Review of The Fly II (1989) by Scott S — 04 Jun 2010
The Fly II (1989) -- [8.0] -- As unnecessary sequels go, "The Fly II" is far, far better than it has any right to be. I think the fact that "Shawshank Redemption" director Frank Darabont cowrote the screenplay has something to do with it.
The film is more of a standard monster movie than Cronenberg's 1986 version, especially after the mid-point, where director Chris Walas allows the film to morph into a an all-out, balls-to-the-wall, kick-ass creature feature.
But "The Fly II" doesn't completely shy away from the material's psychological underpinnings. In fact, there are a couple of scenes in this movie that will haunt me for the rest of my days.
It's bad enough when a botched experiment leaves a dog mangled and deformed, but how about when Eric Stoltz later discovers his old pet is still alive, living in a dungeon, barely able to lick food out of its bowl.
It's heartbreaking to watch the dog, which looks like living road kill, start to wag its tail and whimper upon sight of its old human friend. And even more heartbreaking when Stoltz ends its pain.
Christopher Young delivers another of his sublime melancholy scores, and Lee Richardson is good as the dark father figure of the film's gothic narrative.
This review of The Fly II (1989) was written by Scott S on 04 Jun 2010.
The Fly II has generally received mixed reviews.
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