HoopTober 8: Mosquito Takes Mandragon

Movie 15
The worst Part 2 that you haven't seen and can access. 1st of 2 films

A slight cheat on this rule because I know there are far worse rated horror sequels out there than this one, but I have owned it on blu-ray for ages and I need an excuse to actually watch it.

However, this is certainly a sequel that no one seems to like much at all. Granted, my expectations were very low but... I have to say, I just enjoyed the hell out of this movie.

I know how derivative it is - particularly of this era in horror - it really does conform to many of those aughts horror tropes (nu-metal soundtrack, lots of silly blurry / sped-up camera effects on the ghosts, overtly obnoxious characters, etc, etc). And of course the black guy dies first (honestly, I'm a passionate defender of horror of all kinds but this has been a shameful fucking habit of the genre for so long!).

But some of those painfully "of-their-time" elements are honestly endearing for me now. Have you ever noticed how about ten years after a trend has been outdated, it's like everyone is contemptuous and almost resentful of it because we have to show how much we've moved on, but give it another 5 or 10 years and it becomes quaint and lovable? OK, maybe not many are there with me yet on feeling indulgent about mid-aughts horror films, but you'll see it my way in, oh, about 3 years max, I reckon.

But come on, this movie is just fucking fun! For a start, it takes a hell of a stinker to ruin any kind of movie with a ragtag group of characters wandering around a huge spooky house getting offed unpleasantly one by one. And I truly admire Return to House on Haunted Hill's commitment to go for full-bore R-rated beats - these kills are imaginative, nasty, very gory (and executed with mainly practical effects) and plentiful. And we even get some gratuitously naked sexy ghost chicks at one point. I mean, what's not to love, exactly?

And then who's playing the ghost of the insane asylum director - the head honcho spook - with the utmost hamminess and scenery chewing zeal? None other than Jeffrey Combs himself - one the genre's true legends.

For all its shortcomings, and none of those should matter for anyone who just wants to enjoy a silly but entertaining horror film, I thought this movie was a genuinely good time. My advice is don't let yourself get turned off by the terrible reviews - it's really fine if you're looking for the same sort of thing I was.