Phantasm II is a great follow up to the original. We see the characters we know and love in a new situation and context, the plot is more layered and eventful and the horror is more effective.

After leaving psychiatric care, a mature Mike continues his investigation of the Tall Man’s activity, convincing his life-long friend Reggie to join him. The two hit the road and try to track down the Tall Man and kill him. Meanwhile, Liz, a young woman who has a psychic connection to both Mike and the Tall Man, begins to discover the reason behind her link to the two men as she meets them in the flesh.

The Characters

Phantasm II makes the first film worth watching for a number of reasons, the characters being one of them. The first film established them, giving us an idea of what normality is to them. Now in Phantasm II, we see how the events of the first film have affected them. Mike has spent several years in a mental institution as his memories of the first film have been interpreted as delusion. Following his release, he can’t help but still be convinced of the Tall Man’s existence. Reggie wants nothing but to help Mike recover and continue their lives but his friend’s investigation pulls him into a world that forces him to fight and abandon his old life. Seeing these men try to outwit the Tall Man, fighting his countless forces, knowing that they might not survive is compelling and emotional to watch.

The supporting characters are great as well, especially Father Meyers, the priest in Liz’s town. He has witnessed the Tall Man’s resurrections of the dead, causing him to doubt his faith and turn to alcohol for comfort. He’s the most intense character as he tries to fight the Tall Man using his own methods and convictions.

The same cannot be said about Liz however. Even though she has a similarly interesting backstory to Reggie and Mike, having lost her grandparents to the Tall Man, she’s a pretty inactive and boring character. She begins to form a pretty corny relationship with Mike as they’re not together for long and have unconvincing chemistry. Her psychic link to Mike and the Tall Man, while a good idea, doesn’t get a lot of attention or exploration.

Apart from her, the characters in Phantasm II are more fun, relatable and complex than those in the original.

The Plot

My main criticism of the first Phantasm was its slow pacing. Phantasm II doesn’t suffer from that issue at all. The plot is a fast-paced, action-packed road trip reminiscent of one from a Mad Max film. While tracking the Tall Man, Mike and Reggie have to make constant stops as they encounter hitchhikers, abandoned towns and traps left by the Tall Man, all the while Mike receives psychic visions and messages from Liz.

The action is also a great improvement compared to that in the original. There are many cool and intense sequences throughout the film involving exploding houses, chainsaw fights, car chases, hordes of dwarves and a four-barrel shotgun.

In addition to the fast pace and action, the plot provides a wider scope than the original. As Mike and Reggie make their numerous stops, we learn that the Tall Man’s activity has spread throughout the states, overwhelming small towns and leaving them desolate. He’s done this to countless towns and the film suggests that his campaign will spread further, through the whole country and potentially the planet.

The Horror

I compared the horror of the original to the 1990 It miniseries as it was mostly creepy and occasionally humorous. The horror of Phantasm II however relies more on gore and body horror, which while not as subtle and timeless as some of the horror in the first Phantasm, is still fun to watch.

The film’s best and only example of body horror occurs shortly after Mike and Reggie begin their journey as they encounter one of the Tall Man’s ‘calling cards’. I don’t want to spoil it but I will say it’s creepy and quite well done. The gore scenes are more fun and disgusting, similar in tone and style as the Evil Dead films. There’s a classic sphere kill just like in the original as well as a really bloody and graphic scene involving a new golden sphere.

The Tall Man is presented as more menacing than his appearance in the original. No grumpy over-the-top expressions appear on his exterior, just cold sadistic looks and stares. In this film the Tall Man comes across as a lot more alien and god-like, a disturbing quality that this film and the ones that follow expand on and embrace.

Overall, Phantasm II is one of the best in the series in my opinion with its better written characters, more compelling plot and fantastic gore.

I give Phantasm II a brilliant 7 out of 10.

Keep your eyes on Duffhood as we look at the next instalment in the series, Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead.