Jeepers Creepers 2 Year: 2003 Director: Victor Salva Written by: Victor Salva Threat: Demon Weapon of Choice: Harpoon Based upon: none IMDb page:

Other movies in this series:
Jeepers Creepers

The tyranist's thoughts
I missed the first Jeepers Creepers in the theatre and when I finally saw it, I told myself that I oughtn't miss this one as well. I did though. And it was unfortunate since this one easily topped the first entry and probably would have been a lot of fun seen in a darkened theatre.
This one takes place only a few days after the last one. I think. They really aren't too clear on that. Anyway, the demon is on the prowl and a busload of students (they seem to be an athletic team of some sort as well as a very small squad of three cheerleaders) crosses his path. He starts to pick them off.
This one is more purely slasher than the original and it is also obvious that this one is more about the beast than those it chases. Still it is quite a lot of fun and has a few characters it is easy to cheer and a few that I was happy to see die. The story is nicely paced and while it is never wholly unpredictable, there are moments that surprise a little. I'll never again have the chance to see it in the theatre, though, and for that I am sorry.
Fans of the first should definitely see this one. Maybe even fans of '80s slashers might like this one since it has more in common with them than it does with its contemporaries.

Rish's Reviews
Usually I'm only able to cite The Empire Strikes Back or The Wrath of Khan as sequels that are superior to their predecessors (Godfather 2 doesn't count . . . it's not superior), but hooray, now I'll unequivocably be able to cite a third film, Jeepers Creepers 2.
I didn't love the original Jeepers Creepers. I didn't even like it. It had great potential that fell apart not far into the film, disappointing me not because it was terrible, but just because it was mediocre. Plus, I felt it was really overrated and fell far short of the promise of its truly scary premise and trailer. But while Jeepers Creepers 2 had a weak trailer and a sillier premise, in practically every way it was a better film. I also had practically no expectations going into the sequel, so it couldn't help but come out on top. Nicely, it turned out to be a fine film.
I am no fan of writer/director Victor Salva (HATED Powder, folks), but I have to commend him on this one. The filmmakers did a fine job. I've liked Ray Wise since he played Laura Palmer's father on "Twin Peaks" . . . can it really have been a dozen years ago? The other members of the cast--all unknowns--were servicable at worst and tended to remind me of kids I went to high school with (not bad considering 3/4ths of them were going to die). There were surprises, a couple of nice scares, and pretty effective special effects. The Creeper is interestingly-designed, and a frightening and evil character. I have to commend the filmmakers for not attempting to humanize him, make us understand him, or even worse, give him cutesy Fred Krueger dialogue so we root for him.
Though it will win no awards and be on nobody's list, I found it to be one of the better movies of the year.
I'd Recommend This To: Any Horror fan. Heck, I recommended it to my mother.

Total Skulls: 16

Sequel
Sequel setup
Rips off earlier film
Horror film showing on TV/in theater in movie
Future celebrity appears
Former celebrity appears
Bad title
Bad premise
Bad acting
Bad dialogue
Bad execution
MTV Editing
OTS
Girl unnecessarily gets naked
Wanton sex
Death associated with sex
Unfulfilled promise of nudity
Characters forget about threat
Secluded location
Power is cut
Phone lines are cut
Someone investigates a strange noise
Someone runs up stairs instead of going out front door
Camera is the killer
Victims cower in front of a window/door
Victim locks self in with killer
Victim running from killer inexplicably falls
Toilet stall scene
Shower/bath scene
Car stalls or won't start
Cat jumps out
Fake scare
Laughable scare
Stupid discovery of corpse
Dream sequence
Hallucination/Vision
No one believes only witness
Crazy, drunk, old man knows the truth
Warning goes unheeded
Music detracts from scene
Death in first five minutes
x years before/later
Flashback sequence
Dark and stormy night
Killer doesn't stay dead
Killer wears a mask
Killer is in closet
Killer is in car with victim
Villain is more sympathetic than heroes
Unscary villain/monster
Beheading
Blood fountain
Blood spatters - camera, wall, etc.
Poor death effect
Excessive gore
No one dies at all
Virgin survives
Geek/Nerd survives
Little kid lamely survives
Dog/Pet miraculously survives
Unresolved subplots
"It was all a dream" ending
Unbelievably happy ending
Unbelievably crappy ending
What the hell?