Night Of The Demons 2 (1994)(2025 Redo)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Melissa “Mouse” Franklin (Merle Kennedy), Angela’s (Amelia Kinkade) younger sister, is tricked into going to a Halloween party at Hull House. Shirley Finnerty (Zoe Trilling), Rick (Rick Peters), and Z-Boy (Darin Heames) are the masterminds behind a cruel prank, and Melissa is the main target.

Melissa leaves St. Rita’s Academy with her best friend, Bibi (Cristi Harris), Terri (Christine Taylor), Johnny (Johnny Moran), Kurt (Ladd York), Shirley, and Rick. It’s clear something is horribly wrong at Hull House, but the group runs into a bigger problem, when Angela appears. Can Sister Gloria (Jennifer Rhodes), Father Bob (Rod McCary), and Perry (Robert Jayne) save Melissa and the others from Angela? 

My Thoughts- Mouse! A demeaning nickname? Yes, but it also weirdly fits. Melissa is tiny, soft-spoken, and she’s very jumpy. But there’s a list of reasons for why Melissa is shy, and why she heavily relies on Bibi as a support system and her only true friend. Melissa is an orphan, her sister seemingly vanished after the brutal massacre at Hull House in the original, and Melissa is geeky and kind of awkward, making her a prime target for jerks and bullies (e.g. Shirley). 

But Mouse is still someone, who’s so easy to root for. Merle Kennedy does an amazing job playing the vulnerable and sympathetic nerd. Through Kennedy’s performance, you can clearly see Melissa is traumatized, but there’s also a turn towards the end, where she’s forced to stand up to one big and powerful bully. Merle Kennedy easily delivers one of the best performances you’ll see in the series, and Melissa is truly a memorable character for Night Of The Demons.

Angela is back! Amelia Kinkade’s upbeat and energetic performance is one of the bigger highlights here. Angela is genuinely having fun being an evil menace in the sequel, fully embracing her status as the powerful demoness. There’s no conflicting emotions, or regrets about anything that happened in the previous film. She’s deep into the dark side, and Amelia Kinkade really brings her best as Angela again. 

The sequel features another solid cast of supporting characters, with distinct and unique personalities. Shirley Finnerty is a smart-ass and a bully, but it’s impossible to ignore Zoe Trilling’s charismatic presence. Trilling brings an arrogant swagger to Shirley, the fast talking rebel, who gets a kick out of breaking all the rules.

Jennifer Rhodes nearly steals the show as Sister Gloria. Playing a parodied version of the strict no nonsense nun, Rhodes brings a good amount of humor to Sister Gloria. The quick and witty comebacks, karate moves and swashbuckling with her trusty yard stick, and Sister Gloria has her own catchphrase (“Save a little room for the Holy Ghost”)! Sister Gloria is a disciplinarian, but she has a big heart, because Gloria truly cares about the kids at St. Rita’s Academy, especially Melissa. 

Kurt and Johnny share believable chemistry as two jocks and best buds. Kurt (also known as King Snake or Inch Worm) is more of an egomaniac, while Johnny is a bit more down-to-earth and levelheaded. Rick and Z-Boy? Two guys, who clearly peaked in high school. Rick Peters plays the cocky troublemaker, while Darin Heames’ Z-Boy is the goofy numbskull. Z-Boy tags along as Rick’s energetic idiot sidekick, and Heames adds more laughs to the movie with Z-Boy’s silly antics.

Cristi Harris brings an earnest and wholesome presence to Bibi. Bibi is one of the good ones here, no doubts about it. Christine Taylor’s Terri is a few steps below Shirley for picking on Melissa and being a bully. Not as bad as Shirley, but it’s noticeable. 

Taylor plays a kid, who just wants to have fun, and there’s a nod to Taylor’s Brady Bunch days, when Rick jokingly calls her Marcia. Terri’s also the storyteller, similar to Max’s role in the previous film. She plays an important part, telling camp fire-esque tales building up Angela’s dark mystique, as the local ghoul. If you’re brave or stupid enough to go to Hull House, you’ll have to deal with Angela. 

Father Bob comes off as someone, who enjoys the smell of his own farts. Rod McCary is appropriately smug and pompous as Father Bob, a fool, who waits too long to drop his big ego.

