The Devil's Rejects

You either loved it or hated it, but I thought House Of 1000 Corpses was a hilariously over-the-top gorefest, with the formula of an early Eighties horror movie. So why did writer/director Rob Zombie go and ruin it by trying to make The Devil's Rejects into another dull, nothing happens, wannabe scary flick - Boogeyman, anyone?

The film takes place a few months after the events of 1000 Corpses, judging by the Santa impression that Otis is trying to pull off, and we find the Firefly family all tucked up in bed after a hearty meal of geeks and big breasted airheads. Their dreams of bunny rabbits and cute little kittens are cut short when the state troopers, led by Sheriff John Wydell (William Forsythe), and a collection of well-suited folk turn up and decide to redecorate the Firefly house with bullets.

Baby (Sheri Moon Zombie) and Otis (Bill Moseley) make their escape, while mother Firefly (this time played by Leslie Easterbrook) is captured. Missing from the equation is Grandpa (Dennis Fimple), who probably decided to give this movie a miss and stay in bed. The events unfold, as Baby and Otis join Capt. Spalding (Sid Haig), as they run from the sheriff, who is out for vengeance after the family killed his brother in the original.

It looks like The Devil's Rejects is set to follow the same madcap blood bath as Corpses, but after the gun fight at the beginning, it doesn't go anywhere. I think that Zombie was going for shock over horror, but instead of picking off the annoying twentysomethings, a band of folk singers find themselves the victims of Otis and his twisted mind. You shouldn't really care, because in this kind of movie people die, but these ones don't deserve it and you feel a bit annoyed that they are targeted, instead of the more stupid younger crowd.

The only thing that saves Rejects from a quick trip to the bottom shelf of a seedy video store is Haig's comic timing. Luckily he has more screen time than before and uses every minute to let loose insane banter and off the wall insults.

Go see this if you didn't like the first one.