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Not as serious as the first part. More 80s kitsch, more graphic horror. It makes for a better film, because Coscarelli doesn't really have it in him to make a tense and/or frightening film. There are still some continuity errors and the actors are quite poor, but apart from that this sequel was a lot of fun.
Manages to muster up quite a decent atmosphere, but the actual horror bits are rather cheap and cheesy. It's always a bummer when the best moments in a horror film are the set-ups instead of the pay-offs. The mediocre acting doesn't help, but it's the poor creature designs and crappy effects that let Phantasm down.
If you're yearning for 80s cheesy, look no further. Coscarelli's film is pretty crummy, but at least it commits. It's cheesy fantasy and adventure from start to finish, with some light horror touches splattered throughout. It's not really my type of thing, but despite its longish runtime, it didn't bore me either. Dar was meant to be sacrificed by a dark wizard, but he was saved at the last minute by an old man. He raises Dar and teaches him to defend himself. Dar doesn't just grow up to be a fearsome man, he can also communicate and control animals. With the help of his trusted companions, he travels far to kill the wizard who had it out for him. There's quite a bit of unique lore here, which adds to the appeal. It's a shame Coscarelli didn't have the money to execute it properly. The performances are also terrible, the visuals are crap and the lead is way too silly. But dull it is not, and that also counts for something. People who love Conan-like fantasy will get something out of it for sure.Read all