Robert Jayne’s Perry is an important character, the nerdy and persistent fighter, who’s obsessed with demons and demonology. They really don’t take the time to explore it, or flesh things out, but Perry shares a bond with Melissa. They’re both outcasts and geeks, so of course Perry and Melissa have to deal with bullies. Jayne has his big moments during the battle at Hull House towards the end, and he’s easily one of the more entertaining characters to watch throughout the movie.

Following in the footsteps of its predecessor, Night Of The Demons 2 delivers more exceptional makeup and practical effects. Evil, menacing boobs, big puddles of wet, bubbly, and sticky gore, and the “How’s about a smile, sis?” scene with Angela and Melissa? Nasty stuff. 

Hull House is still spooky. If we’re comparing Hull House to the original, it’s more spruced up, and who knows, maybe Angela’s been busy making some changes around the house, because why are the bed sheets so neat and clean? But Hull House is a dangerous place. You don’t want to find yourself stranded there, without any help, and that’s what’s important.

Night Of The Demons 2 is a few steps below the original. I don’t understand why they used footage from the original. Perry is about to attack, and here comes Angela! The problem is, you can clearly see it’s footage from the 1988 film, where Angela is menacingly floating down the hallway. I’m guessing something happened? Maybe they had to add this in during post-production for some reason. It’s a weird moment that throws everything off during a frenetic series of events, because the footage doesn’t synch up with Perry’s struggle to deliver a counterattack to Angela. 

But Night Of The Demons 2 is still a damn good follow up sequel. Effort! That’s one of the reasons why I still love this one. It’s not a lazy sequel at all. Angela is more established and confident as the main villain in the series, showing off her powers, how dominant she is, and Angela has a sword! We’re introduced to Angela’s sister, who plays a fantastic protagonist, and it’s revealed Angela and Melissa’s parents committed suicide after receiving a creepy Halloween card, signed by Angela. 

There’s a strong effort to push the story forward, but they still managed to maintain some continuity from the original. Keeping the underground stream surrounding Hull House that acts as a barrier for demons was an important factor. Although, the carnage is not limited to Hull House, because they used a clever trick to give a logical reason for Angela’s escape. A conveyance (that pesky tube of lipstick) protects Angela on her way to St. Rita’s Academy, and that’s when all hell breaks loose! A demented Angela and her minions running around outside of Hull House brings all the chaos you’d expect. Good stuff.

Religion, demonology, and a Catholic boarding school? Good versus evil, faith versus the temptation to join the dark side. Adding religious elements and occultism to the story puts more meat on the bones for Night Of The Demons 2. The chapel at St. Rita’s Academy is used a safe house, when Angela attacks. And what’s the most powerful weapon that’s capable of defeating Angela, a threatening and unstoppable force of evil? Faith.

Night Of The Demons 2 easily has the best opening in the series. Two door-to-door Jehovah’s Witnesses feel the need to visit Hull House. They’re eventually cornered by Angela, and you can probably guess what happens next. You just have to laugh at these two smiling Jehovah’s Witnesses, walking up to an abandoned creepy old funeral home with a big no trespassing sign on the front door. Sure, let’s stay optimistic, because nothing bad will happen, and there’s nothing weird about a lady living inside an abandoned house!

Cheesy, consistent laughs, fun gags (a talking head in a toilet), and A LOT of gross-out moments. Night Of The Demons 2 is loaded with more gore, nudity, sexual innuendos, Amelia Kinkade is still sharp as Angela, and moving the story outside of Hull House was a refreshing change. It’s a bit more silly and whackier than the original, complete with Super Soakers and water balloons filled with holy water. But you have to remember, Night Of The Demons 2 is a horror comedy about horny teenagers suffering the consequences of their stupid choices. If you’ve never seen it, Night Of The Demons 2 is definitely worth checking out, if you want to know where the story goes next.

I honestly wish they would’ve found a way to work Melissa into the story for Night Of The Demons 3. Maybe an older version of her? Melissa could’ve worked as a big surprise return, someone who survived Hull House and Angela. She has firsthand knowledge on how to fight her sister, and Melissa still had some mileage as a character in the series.

Rating- 7/10

Night Of The Demons 2 (1994)(2025 Redo)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Melissa “Mouse” Franklin (Merle Kennedy), Angela’s (Amelia Kinkade) younger sister, is tricked into going to a Halloween party at Hull House. Shirley Finnerty (Zoe Trilling), Rick (Rick Peters), and Z-Boy (Darin Heames) are the masterminds behind a cruel prank, and Melissa is the main target.

