Abomination: Evilmaker 2

There's nothing like watching the sequel of an unseen original to test the power of assumption and stretch the limits of imagination. And you know the old saying about when someone assumes…hmmmm. I'm not sure exactly what I might have missed in the original EVILMAKER, which might have been a very good film, but I can say I was more teased than pleased with the results of this sequel.

Film begins solidly with our lead character Kathy (Kylene Wetherell) arriving alone at a house in the woods. Through Kathy's black and white flashbacks/psychic visions (great footage from first EVILMAKER?) it's gleamed that a group of four women, including her sister Rachel, end up at a place in the woods that turns out to be a "house of evil". Led by the Goth-esque member of the foursome, Rachel, played by Felicia Pandolfi, Rachel starts to feel the evil vibe. Even though she is the one who led them there, she tries to get them to leave, but by then staying seems like their best alternative. Through more intriguing flashes an unexplained evil preys upon the minds of the women. Betrayals are revealed, then murder and mayhem ensue. When all is said and done only one of the women survives the house, found wandering miles down the road. She later commits suicide. The mystery of what happened still remains, with Kathy and the cop who lost his badge during the original investigation, Charles, (Jon Wilmot) both haunted by nightmares/ visions. There's really no choice but to return to the house and use the bond Kathy had/has with her dead sister try to figure out what really happened.

The best scenes in the film occur when the lights go out, the screen goes completely black and the viewer is left wondering what's happening and what might be lurking in the dark. The film could have used a bit more atmosphere and mood. A strong positive is Steve Session's music but alone strains to carry the complete burden of anxious anticipation and dread. John Bowker's writing seems a little muddled as he tries to juggle haunted house and evil house ideas. There are interesting moments, but it's almost like Mr. Bowker didn't allow himself enough "boo" material to shoot. The acting is o.k. with the bright spot being Ms. Pandolfi as Rachel, who plays the split roles of good and evil with playful glee.

A few things subtract from the film's potential. Much of the action takes place is a small, charming looking house, which (a) doesn't set much of a creepy tone for a place of evil and (b) severely limits the area for interaction amongst the characters. Characters are often knocked unconscious or grabbed out of frame only to wake later with no furthering of the story. Also, with Rachel being both good and evil, alive and dead…it was a bit confusing. And there is a point in the story where one character kills a loved one but the lack of emotional response dulls what could have been a very powerful moment.

A viewer not seeing the first film could be at a huge disadvantage. By the time the film reaches it's conclusion, there's not a strong sense of what journey the characters had really taken emotionally, physically or spiritually. The possible result of a nearly forgotten, under-played event rears its head at the end. The film's final end beat might lead a viewer to anticipate a possible continuation of the story in another installment.

ABOMINATION: EVILMAKER 2, based on its intriguing black and white pre-opening title sequence, could certainly leave viewers wondering what goodies they might have missed in the first film. Perhaps a case of the appetizer overshadowing the entrée?