badfeelinganger When a movie is successful, it is usually only a matter of time before a sequel is made. Sometimes the sequels are good and other times they are horrible. It took several years after the release of Tremors, but Tremors 2: Aftershocks was released. Tremors 2 has both laughs and thrills, like the original it was worthy of theatrical release Despite the significantly lower budget, the monsters remain entirely convincing.I loved the first movie so much that I really enjoyed visiting with these characters again. There are plenty of funny moments and some of the spirit of the first film is still here. Things pick up a bit when the monsters metamorphose into a new form. Fans of monster movie comedies may find this worth watching. Tremors 2: Aftershocks was set some time after the first movie. It was never said how much time had passed, but I'm guessing it had been a few years. Val was briefly mentioned near the beginning in a short explanation about why he wasn't around. Once Burt was back, it was said how his wife Heather was visiting her sister. From what Burt said, she had been there for a while and it seemed like their marriage was in trouble. It would have been nice if she and Val had been back. I am glad that there was an explanation for why they weren't around. There was a decent connection to the first movie while still having a plot that wasn't just a copy of the original. The movie could stand alone, but certain things would make more sense if the movies are watched in order.The first movie had a bit of mystery in it before it was shared exactly what the monsters were and how people were being killed. There really wasn't much mystery in Tremors 2: Aftershocks since Earl and Grady knew they were dealing with when they went to Mexico. A small amount of mystery was added in once something strange started happening with the monsters. It did take a little while before it became clear what happened. That added a few surprises with the way the creatures changed and were doing new things. Changing the underground creatures a bit did help to keep things interesting.

Spikeopath After the huge love and deserved critical praise for Ron Underwood's 1990 film, Tremors, this in spite of poor box office and lead man Kevin Bacon disowning the film at the time, sequels were always likely. And so it proved.Fred Ward and Michael Gross return from the first film and are joined by Christopher Gartin, Helen Shaver and Marcelo Tubert. Underwood hands over the directing reins to S.S. Wilson and co-produces instead, while music is by jay Ferguson and cinematography by Virgil Harper.In spite of adding some new beasties into the mix, it all feels very same old same old, only without the funny script and any sense of peril. What made Tremors so strong was that even as it had its tongue in its cheek, homaging 1950s creature features with a proud sense of being, it was still scary and suspenseful. The characters there gave a believable sense of danger and fright, here it's just done for laughs, we never once think the principal players are remotely scared of the Graboids and their offspring.Story has advanced for Earl (Ward) and Burt (Gross), where this time it's Earl who is romancing (Shaver under used but lovely) and Burt is all on his lonesome as his Mrs (Heather played by Reba McEntire) has left him on account of his love of war and weapons, a joke which grows old very fast here. Still, when the action isn't of the budget CGI kind, it's well staged and good fun, though Wilson's comic sequence shooting is flat, while Ward is a strong enough actor to carry the film to keep it above average.Passably enjoyable for fans of creature feature movies without ever being an essential viewing choice. 5/10

SnoopyStyle Earl Bassett (Fred Ward) is down and out, left with just 2 ostriches. Apparently there are more Graboids. This time they are threatening the Petromaya oil refinery in Chiapas Mexico. They are willing to pay $50k a head bounty for the monsters. An admiring fan Grady Hoover (Christopher Gartin) convinces him to go. They meet geologist Kate Reilly (Helen Shaver) who helps, but when they're overwhelm, they call on Burt Gummer (Michael Gross) out to help.There are more Graboids. They are evolving. They are bigger and badder than ever. So it's good to have Burt so he could bring bigger and badder explosives. That makes up for the annoying sidekick.They're playing up the geezer love angle. It's fine that they lay the camera on Shaver's butt, but why put it on Fred Ward's butt. Com'on guys! You almost burn my eyes out.It's taking a more campy turn. It's a little more stupider and a little more non-sensible.

SanteeFats No Kevin Bacon in this one and it does suffer some from his not being in this one. Fred Ward is his steady self again. The movie does have its funny parts and the graboids, while smaller versions of the ones from the first movie, Tremors, are a lot more numerous. Michael Gross is back as the gun toting survivalist, Burt Gummer. Unfortunately Reba McIntyre does not reprise her role as Gummers equally gun nut wife. Burt shows up at the refinery with not only a crap load of weapons but a very tough vehicle that they use to get some worm meat. Going to Mexico to kill the new graboids is a lucrative deal for Bassett and his replacement sidekick that he doesn't want at first, because he is a very rash acting person, but does take to the site.