Melissa leaves St. Rita’s Academy with her best friend, Bibi (Cristi Harris), Terri (Christine Taylor), Johnny (Johnny Moran), Kurt (Ladd York), Shirley, and Rick. It’s clear something is horribly wrong at Hull House, but the group runs into a bigger problem, when Angela appears. Can Sister Gloria (Jennifer Rhodes), Father Bob (Rod McCary), and Perry (Robert Jayne) save Melissa and the others from Angela? 

My Thoughts- Mouse! A demeaning nickname? Yes, but it also weirdly fits. Melissa is tiny, soft-spoken, and she’s very jumpy. But there’s a list of reasons for why Melissa is shy, and why she heavily relies on Bibi as a support system and her only true friend. Melissa is an orphan, her sister seemingly vanished after the brutal massacre at Hull House in the original, and Melissa is geeky and kind of awkward, making her a prime target for jerks and bullies (e.g. Shirley). 

But Mouse is still someone, who’s so easy to root for. Merle Kennedy does an amazing job playing the vulnerable and sympathetic nerd. Through Kennedy’s performance, you can clearly see Melissa is traumatized, but there’s also a turn towards the end, where she’s forced to stand up to one big and powerful bully. Merle Kennedy easily delivers one of the best performances you’ll see in the series, and Melissa is truly a memorable character for Night Of The Demons.

Angela is back! Amelia Kinkade’s upbeat and energetic performance is one of the bigger highlights here. Angela is genuinely having fun being an evil menace in the sequel, fully embracing her status as the powerful demoness. There’s no conflicting emotions, or regrets about anything that happened in the previous film. She’s deep into the dark side, and Amelia Kinkade really brings her best as Angela again. 

The sequel features another solid cast of supporting characters, with distinct and unique personalities. Shirley Finnerty is a smart-ass and a bully, but it’s impossible to ignore Zoe Trilling’s charismatic presence. Trilling brings an arrogant swagger to Shirley, the fast talking rebel, who gets a kick out of breaking all the rules.

Jennifer Rhodes nearly steals the show as Sister Gloria. Playing a parodied version of the strict no nonsense nun, Rhodes brings a good amount of humor to Sister Gloria. The quick and witty comebacks, karate moves and swashbuckling with her trusty yard stick, and Sister Gloria has her own catchphrase (“Save a little room for the Holy Ghost”)! Sister Gloria is a disciplinarian, but she has a big heart, because Gloria truly cares about the kids at St. Rita’s Academy, especially Melissa. 

Kurt and Johnny share believable chemistry as two jocks and best buds. Kurt (also known as King Snake or Inch Worm) is more of an egomaniac, while Johnny is a bit more down-to-earth and levelheaded. Rick and Z-Boy? Two guys, who clearly peaked in high school. Rick Peters plays the cocky troublemaker, while Darin Heames’ Z-Boy is the goofy numbskull. Z-Boy tags along as Rick’s energetic idiot sidekick, and Heames adds more laughs to the movie with Z-Boy’s silly antics.  

Cristi Harris brings an earnest and wholesome presence to Bibi. Bibi is one of the good ones here, no doubts about it. Christine Taylor’s Terri is a few steps below Shirley for picking on Melissa and being a bully. Not as bad as Shirley, but it’s noticeable. 

Taylor plays a kid, who just wants to have fun, and there’s a nod to Taylor’s Brady Bunch days, when Rick jokingly calls her Marcia. Terri’s also the storyteller, similar to Max’s role in the previous film. She plays an important part, telling camp fire-esque tales building up Angela’s dark mystique, as the local ghoul. If you’re brave or stupid enough to go to Hull House, you’ll have to deal with Angela.   

Father Bob comes off as someone, who enjoys the smell of his own farts. Rod McCary is appropriately smug and pompous as Father Bob, a fool, who waits too long to drop his big ego.

Robert Jayne’s Perry is an important character, the nerdy and persistent fighter, who’s obsessed with demons and demonology. They really don’t take the time to explore it, or flesh things out, but Perry shares a bond with Melissa. They’re both outcasts and geeks, so of course Perry and Melissa have to deal with bullies. Jayne has his big moments during the battle at Hull House towards the end, and he’s easily one of the more entertaining characters to watch throughout the movie.

