. Keena delivers the best performance in this
film, and the Maddie character has a few memorable moments.
Colin (Edward Furlong)- Nope, that’s not a typo, and you aren’t
seeing things. Edward Furlong, the same man, who starred alongside
Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2, and the same guy, who delivered a
very solid performance in American History X, has a part in this
straight-to-video horror release. Colin is a
miserable drug dealer, who can’t catch a break, and his constant
setbacks continue to sink him into a deeper hole. He’s a screw-up, but
Furlong’s performance is entertaining, and he provides a few laughs.
Suzanne (Bobbi Sue Luther)- Suzanne? She's just eye candy for the most part. She’s the ditzy and busty woman, who likes to drink, and that's about it Lily (Diora Baird)- Lily has a bubbly personality, and she clings
to the hopes of starting a new relationship with Dex. Baird’s
performance is decent enough, but her character doesn’t have any
dialogue as a demon. And if I’m not mistaken, a stunt double portrays
the demonized version of Lily, so Baird doesn’t have a significant
amount of screen time here.
Jason (John F. Beach)- He’s the goofiest character in this film. Jason provides the majority of laughs, and Beach is just hilarious.
Dex (Michael Copon)- Dex is just there. He doesn’t have a personality, and once Dex becomes a demon, Copon doesn’t have any spoken dialogue.
Diana (Tiffany Shepis)- Diana has an attitude, and Shepis brings
some believable cockiness to this character. Diana only has a few scenes
here, but Shepis is pretty solid during her short screen time.
Nigel (Jamie Harris)- Nigel has a dark sense of humor, and he’s a
cold-hearted drug lord, who torments Colin. Harris only has two scenes
here (one scene in the beginning, and the post-credits scene), but he
provides a few laughs.
Evangeline Broussard (Tatyana Kanavka)- Kanavka’s character is
important. Initially, Evangeline is the person, who releases the demons
into the living world, but you’ll only see her during the intro and
flashbacks.
Louis Devereaux (Michael Arata)- Another important character. But
Louis only has a few scenes, and most of them are flashbacks of the
same material. Also, Arata is one of the producers for this film.
Who's Behind The Camera?
Adam Gierasch brings a brutal and grotesque style for Night Of The
Demons 2009. The gore is graphic, bloody, disgusting, and Gierasch
provides a few jump scares. And it doesn’t last long, but Gierasch
creates a vibrant party atmosphere to this film.
My Overall Thoughts
Adam Gierasch and Jace Anderson wrote the screenplay for this film.
Night Of The Demons 2009 features a more thorough backstory, and you’ll
get an in-depth explanation for the origins of the demons. The story is
loaded with some good humor, and there’s a nice surprise at the end.
Great music gave the 1988 original an extra boost, and the remake
features a solid soundtrack. 45 Grave provides the title track for this
film. “Night Of The Demons” really complements the hardcore punk rock
vibe, it’s catchy, and this song is a perfect fit for the Halloween
theme in this film:
As the story progresses, Monica Keena, Edward Furlong, and John F. Beach
develop some good chemistry, and they provide some hilarious moments
together. Plus, after the first set of possessions, Keena, Furlong, and
Beach really carry this film.
Night Of The Demons 2009 was a straight-to-video release. It was
supposed to have a limited theatrical run, but Seven Arts International
(the distributor) decided to go with a DVD/Blu-Ray release. And
Entertainment One re-released the 2009 remake on DVD and Blu-Ray this
September. Also, Kevin Tenney returns to lend a helping hand, as a
producer.
Night Of The Demons 2009 is a bloody and gruesome horror comedy, that
features some genuine gross-out moments. You’ll see a few jump scares
here and there, and the cast is solid. Plus, Linnea Quigley has a brief
cameo here. Still, Night
Of The Demons 2009 is a solid remake. Night Of The Demons 2009 delivers
plenty of gore, laughs, and the fight scenes are decent enough.
Oh, and Night Of The Demons 2009 features some of the funniest video
commentary you’ll ever hear. Adam Gierasch, Jace Anderson, Monica Keena,
Bobbi Sue Luther, and John F. Beach provide the commentary. It’s
hilarious from beginning to end, and the video commentary is a great
bonus attraction for the DVD or Blu-Ray.
Comparing & Contrasting The 1988 Original With The 2009 Remake
Well, I’ll get the most obvious changes out of the way first.
-Angela’s last name changes from Franklin to Feld
-In the original, the family maid is slaughtered with the Hull Family.
But in the remake, Evangeline’s maid survives the demon attacks, and her
spells protect the modern-day survivors.
-An underground stream prevents the demons from leaving Hull House in
the original, but Broussard House isn’t surrounded by an underground
stream, forcing the survivors to fight the demons.
-The survivors really don’t have a surefire defense against the demons
in the original, but in the remake, rust becomes an effective weapon.
-There’s no abandoned funeral home here. Instead, Broussard Mansion is used as the main setting for this film.
-The story for the remake has more depth. In the original, they provide
some information for Hull House’s history, but the details are very
vague.
-The demons are more vicious and violent.
-The Halloween party in the 1988 remake starts out as a small and
friendly get-together, but Angela’s Halloween party is a big-time event
with more people.
-In the 1988 original, Angela is a weirdo and an outcast, but in the
2009 remake, Shannon Elizabeth’s Angela is promiscuous and flirty. She’s
a party girl, who wants to have fun, and Angela 2009 has an attitude
BEFORE her possession. Also, both Angelas have a completely different
look.
Pics!
1988 Angela
2009 Angela
Judy is sweet and innocent, and she becomes a leader during the final
moments of the original. So it’s easy to draw comparisons between Maddie
and Judy, because Maddie emerges as the strongest character in the
remake, but Maddie is tougher. She’s more rugged, and Maddie turns into a
real bad-ass during the final showdown.
Pics!
Maddie
Judy
Keena brings more emotion and aggression to Maddie, but Podewell carries the original by herself most of the time.
Gierasch and Anderson deny any comparisons between 1988 Suzanne and 2009
Suzanne, but the similarities are so obvious. Bobbie Sue Luther’s
bigger tits are the only main difference, and in the end, Luther’s
Suzanne is just a modern-day version of Quigley’s Suzanne.
More Pics!
1988 Suzanne
2009 Suzanne
A pic of Quigley's 2009 cameo!
The performances in the remake are solid, but when it comes to acting, I
have to give the edge to the 1988 original. Shannon Elizabeth’s Angela
is darker and more violent, but Kinkade really nailed the outcast side
of Angela, and Kinkade brings more humor to Angela’s demonized form.
Every member of the supporting cast from the original has
characteristics of a hip 80’s teen (especially the dialogue), but the
supporting cast from the original provides more entertaining
performances. The supporting cast for the remake isn’t bad, but Baird
and Luther can’t rise above the status of eye candy, and Michael Copon
doesn’t help anything. And with the exception of Baird and Elizabeth,
the post-possession forms of the main characters don’t receive any
spoken dialogue, so everyone falls into the category of a “bloodthirsty
killer.” They don’t have a real chance to standout.
Overall, the 1988 original is still the better film. It‘s a fun and
campy 80‘s horror comedy, with disgusting gore and great music. The 2009 remake has a more serious tone. The violence is more brutal,
and the gore is more graphic and bloody. It’s a respectable remake, and
Night Of The Demons 2009 is better than most shitty straight-to-video
horror releases.
