Jeepers Creepers 2

While it was hardly a masterpiece in any man's language, Jeepers Creepers (2001) was a crisp, effective thriller for its first hour or so. Two kids on a desolate stretch of highway being chased down by an unseen foe might not have been the most original premise, but writer-director Victor Salvas lent proceedings a sense of urgency with his hard-edged old fashioned approach which only faltered when the identity of the kids' tormentor was revealed. In the inevitable sequel, he doesn't even have the advantage of concealing his villain's identity in this slasher-by-numbers fare which fails to register much of an impact or advance the genre in any deliberate fashion.

The set up is simple: As you may recall from the first movie, the Creeper (Jonathan Breck) emerges from hibernation every 23 years for 23 days in which he "feasts" (rough translation: kills nubile teens). Set a few days after the events of the first movie, the Creeper is coming to the end of his eating period and quite likes the look of a busload of basketball players and cheerleaders as his last supper. Throw in a vengeful father whose son acted as an appetizer for El Creepo and you've got a movie in which the primary characters seem to be death, destruction and general disorder.

Which would be a rather hearty recommendation if Jeepers Creepers 2 was executed (sorry, couldn't resist) with any sense of decorum, humour or self-awareness. Unlike the first movie, Salvas has nothing left in the tank in the way of shocks and the movie grinds along, showing about as much willingness to take risks as an accountant. If you've seen the gruesome murder of one lithe teen, you've pretty much seen 'em all.