Melissa stabs Angela with her own sword! Melissa ironically standing up to Angela, her own sister, and the last bully she has to deal with really works a good triumphant moment for her.

Right before Melissa stabs her, Angela was urging (“NOW MOUSE!”) Melissa to kill Sister Gloria. But Melissa refuses, angrily telling Angela “My name is Melissa!” before she makes the big decision. Throughout the movie, Melissa gives that response anytime someone calls her Mouse. You’re waiting for that one moment, when Melissa strikes back with a more confident and aggressive tone. She was tired of being picked on, deceived, and pushed around. Melissa just wanted a normal relationship with her sister, because she was lonely, and Melissa genuinely missed Angela. 

Did I actually believe Melissa would kill Sister Gloria? No. I COULD buy into it happening, because during the home stretch, Melissa starts to trust Angela. She wants to be with her sister, she wants to feel strong and confident, and Melissa is tired of being treated like crap. Still, I didn’t believe Melissa would actually murder Sister Gloria. 

A solid and overall satisfying finale with a feel-good ending. The fight with the big snake demon version of Angela? Truly a freaky visual to witness, and it’s a good surprise after Angela is seemingly defeated during the botched ritual sacrifice.

Following in the footsteps of its predecessor, Night Of The Demons 2 delivers more exceptional makeup and practical effects. Evil, menacing boobs, big puddles of wet, bubbly, and sticky gore, and the “How’s about a smile, sis?” scene with Angela and Melissa? Nasty stuff. The demon version of Kurt playing basketball and using his own head as the ball, only to reattach it to himself and attack Johnny brought a good laugh out of me. Snake demon Angela looks AMAZING. There’s no denying it. They really nailed everything, including picture-perfect snake movements and mannerisms, and Angela’s grotesque appearance in that form. 

Hull House is still spooky. If we’re comparing Hull House to the original, it’s more spruced up, and who knows, maybe Angela’s been busy making some changes around the house, because why are the bed sheets so neat and clean? But Hull House is a dangerous place. You don’t want to find yourself stranded there, without any help, and that’s what’s important.

Night Of The Demons 2 is a few steps below the original. I don’t understand why they used footage from the original. Perry is about to attack, and here comes Angela! The problem is, you can clearly see it’s footage from the 1988 film, where Angela is menacingly floating down the hallway. I’m guessing something happened? Maybe they had to add this in during post-production for some reason. It’s a weird moment that throws everything off during a frenetic series of events, because the footage doesn’t synch up with Perry’s struggle to deliver a counterattack to Angela. 

But Night Of The Demons 2 is still a damn good follow up sequel. Effort! That’s one of the reasons why I still love this one. It’s not a lazy sequel at all. Angela is more established and confident as the main villain in the series, showing off her powers, how dominant she is, and Angela has a sword! We’re introduced to Angela’s sister, who plays a fantastic protagonist, and it’s revealed Angela and Melissa’s parents committed suicide after receiving a creepy Halloween card, signed by Angela. 

There’s a strong effort to push the story forward, but they still managed to maintain some continuity from the original. Keeping the underground stream surrounding Hull House that acts as a barrier for demons was an important factor. Although, the carnage is not limited to Hull House, because they used a clever trick to give a logical reason for Angela’s escape. A conveyance (that pesky tube of lipstick) protects Angela on her way to St. Rita’s Academy, and that’s when all hell breaks loose! A demented Angela and her minions running around outside of Hull House brings all the chaos you’d expect. Good stuff.

Religion, demonology, and a Catholic boarding school? Good versus evil, faith versus the temptation to join the dark side. Adding religious elements and occultism to the story puts more meat on the bones for Night Of The Demons 2. The chapel at St. Rita’s Academy is used a safe house, when Angela attacks. And what’s the most powerful weapon that’s capable of defeating Angela (the sunlight burns into the shape of a cross on her chest before the snake demon version of Angela explodes), a threatening and unstoppable force of evil? Faith.

Night Of The Demons 2 easily has the best opening in the series. Two door-to-door Jehovah’s Witnesses feel the need to visit Hull House. They’re eventually cornered by Angela, and you can probably guess what happens next. You just have to laugh at these two smiling Jehovah’s Witnesses, walking up to an abandoned creepy old funeral home with a big no trespassing sign on the front door. Sure, let’s stay optimistic, because nothing bad will happen, and there’s nothing weird about a lady living inside an abandoned house!

