Oct 022003
In this second sequel to Re-Animator, Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs), in jail since the last film, is still secretly carrying out his research. He believes he has found a way to return reason to the corpses he re-animates. When a new prison doctor (Jason Barry) brings some of West’s old reagent into the prison, it’s time to start bringing the dead to life.
Quick Review: I can’t help wondering what the charge was against West. I doubt that there is a law on the books against making zombies.
This lackluster sequel is still better than most horror films. Jeffrey Combs is excellent a third time but most everything else is a shadow. Jason Barry’s Dr. Howard Phillips, West’s new assistant, is a non-entity. The new villain, an evil Warden, feels like he belongs in a Rocky & Bullwinkle cartoon. There is nothing special to be seen, nothing to shock. Some of the zombies look great, but great looking zombies aren’t enough to stand with Re-Animator. Jeffrey Combs is enough for it to stand with, and above, most zombie pictures.