PeterBradford Technically, the film is very strong. Excellent cinematography, great use of the location, which is the same location as the original film. I swear some of the furniture looks the same! There is one actor from the first film, the great Camilla Carr, who I wish worked more. The director did an outstanding job evoking dread and fear. Two thumbs up.

mattressman_pdl When I first saw this title while perusing the video store (yes, an actual video store), I was a little reticent. My reservations came from the fact that the original is over forty years old, talk about a delayed sequel! I also expected a micro budget and highly amateurish filmmaking.Summary: The film takes place in an apparently different institution than the previous film in which a staff of doctors and their patients begin undergoing strange events after the new patient arrives. An elderly, child like man named Sam.Pros: The director is the son of the original film's director so you know right off the bat that there was some heart in this and it wasn't just a cash grab. At least one actor from the original appears although oddly enough not playing the same character. Some of the acting was passable and the clearly small budget was utilized well. Characters were likable.Cons: Some of the acting is sub-par. The addition of a supernatural element and quirky humor makes this film exhibit quite a different atmosphere from it's predecessor. Less unusual and eccentric scenes and more of a gore element.So, I'd give it a try. I can't say I'm the hugest fan of the original but I quite like it and wasn't underwhelmed by the sequel.

BA_Harrison The arrival of a new patient at a home for the mentally ill stirs up ghosts from the past, causing the staff and residents to exhibit severe personality changes.S.F. Brownrigg's cult 1972 horror Don't Look In The Basement gets a belated sequel courtesy of Brownrigg's son, Tony. Unlike his father's film, which was a cheap, grainy, lo-fi effort (none of which prevented it from being an effective shocker), Tony's film is surprisingly polished, boasting crisp cinematography and solid performances. What it is lacking, however, is a decent pace and a strong story.The first forty minutes of Don't Look In The Basement 2 are extremely uneventful and unfold at a snail's pace, introducing the viewer to the characters, none of whom are as memorable as those in the original film. At around the halfway mark, the plot gets a little more interesting as people begin to act strangely, but the leaden pace persists. There's a smattering of gore to help liven up proceedings (including some graphic gut munching), but on the whole I found the whole thing frustratingly lacklustre, and not really worth the 40+ year wait.

stsinger If you're a fan of the horror genre, you have to slog through a lot of crap and once in a while, you come across a truly pleasant surprise. "Don't Look in the Basement 2" is one of those happy surprises. For those who are unaware, "Don't Look in the Basement" was a 1973 horror film by S.F. Brownrigg that involved a young nurse going to an asylum where murder and mayhem ensues. It garnered some serious notoriety because it was acquired by Hallmark Pictures and was given the same marketing campaign as the original "Last House on the Left" ("It's only a movie... only a movie..."). And now, over 40 years later, comes a direct sequel directed by Anthony Brownrigg, son of the original director. In this one, a doctor goes to work at a small, country asylum after a tragedy involving his wife. The director of the asylum informs the staff that a very special patient is coming. And it is a man named Sam, who was one of the lone survivors of the events in the original film.Once Sam gets there, strange things start to happen. Patients and staff start acting strange, and seem to be taking on the persona of the characters of the original movie. And as you might expect, murder and mayhem seem to be on the menu again...The movie is way, way better than you'd expect. The acting is professional, there is creepiness, scares, intentional comic relief, and some truly disturbing scenes. It's well photographed and solidly directed. And it's got an actual, honest-to-goodness ENDING.It helps to have seen the original (otherwise the characters seem to be just acting weird instead of channeling other characters) but it's not a necessity. I was really surprised by how good this was. Definitely recommend it.