Theatrical Poster
After the events that took place in the previous Laid to Rest installment, the mask-wearing psycho ChromeSkull (Nick Principe) is left for dead in a pool of blood on the floor of a convenient store and to the scrutiny of local police. Before anything can be investigated though a mysterious recovery team, lead by the ruthless Preston (Brian Austin Green), arrives at the location to eliminate law enforcement, stabilize ChromeSkull and sanitize the crime scene.
Rushed into surgery at a top secret facility, the team do their best to reconstruct the horrific remnants of ChromeSkull’s face while Preston tracks down the last remaining loose ends and witnesses to the massacre, “The Girl” (now played by Allison Kyler) and Tommy (Thomas Dekker). Instead of praising him for a job well done, ChromeSkull is outraged to discover that Preston has tracked down “The Girl” and mutilated her, leaving Tommy alive and in the hands of police.
With a replacement victim presented to ChromeSkull by loyal team member Spann (Danielle Harris), the hunt resumes but with tensions rising between the silent monster and the ambitious Preston, an epic battle for control of the organization looms on the horizon. Can ChromeSkull maintain control, even in his weakened state, or does the mask demand a new man to don it?
When word got around that director Robert Hall would be making a sequel (and possible prequel) to Laid to Rest, I must admit that I was quite excited. I’m not at all a slasher film fan, truth be told I dislike the subgenre as a whole, but Laid to Rest really put a smile on my face. The lead actress was gorgeous, the FX was innovative and disturbing and the antagonist (Chromeskull) was one of most creative and visually impressive characters I’d seen since Scott Glosserman’s Leslie Vernon (Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon). There certainly was enough positive about the first to warrant a sequel but could Hall maintain the quality, that was the real question.
In my opinion the FX was still just as gruesome and original as the first and the sequel’s story expanded on the concept in surprising and unexpected ways, giving us just enough to keep us on the hook in anticipation for the prequel, but the acting quality did appear to take a hit. Performances from Principe, Austin Green, Harris and Michaels were quite good but this installment seemed to be a bit of a step step down in the casting department. Certainly the first film benefited from the presence of talented actors like Bobbi Sue Luther, Kevin Gage, Lena Headey, Sean Whalen, Johnathon Schaech, Thomas Dekker and Richard Lynch but it probably had a bit more budget to play with as well.
ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2 was original and entertaining; the kind of production any slasher film fan would be proud to add to his/her collection. Would I own it? Absolutely, I’m hooked. I don’t want folks thinking this is the second coming of horror or anything, because it isn’t, but it does the job and it does it right. In the end I enjoyed this film and am still just as eager to see the prequel and learn more about ChromeSkull and the organization. Check it out.
still need to see this bitch . thanx B.