Cheesy, consistent laughs, fun gags (a talking head in a toilet), and A LOT of gross-out moments. Night Of The Demons 2 is loaded with more gore, nudity, sexual innuendos, Amelia Kinkade is still sharp as Angela, and moving the story outside of Hull House was a refreshing change. It’s a bit more silly and whackier than the original, complete with Super Soakers and water balloons filled with holy water. But you have to remember, Night Of The Demons 2 is a horror comedy about horny teenagers suffering the consequences of their stupid choices. If you’ve never seen it, Night Of The Demons 2 is definitely worth checking out, if you want to know where the story goes next.

I honestly wish they would’ve found a way to work Melissa into the story for Night Of The Demons 3. Maybe an older version of her? Melissa could’ve worked as a big surprise return, someone who survived Hull House and Angela. She has firsthand knowledge on how to fight her sister, and Melissa still had some mileage as a character in the series.

Rating- 7/10

Character Spotlight- Melissa "Mouse" Franklin- Merle Kennedy- Night Of The Demons 2 (1994)

**This post contains spoilers**

Angela Franklin's (Amelia Kinkade) sister is a real troublemaker, right? A real hell-raiser, someone, who's not afraid of trouble, or danger! Well, if that's what you're expecting from the younger sister of the demon villainess, then you're in for a big surprise.

Melissa Franklin (Merle Kennedy) is not a rebel, a free spirit, or a loose cannon. She's a geeky outcast at St. Rita's Academy (a Catholic school for troubled teenagers), and to make matters worse, Melissa is the primary target for Shirley Finnerty's (Zoe Trilling) wrath. Melissa trusts Bibi (Cristi Harris) as her best friend on campus, and Sister Gloria (Jennifer Rhodes) plays the role of a watchful protector for Melissa, but Shirley devises a plan with her boyfriend Rick (Rick Peters), and Rick's best friend, Z-boy (Darin Heames) to lure Melissa into a devious prank/trap.

Terri (Christine Taylor) is a proud member of the "Bullying Melissa brigade," but after a reassuring seal of approval from Bibi, Melissa accepts Shirley's invitation to a special Halloween party. Johnny (Johnny Moran) is looking for a romantic night with Bibi, so he joins the party, and Johnny's best friend, Kurt (Ladd York) follows the group for spooky fun. The big surprise for Melissa? The party is at Hull House, the home of Angela's disastrous Halloween party. The sight of her sister's final resting place sends Melissa into a panic, but Z-boy (wearing a Halloween a mask) forces Melissa into the house after a surprise scare.

Perry (Robert Jane, credited as Bobby Jacoby) uses his rich knowledge of demonology to lend a helping hand, but a suspicious Sister Gloria is running out of time, and an inept Father Bob's (Rob McCary) arrogance complicates any plans for an immediate rescue mission. Melissa is on a collision course for a deadly reunion with her demonic sister, and the situation takes a bizarre turn for the worst, when Angela uses a tube of lipstick as vessel to crash the Halloween part at St. Rita's Academy.

Mouse? It's a suitable nickname for Angela's little sister. She's tiny and soft spoken, but Melissa  has a "MY NAME IS!" moment during the big finale (more on that later). It's easy to feel sympathy for Melissa, because she's a lonely outcast. Melissa receives support from Bibi, Perry, and Sister Gloria, but Shirley and her minions launch an attack to make Melissa's life a living hell.

For me, the relationship between Angela and Melissa is the major highlight in Night Of The Demons 2. Why? Because Night Of The Demons 2 puts a noticeable amount of effort into Melissa's backstory. More often than not, low budget horror sequels take the lazy approach to capitalize off of the name value from a successful or praised original, and the end result is a cheap and forgettable knock-off, with a shabby story and a terrible cast.

Anyway, at St. Rita's Academy, the sight of Angela frightens Melissa (for obvious reasons), but Angela reassures Melissa with a hug (luckily, Angela's hug obstructed Melissa's view of Angela's demonized face). Melissa wants to believe in Angela's promise for a second chance at a happy relationship with her big sister. Technically, Angela is the only living family member in Melissa's life, because Angela and Melissa's parents committed suicide after the horrifying sight of a special Halloween card from Angela.

