Stepfather 2 (1989)

the audience applauded

Sadly Over-hyped

Excellent, a Must See

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

I never quite understood the hype around the first Stepfather. It shows up on a lot of Top 50 horror lists like Entertainment Weekly. I find the second one to be far more realistic and truer to my own experience with my stepfather. The scene at the wedding was harrowing and definitely conjured up some of my past trauma, the sign of a good stepfather movie. The third one is even more realistic and relatable for me, especially the scene with the woodchipper, but that's a whole other story. In short, this is a strong underrated sequel and better than the original.

The Stepfather (1987) was an enjoyable thriller telling the story of an unhinged man who joins family's, devotes himself to them but does whatever it takes to keep the family together and living by his rules.Lost star Terry O'Quinn was fantastic and I'd only just discovered that sequels were spawned.Following our antagonist as he breaks from an asylum and attaches himself to another single mother.Once again O'Quinn is great, as is the always enchanting Meg Foster and the late Jonathan Brandis.Stepfather II does not match its predecessor but is still watchable. You'll know everything that's going to happen, but that's okay.The Good: Terry O'Quinn Meg Foster Direct sequel The Bad: PredictableShadowed by the superior first movie Things I Learnt From This Movie:Even psychos appreciate the snaps, crackles and pops

Seeking new blood after "The Stepfather" (1987), marriage-minded Terry O'Quinn (as Jerry Blake) escapes from a Washington insane asylum and takes on the identity of a cozy Southern California psychiatrist. Feeling neighborly, Mr. O'Quinn (as Gene F. Clifford) warms up attractive divorcée Meg Foster (as Carol Grayland) and cute skateboarder son Jonathan Brandis (as Todd). After O'Quinn gets rid of young Brandis' returning father Mitchell Laurance (as Phil Grayland), it looks like a new family will form, but Ms. Foster's suspicious pal Caroline Williams (as Matty Crimmins) smells a rat... ***** Stepfather II (11/3/89) Jeff Burr ~ Terry O'Quinn, Meg Foster, Caroline Williams, Jonathan Brandis

At first, in maybe the first hour or so, I thought this film as on par with the original. But then the flaws started rolling in. Granted, the first film has flaws, but this one has far more. For one, The Stepfather should have changed his appearance better, as he looked exactly as he did in the first film (someone could have recognized him from pictures on the news, or in the papers). Second off, what was with Carol's friend being so suspicious of The Stepfather? She had NO reason to, yet she suspected him of being a fake. There was simply no reason for her to have those suspicions, as he did nothing to provoke those suspicions out of her. It was just thrown in there to replicate how the daughter found out about him in the first film. It just was ridiculous. Other problems include nobody not finding the dead ex husband's body (eventually the guts of the body would have been seen), and the fact the wife somehow remembered some wine The Stepfather bought her a while back. Also, how he killed that guy in the beginning in broad daylight. It was all just too forced & unbelievable. The original felt more realistic in that sense. Any way, complaints aside, this film is pretty enjoyable, and O'Quinn gives an excellent performance yet again, but unlike it's predecessor, this film ends up being a routine slasher due to a pretty weak script. I give it a 6/10.