Class of Nuke 'Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown (1991)

Boring, over-political, tech fuzed mess

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

CLASS OF NUKE 'EM HIGH PART II: SUBHUMANOID MELTDOWN is a Troma comedy with a great title and a rubbish execution. It has virtually nothing to do with the original movie, which was kind of fun, but instead features a mad scientist bent on making artificial 'subhumanoids' which occasionally go into meltdown. Oh, and at the climax a giant monster squirrel attacks, animated via a rubbish puppet monster. This is a silly mish-mash of ideas masquerading as a movie, featuring a naked artificial woman and a guy with an annoying highly-pitched voice. Everything about it is terrible, including the jokes.

Before I start, I feel I should reveal that long ago I was a Troma fan. I loved movies like "The Toxic Avenger" and "Troma's War". But the last Troma movie I liked was "Tromeo & Juliet" - after that, with movies like "Citizen Toxie", "Terror Firmer", and "Poultrygeist", I just didn't find their brand of humor funny anymore. They now seem to be trying too hard, screaming in our ears "HA HA, ISN'T THIS FUNNY?" Anyway, when I got my hands on "Class Of Nuke 'Em High Part II", I decided I would give it a chance, seeing it came from Troma during the period that they were at their height.Unfortunately, I found this older movie to be just as bad as the product Troma is currently putting out - possibly even worse. The screenplay credit lists SIX writers, which should give you some idea of what a mess the final product is. It's such a mess, that the movie often depends on a narrator to explain some of the characters and what's going on. But there's still a lot about the movie that will have you scratch your head. Every character is basically running around screaming and not much more. None of this is funny, and nothing about the movie is funny, unless you find the idea of a library named after President Nixon funny. There's also an awful music score, and a feeling that the director is trying to be grotesque in every shot.There's one good thing in the movie. There are some stop-motion animated sequences, and they're quite good for what was a very low budget. But even if you're interested in animation, you should still skip this movie.

If the original "Class of Nuke'Em High" was a mix of horror and comedy, this sequel is a straight-up parody that abandons all groundings in reality (the college operates INSIDE the nuclear power plant, and the students are regularly tested for radiation and often have to wear gas masks) and should be taken about as seriously as "Hot Shots, Part Deux". It's sometimes funny, sometimes not, but what I appreciated about it is that, although it rubs its bad taste in your face, it does it in a goofy and essentially good-natured way. I did think that the male leading role should have been played by an actor who looked more like a nerd and less like a jock, but that's a minor complaint. Jam-packed with hot women, great (or at least greatly creative) special effects, slime, destruction of property, and inside Troma references, "Subhumanoid Meltdown" is recommended for those who like their comedies unafraid to go over (and I do mean over) the edge. (**1/2)

Troma: the production and distribution company that doesn't hesitate to produce sequel after sequel and they keep getting better (Explain this: Citizen Toxie 8.8 70 votes on 12-nov-2001 ...). It's nihilism. It's eighties' nihilism. No, it's eighties' nihilism made in the nineties. With a spark of escapism. CNHP2SM insults our intelligence BIG TIME and we like it! The mission statement of Troma was already in Mother's Day (1980): 'There are three rules in the filmindustry: distribution, distribution and distribution.' That's what it's all about in Tromaville apparently.Ever wanted to see a prequel of a post-apocalyptic movie? Well, this is it! (Otherwise, you might wanna try 'Miracle Mile'). Roger Smith is even more degenerated than Duke Nukem and wants to prevent the subhumanoids, who are integrated in campus life from melting down violently. One of the many strange things about this movie is that it pretends to be fantasy but keeps you with your feet firmly on the ground as the 'nothing special effects' in the end-credits confirm. Throughout we see people vomiting nuclearly in each others mouth (oh sorry, that was a spoiler), stop-motion animation, sexual harassments 'Just checking for malethion around uranus, ma'am' and supposedly giant squirrels with humongous nuts.But this is more than just kicking in every possible open door. There is the distinctive Troma-humor and sexism that appeals to any self-respecting teenage escapist, but draws heavily on the cacophony of part one (even less coherent) and the enthusiasm of the nihilistic troma-cult society of which each member does not seem to fit in anywhere (not even that particular group). When FOX was producing Alien (1,2,3,4), Planet of the apes (1,2,3,4) and Star Wars (4,5,6,1), Troma found it necessary to make the excruciating Toxic Avenger (1,2,3,4) and Class of nuke 'em high (1,2,3,4). Still better than 'Fat guy goes nutzoid' (1986), 'Violent Sh*t' (1987), 'Driller Killer' (1979), 'Frankenhooker' (1990) together. And more fun than Lethal Weapon (1,2,3,4).Recommended motion pictures: the Robot vs Octopus Monster saga from Beastie Boys' Intergalactic music video. I sincerely wanted to write a dissertation about this stuff, but there is no room for that here. CNHP2SM is reminiscent of certain 'Young Ones' (1982) episodes, Invasion of the bodysnatchers, The Fly, etc, but especially part 1 of course. Lousy music, warm beer, and saggy boobs: boner appetite. Why you layabout, now clear off. Grow up! 3/10