Angela uses her powers, and her demonized followers (Shirley, Z-boy, and Rick) to eliminate members of the rescue team (Father Bob and Perry). In the end, Sister Gloria, Johnny, and Bibi are the remaining survivors in the fight to save Melissa.

Sister Gloria goads Angela into trading places with Melissa on her death bed. Angela pushes Melissa to murder Sister Gloria with her sword (still one of my biggest pet peeves for 2, because they never explained the origins for the sword). If Melissa murders Sister Gloria, Angela will complete her mission to demonize Melissa with evil powers.  Melissa flashes a devilish smile, while an antsy Angela pushes Melissa to finish off Sister Gloria.

"NOW MOUSE!!!" That's one of Angela's final warnings to Melissa. Melissa's retaliation? "MY NAME IS MELISSA!!!" Melissa turns the tables on Angela with a hard stab to the gut, and Sister Gloria reduces Angela to a gooey puddle with some help from a super soaker (with holy water as the secret ingredient). Of course, Angela returns as a giant snake during sunrise.......and after her "demise," she returns as a snake inside a tube of lipstick to close out the movie.

Melissa Franklin is a memorable character in the Night Of The Demons franchise. Merle Kennedy provides a handful of laughs, and she's a front-runner for the best performance in the sequel. It's an impressive feat, when you consider a returning Amelia Kinkade in top form, as a darker and more confident version of Angela, and Jennifer Rhodes' hilarious parody performance as a strict nun.

Unfortunately, Melissa is a one and done deal for Night Of The Demons. It's a shame, because a storyline for a returning Melissa in Night Of The Demons 3 is loaded with potential. Imagine the possibilities. Melissa returns for a little sister vs big sister showdown at Hull House, and you can't rule out the possibility of Angela using her sword. But it's all in the past now, and we'll never know.....

If you're interested, you can follow this link to read my spoiler review for Night Of The Demons 2-

http://mitchmacready.blogspot.com/2012/11/night-of-demons-1994.html

Night Of The Demons 2 (1994)

(This is a trailer for NOTD 2. The title is just different, that's all)

The Story

It’s been six years since the infamous Hull House massacre. Presumably, Judy and Roger were the only living survivors from Angela’s Halloween party. The cops recovered the remains of the dead teens, but they couldn’t find one person…Angela. Most people believe Angela descended into hell. Here, her powers grew stronger, and the evil villainess still lurks inside the abandoned funeral home. After the party, Angela’s parents received a Halloween card, but this wasn’t a normal Halloween card. The card was covered in blood and dead bugs, and this card included Angela’s signature. The shock was too much to handle, and Angela’s parents committed suicide.

One day, two unsuspecting door-to-door Jehovah’s Witnesses visit Hull House. The door mysteriously opens by itself, and Angela greets the duo. Noticing their creepy surroundings, Albert and Linda quickly refuse a simple offer for a slice of cake. They try to escape, but Angela slaughters both of them with a sword.

Before I continue, I have to point out the stupidity of Angela’s visitors. You willingly walk into an abandoned funeral home after the door opens by itself. Then, you trust this strange woman in a black wedding dress? Seriously? You have to see it to believe it:

Anyway, St. Rita’s Academy is a Catholic boarding school for teens. Now an orphan, Angela’s younger and nerdy sister, Melissa (or “Mouse”) is constantly picked on and bullied as a student. Her best friend, Bibi tries to provide some comfort, but Bibi’s friend, Terri (or Teresa) isn’t so understanding. Shirley Finnerty is a rebellious bully, and torturing Melissa becomes her number one priority. The strict head nun, Sister Gloria tries to protect Melissa, but Shirley devises the ultimate prank.

Johnny and Kurt are best friends. Johnny has the hots for Bibi, and Kurt is seduced by Shirley. With their help, Shirley tricks Bibi into inviting Melissa to a “Halloween party” at Hull House. Rick and Z-Boy are Shirley’s trusted cronies. They help set up the prank, but when they catch Angela’s attention, the group runs into some unexpected trouble. Z-Boy disappears, and using a tube of lipstick as a conveyance to protect her from the underground stream, Angela secretly escapes Hull House.

Back at St. Rita’s Academy, Angela possesses Shirley. Perry is a geeky student, who is obsessed with demonology. He tries to offer his help, and while Perry is able to convince Sister Gloria, the naive Father Bob refuses to buy into the story of a demon attack. Tempted by an offer to reunite with her demonized sister, Melissa leaves St. Rita’s Academy, and she follows Angela to Hull House. Sister Gloria, Perry, Bibi, Johnny, and a reluctant Father Bob try to rescue Melissa from a planned sacrifice, but they will have to fight off Angela’s possessed victims, and evade the deadly traps of Hull House.

Character Rundown

Melissa Franklin/Mouse (Merle Kennedy)- Melissa is a shy and jumpy geek, and you’ll quickly be able to see why she earned the nickname “Mouse.” Melissa is forced to live the lifestyle of an outcast. Melissa is Shirley’s number one target, and Terri takes her fair share of shots at her. It’s easy to feel sympathy for Melissa, because she endures some pretty rough hazing throughout this film. Also, Melissa’s parents are dead, and her long-lost sister is a sneaky and evil demon. When it comes to acting, Kennedy actually outshines Kinkade in this film. She provides a few laughs every now and then, and Kennedy is very convincing as Melissa.

Angela Franklin (Amelia Kinkade)- Angela is more confident in this film. She’s wickedly evil, and for some unexplainable reason, Angela uses a sword as a weapon here. Her powers are stronger, and Kinkade did bring a very believable devious side to this character.

Sister Gloria (Jennifer Rhodes)- Rhodes provides a hilarious parody performance of a strict, no-nonsense nun. Sister Gloria tries to protect Melissa from any bullying, and she becomes a leader in the fight against Angela and her minions during the final showdown. Rhodes delivers the majority of laughs, and Sister Gloria is one of the more entertaining characters in this franchise.

Bibi (Cristi Harris)-Bibi is hot, but unlike Shirley, it’s not in a slutty way. Cristi Harris brings a strong sense of innocence to this character. In a lot of ways, Bibi is Melissa’s REAL big sister, and Harris’ performance is enjoyable.

Shirley Finnerty (Zoe Trilling)- She’s a trashy skank. Sorry, but this is the best way to describe Ms. Finnerty. Shirley is nothing more than a petty bully, and her 50’s hipster persona is kind of annoying. Shirley is a rebel, but she’s not a cool anti-hero, because her character is too unlikable. Trilling is decent enough on the acting side of things, but her body is the main attraction for this film. In her demonized form, Shirley’s breasts become deadly weapons. Shirley provides one of the most gruesome and bizarre kills in this series, but when Trilling transforms into a demon, she loses her sex appeal. The loss of sex appeal kills any interest in Shirley, because Trilling’s acting skills (or lack there of) can’t save this character.

Johnny (Johnny Moran)- Johnny is kind of goofy. Moran is supposed to be this pretty boy/jock, but this character is a klutz at times. His “karate moves” aren’t suppose to be taken seriously, but Johnny is just like a chicken with its head cut off throughout this film. Moran is funny, but the Johnny character sends out too many mixed signals.

Kurt (Ladd York)- Kurt is a brainless meathead. Kurt fits the profile of the popular guy/alpha male in high school. He’s good at sports, the women like him, and he’s a bit of a bully. York is believable, but he’s more entertaining as a demon. Eventually, he develops a dark sense of humor, and Kurt’s brief screen time as a beheaded demon provides a few cheap laughs.

Father Bob (Rod McCary)- McCary really nails this character, and Father Bob is an ass. Father Bob is inept and arrogant, and he almost ruins Melissa’s rescue mission.

Perry (Robert Jane, credited as Bobby Jacoby)- Perry is obsessed with demons, and he is determined to prove Father Bob wrong. Perry is a geek, so of course, Kurt sees an easy target for bullying. Jane’s performance is quirky and funny, and Perry shows some bravery towards the end.

Terri/Teresa (Christine Taylor)- Terri is just a hot blonde. She’s a mean girl, who occasionally joins the “let’s pick on Melissa” gang. Taylor is good eye candy, but towards the end of the film, her character just disappears. She becomes a demon, tries to kill or possess (it‘s hard to tell) Bibi and then poof, she’s gone. But Taylor’s disappearance didn’t bother me, because in the grand scheme of things, her character is pretty irrelevant.

