Skeleton Key 2: 667 Neighbor of the Beast
Directed by John Johnson
Brain Damage Films

Although I haven't seen the original Skeleton Key, this sequel has kicked me in the nuts, slapped me across the face, and in essence tore me a new one. Damn it feels good though. This is the type of movie that borders between absurdity and genius. The gags come frequently and the cast pulls the comedy off with timing and a panache hardly seen in low budget filmmaking. Is this a stupid movie? Absolutely and you'll love every ridiculous minute of it.

Trying to put the plot of the film into words is a very daunting task. I'm missing some of the back story but it is easy enough to pick up a good idea of what happened in the first film. Let's just say that everything from vampires to zombies to even leprechauns are thrown at you. Throw in lesbians, a few musical numbers and a giant CG robot and you have a film that treats your eyeballs to a visual feast of ridiculous proportions. The main plot of the movie revolves around Harvey, a tabloid journalist returning to Nilbog to save his captured photographer. Nilbog just happens to be infested with oddly colored zombies and a house filled with scantily clad, large breasted virgins. If that isn't a golden plot twist, I don't know what is.

Inside jokes and movie references are littered throughout the entire movie. Obviously Nilbog is a reference to the town in Troll 2 and you have homages to Back to the Future, Ghostbusters and Once Upon the Time in the West. What really works with this movie is the fact that all of these moments don't seem forced and are extremely hilarious. Low budget films that attempt humor sometimes fall completely flat on their face, this is definitely not one of those cases. This is ridiculously funny and if the songs don't have you rolling on the floor laughing you definitely need to lighten up and enjoy life a little.

This is a slick and cinematic effort that certainly has a low budget sheen, but it still looks quite good. The colors are rich and the lighting is always well done. The zombies are painted a bright blue and not only is it an original look, but it shows off how clear the colors are. Even the dark scenes are razor sharp and are thankfully missing the grain that plagues low budget movies during the dark scenes. So no matter how ridiculous the image is on the screen, it is crystal clear and easy on the eyeballs.

The sound in low budget movies has a tendency to be dismal as well. There's nothing more distracting when characters are talking and you have to strain over the sound of wind to hear what they are saying. This movie has an excellent sound mix and has a clear powerful sound. The musical numbers sound phenomenal and while certain cast members aren't as good as singers as others, the powerful sound makes these sequences really work.

Skeleton Key 2 is a film that manages to be successful in pretty much every avenue it pursues. It's hilarious, sexy, and gory embracing the cliches of the genre and laughing right along with the audience. Don't miss out on this one.

http://www.braindamagefilms.com