sparklesky's Full Review: Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2
I am a huge fan of the first Blair Witch Project produced by Haxan Films and distributed by Artisan. I knew going into this film that Haxan only had an executive producing credit and really were not associating with the sequel. I participated in the Webfest. I should have been forewarned.
This film is everything the first one was not. Violent,gory, and sexually charged-perfect ingredients for a teen slasher film. The only problem is this isn't a teen slasher film.
The film is set just outside of Burkitsville in the Black Hills. The beginning of the film is an undisguised attempt to conjure up images of the first documentary style film. Interviews with the locals and such. Next comes the opening credits intermingled with violent images set in the woods-knives cutting into tender flesh and the like. Stay tuned-you'll see these scenes constantly and I do mean constantly. Was this some kind of lame filler to offset production costs?
The cast goes by their real life names as in the first. I can't remember them and its only been a half hour. You have Goth girl,Crazy boy,Mr.Big Time Writer,The Girlfriend, and A Wiccan-sounds like a joke. Crazy boy is a local who apparently spent some time in a mental hospital and leads the group through a Blairwitch hunt in the Black Hills. They camp out in Rustin Parr's burnt down foundation for the night. Craziness and some lost hours follow. I would go into more but there is just no point.
Okay,if you are a fan of the original, odds are you want to see this movie to answer some unresolved questions about the first plot. What happened to Heather,Mike, and Josh? What's up with Elly,Rustin and Robin Weaver? You will not find out any of the answers. You will not find out these answers because Haxan apparently did not share them with the new director.
Spoiler,Well Kind of.
We do find out exactly how Elly Kedward died.
The plot of this movie is close to insane. You must read the background on the official website to understand the characters backgrounds. A film should not rely on the internet for character development-even if the are trying to mimic the formula for success produced by the first movie.
I do not recommend this movie for anyone. Understand, there is a graphic miscarriage scene and a satanic orgy thing going on(I couldn't follow that either),lots of blood, and some stupid references to the Wiccan way of life. No Book Of Shadows could be found anywhere in this movie either.
Unlike the first movie that left you wondering just what happened to the ill fated campers and made you think for days after-this movie will only serve to make you write Artisan and demand your money back.
In my humble opinion,this movie should not have been made until Haxan was available to work it into their schedule. I have heard rumors the third movie-a prequel by Haxan is shooting now. I will wait impatiently for this premiere and try to pretend the BW2 was just a horrible,boring nightmare.
This is the second installment of Blair Witch Project. People, who see the first film, go to Burkittsville, MD to see the site of the first movie. The...More at HotMovieSale.com
Product DetailsOriginal Title:Book of Shadows - Blair Witch 2Actors: Andrea Cox - Anja Baron, - Deb Burgoyne, - Peggy K. Chang, - Pete Burris,Conditi...More at iNetVideo.com
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