Rick (Rick Peters)- Rick is supposed to be Shirley’s boyfriend, but nothing is confirmed. As far as relationships go, Shirley never shows any sort of true allegiance to her male friends in this film. Anyway, Rick is a loser. He’s one of Shirley’s cronies, and Rick is the type of guy, who dropped out of high school, and never moved on with his life. Peters’ ego is believable, but in the end, Rick is just a douchebag.

Z-Boy (Darin Heames)- As far as personality goes, Z-Boy is just a goofy version of Rick (minus the ego), and he’s another one of Shirley’s cronies. Heames is a comedy character, and he has a few funny moments. He’s one of the bad guys, but they do take a lighthearted approach towards this character.

Who's Behind The Camera?

Brian Trenchard-Smith is the director for Night Of The Demons 2. Trenchard-Smith provides some spooky atmospherics. The gore is more graphic, and the bloody kills are pretty gruesome. Trenchard-Smith delivers brutal violence, but his comical approach adds some necessary humor during the grotesque moments in this film. Overall, Trenchard-Smith was the right choice for director. His style might feel pretty basic most of the time, but Trenchard-Smith is the second best director in this franchise (Tenney is still #1).

My Overall Thoughts

Joe Augustyn returns to write the script, and James Penzi helped with the story. Night Of The Demons 1988 provided a good balance of laughs and spooky horror, but Night Of The Demons 2 is more comedy driven. Humor triumphs over horror here, but I can’t complain too much, because the jokes are still funny. You can sense Augustyn’s campy humor, and Augustyn’s return really helps the screenplay. After all, Augstyn did create the original story, so he knows what it takes to produce the right blueprint for any Night Of The Demons film.

The demons aren’t unstoppable, because the survivors have a dangerous weapon this time around: Holy water.

Yeah, it’s simple, but the holy water is effective. The holy water is a refreshing addition to this film, because it gives the survivors a fighting chance. In the previous film, the survivors spend a lot of time running from demon attacks, because they can’t find any weaknesses.

As I said before, Night Of The Demons 2 puts more focus on comedy. Water balloons and super soakers are used as weapons, and Sister Gloria becomes a swashbuckler, but instead of a sword, she uses long rulers. But Night Of The Demons 2 isn’t a horrible film. They just decided to take a different approach here, and I enjoy most of the changes. The introduction of holy water gives the survivors a weapon, so you don’t have to sit through a bunch of chase scenes. Bibi and Shirley show some skin, but as far as nudity goes, you won‘t see any major changes between Night Of The Demons 2 and the original.

They tried to recreate Angela’s dance scene from the first film, but the second attempt just falls flat. The music played a big part in Angela’s dance scene from Night Of Demons, but in Night Of The Demons 2, Angela dances to this awful generic rock music. And to top it off, she inexplicably pours a bowl of punch on herself. Angela’s dance scene from Night Of The Demons 2 provides a jaw-dropping moment, but not for good reasons, though.

Oh, and I can’t get over Angela’s sword. Angela’s sword is a deadly weapon, but we don’t know where it came from, or who gave it to her. The sword gives Angela a bad-ass edge, and she’s a lot more dangerous with this weapon. Still, when it comes to the origins of the sword, the audience has to assume everything. Sorry, but this important detail really bothers me.

Unlike the 1988 original, Night Of The Demons 2 wasn’t a theatrical release. This was a straight-to-video film, but Night Of The Demons 2 doesn’t feel like a straight-to-video release. The awful CGI snake at the very end is the only downside for the special effects, because the production values are noticeably better. And unlike most straight-to-video horror films, Night Of The Demons 2 isn’t held down by shitty acting.

Night Of The Demons 2 is a respectable follow up to the 1988 original. The story maintains continuity, and they did a good job of building up Angela’s character. Angela Franklin is a dark and evil legend, and Terri’s stories/explanations of her past provide the essential mystique.

As far as quality goes, it’s a step down, but if you enjoyed the first film in this series, Night Of The Demons 2 should provide some entertainment for you. Merle Kennedy is fantastic as Melissa, Amelia Kinkade is still sharp as Angela, Christi Harris and Jennifer Rhodes provide a few good performances, and the rest of the cast is solid. Night Of The Demons 2 is gory, funny, and yes, this film is scary at times.

Along with the original and the 2009 remake, Night Of The Demons 2 provides plenty of rewatch value for me. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same thing about Night Of The Demons 3.

Final Rating: 7/10