agentorange [DVD News 02.09.10] movie review dvd horror



Year: 2009
Directors: Ti West
Writers: Joshua Malkin / Randy Pearlstein / Ti West
IMDB: link
Trailer: link
Amazon: link
Review by: agentorange
Rating: 6.7 out of 10

When Ti West publicly disowned Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever I was desperate to see the finished film. If Lionsgate, a studio known for staying OUT of their talents way, needed to re-cut it and change the ending then it must be a gong-show. Well, I don't know if I'm relieved or disappointed, but either Lionsgate fixed whatever was wrong with it, or Cabin Fever 2 was never the turkey West made out to be. Quite the opposite in fact.


Cabin Fever 2 is a fun and fast-paced, gross-out comedy with likable actors and an irresistible penchant for the juvenile. Easily as good as other recent films of its ilk (I'm thinking Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer and Dance of the Dead), the film is a deliriously goofy blend of Evil Dead and American Pie with just a dash of that retro charm that West pulls off so well.

The film starts at the exact moment Cabin Fever ended, though the story explosively (and hilariously) segues into a completely new locale - a typical American high school:



The Cavesingers' “Dancin’ on Our Graves” opens the film over a nifty animated sequence. It's the eve of prom (isn't it always in these kinds of movies?) and male hormones are raging. Everyone's got a date except a few "nerds" who'd rather stay home and watch video nasties than participate in any kind of jock social event. Man, I can relate to that. But, when one of the dateless gets a girl, it sets off a chain reaction that brings every misfit in town to the prom. Unfortunately, the school's water supply has been infected by a horrible virus that turns its victims into festering sickies. Queue mass vomiting and puss-oozing penises.

It takes a while for the film to get truly insane, but once it does the gross-out factor is high and non-stop. I think there's a lesson about wearing a rubber in here somewhere, but any message gets lost between fights against overweight mutant lunch-ladies and buckets upon buckets of blood.

While enjoyable, the film is still far from perfect. It does start to feel cobbled together by the third act and you get the sense this is where Lionsgate exerted their influence. Also, the tone starts to turn away from comedy but still manages to stay upbeat and fun 'till the end (which apparently is also very different than what West wanted).



But anyway, back to the whole West vs. Lionsgate conspiracy. Maybe West is pissed because he wanted a chick to dance around with a Walkman on and eat pizza for 25 minutes and then Lionsgate put the kibosh to it and hurt his sense of artistic integrity. Either way, Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever is fine as is and delivers on its promise to be a sequel that's completely different from Eli Roth's source material. Perhaps Cabin Fever enthusiasts will disagree, but for me the film was solid fun and solidified my interest in West, because it showed him as a versatile director capable of handling many styles and tones. Honestly, it's too bad he's nowhere on the bonus features of the DVD, because a commentary with him bashing his own movie and explaining in detail what happened along the way would have been as entertaining as the movie.

Cabin Fever 2: Sping Fever is out on DVD February 16, 2010.

Kurt (1 year ago) Reply

"is a fun and fast-paced, gross-out comedy with likable actors and an irresistible penchant for the juvenile"

This is exactly why i LIKE all of Eli Roth's horror movies. They play as very likeable black-comedies! Yes, I'm serious. And Now I want to see CF2. Thanks Q.E.!

Anonymous (1 year ago) Reply

"Maybe West is pissed because he wanted a chick to dance around with a Walkman on and eat pizza for 25 minutes"
Ha! Totally. I got HotD well enough I just thought it could have been way more entertaining. I guess I might check this out as I really did like the 1st one.

agentorange (1 year ago) Reply

This is one of those movies that's so into having fun that you feel like an old grandpa for dissing it.

Watch it with friends and a six-pack of your favorite cheap domestic for maximum pleasure.

Oh, and you're welcome Kurt :)

Lotus Eater (1 year ago) Reply

I think the cops in the first one are very true to life...

Man I hate cops, basically just the hired thugs of the corrupt powers that be, representatives of the biggest mafia of the land. dushbags going around telling other dushbags what to do.

The part with the guys coming up with the guns, "This aint christain." haha

agentorange (1 year ago) Reply

@Lotus Eater

Dude, you should read Stephen King's "Under the Dome." He is not friendly to cops. They are the villains of the book - dumb and nasty.

Keith (1 year ago) Reply

WOW this was probably one of the worst films I have ever seen. Take everything you know about the first one and throw it out the window.

Marco (1 year ago) Reply

no where close to being as good as DANCE OF THE DEAD.

Mr Reynolds (1 year ago) Reply

Ok! So, I watched CF2 and thought it was.....Just Ok! In no way did it have any real intense scenes or heart pumping moments but. I have to give it up for the GORE! Blood, blood, blood, blood! That's all I could really remember about CF2. ****SPOILER ALERT*****Oh, and the boys penis ooozing scene who's infected. Other than that. It was very predictable. Like, totally! and Oh my gosh teen running around. It just didn't leave me a satisfied as the 1st one. I do have to give my hates off to Ti West for bringing his movie game up and being a newcomer/up and coming film star. Loved House of the Devil by the way. And I have to give it up to the FX guys who put together the props and the blood. Other than that! I say at least watch it and then, you be the judge.

kaijinu (1 year ago) Reply

hell yeah! XD a fun film to begin with for all gore hounds! It's everything we actually missed in the good years of the 70s-80s horror. the classy jokes, the casual sex, the insane bloody jets pumping out the warm red. it doesn't get any better than this awesome tribute of the good ole' days.

Plus them Cavesingers are awesome! XD

tom blow (11 months ago) Reply

why all the penis shots in al movies ?? even this pus dick is gross . the movieindustry would never show a puss vagina. thts because of the continuedlock out of vagina shots in all films. that is what eve enslers whole rag is about . wheres all the pussies??? if you are intelligent enough to get all ive said. just proves were still in a man bashing society and penisis are considered funny until your 14 year old daughter sucks on one. of course the guy is 17 then spends years with a shrink behind bas what a fucked up mess

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