Customer Reviews

Octopuss 2: River of Fear [VHS]

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

OCTOPUS 2 is a sequel that isn't a sequel; it has nothing to do with the original, and nothing is ever really said that indicates how this puppy got so big...but, as a run of the mill creature feature, it has its moments. I liked the rapport between partners Walter and Nick (Frederic Lane and Michael Reilly Burke), but found Walter's exit too quick; he had a nice panache the movie never returned. The effects are average; nothing startling, although the decapitation of the Statue of Liberty in a dream sequence was quite cool. The extended rescue of the kids on the bus (after the octopus' demise) was too long and anticlimactic. Not a horrible movie, but it won't make us forget JAWS!

I have to say, this is by far, one of the worst sea creature movies I have seen. I didn't even bother to rent it, I watched it on Scifi. It looked exciting, but I was wrong. The Octopus itself hardly moved at all. Its tentacles were the ones that did the moving. Even if the theory of the movie was right, the octopus being swept from the sea, that would've been wrong if it killed people because Octopuses aregentle creatures and do not grow to enormous sizes. Even the first Octopus made more sense and was a lot more exciting. The only reason why I give it two stars is for the acting. Otherwise this below sea level bugdet film is a stinker.

I watched this movie because I felt obligated as a fan of the 1950's killer octopus movies. This movie should only be watched on a system that has a working fast-forward button. It has a few good moments, like where the octopus attacks the Statue of Liberty, but not much else. What actually sold me on watching it was the fact that monster is supposed to attack NYC. Be warned-no one in this film was ever near NY. The whole thing looks like it was filmed at a theme park using customers as actors. No violence, gore, or nudity. There may have been swearing but I was fast-forwarding past the human scenes. The monster looks about as good {or bad} as the monster of the week on Baywatch.

I see a lot of movies of this type. I can't stop myself. Giant spiders? Bring 'em on! Huge crocodiles? Count me in! I saw the original OCTOPUS so I was, of course, obligated to the sequel. I didn't think so much of the first one, but what little did I know? The first one was a masterpiece compared to this film. The enormous octopus is basically a stalker in some strange places. You'll wonder aloud, "How did it get there?"
Also, the supposed New york location is indeed laughable. I didn't notice if this is another Canadian production, but it is obviously not New York. Okay, they throw in the obligatory stock footage, including one shot of the World Trade Center.
The biggest fault has to be that it runs long. You think it's dead (The explosion seems of the thermonuclear variety) but wait! Then there is the exciting sequence of people you don't care about escaping the collapsed Lincoln tunnel, I think I almost suffocated.
Oh well, when is Octopus 3 coming out?

Released in the US in January, 2002, "Octopus 2: River of Fear" is a sequel in name only. Whereas the original "Octopus" (2000) had a highly creative storyline involving terrorists, a submarine, a cruise ship and a bizarro-James Bond, "Octopus 2" takes the tried-and-true "Jaws" route. The setting here is New York City. A giant octopus decides to make the East River his home and people inevitably start dying. Two harbor patrol officers discover the cause of the deaths, but are ignored and ridiculed. The city is preparing for its biggest Independence Day celebration ever and the mayor doesn't want the officers' preposterous monster 'story' getting out and causing a mass panic.

As you can see, the basic plot mimics "Jaws (Widescreen Anniversary Collector's Edition)" to a 'T.' Regardless, I was pretty impressed with the first half. You could tell the filmmakers and cast really put some thought and effort into making a quality Grade B creature feature, reminiscent of "Kolchak - The Night Stalker." Where "Octopus 2" takes a wrong turn is the last act, which morphs into a disaster film involving a school bus of kids and other vehicles trapped in a river tunnel. Not that it was a bad idea, especially since it gives evidence that the creators wanted to deviate from the basic "Jaws" plot, which I respect, but they failed to execute it. The last act seems rushed and sloppy, like the filmmakers were just trying to get the film done and over with, with almost zero effectiveness. In other words, they started with good intentions and quality vigor, but somewhere along the line they lost their focus & enthusiasm and decided to just go through the motions and collect their paychecks. It's unfortunate because the first half is a solid creature-on-the-loose flick in the manner of "Kolchak."

For a good example of what I mean, check out the scene near the end where the monster -- thought to be dead -- rises up for another attack; this scene is so poorly presented it's hard to believe it was done by the same team that produced the first half.

BOTTOM LINE: The first half is a well-done nature-runs-amok flick featuring a quality cast, particularly the two officers who investigate the killings and the mayoral worker who befriends them, but when the film attempts to morph into a disaster flick it inexplicably falls apart. Yet it's still worthwhile if you like movies along the lines of "Kolchak."

The film runs 94 minutes.

GRADE: C

What were they thinking, after the not so bad original they create this crap. I usually love giant animals on the attack movies, even fake looking ones but this is at the bottom of the barrel. When I got this I figured the Octopus is smaller than its giant counterpart so I was hoping for some really gruesome kills but instead I got ridiculously long attacks where the characters survive and all it is, is the rubber tentacles wrapping around them. I don't sense any pain or fear. This octopus just pops up from nowhere and attacks and usually fails. What made this even more stupid is the crappy acting and the focus on the Police characters, it hardly has anything to do with the less threatening Octopus. Boring and crappy, avoid it at all cost. Trust me I'm a person who likes Cemetery Gates so believe me, this is horrible

Either the people that put this movie out, think that we are all mindless morons, or they think we really like stupid movies. Either way you lose if you buy this movie. This movie has very little in the way of a plot. The so called actors don't know how to act. The only thing good is the music, it starts getting dramatic and you know another laughable scene is coming up. Buy if you have money and time to waste or if you want to give it to someone you don't like buy it.

This is the sequel to the original. It takes place in a populated area out in new york harbor. Instead out of in the middle of no where. There is a lot of gory not not a lot of action until the very end of the movie. In this movie another mutated octupus enters the Harbor of New York and the killings start again. This was not as interesting because only about a 1/3 to half the movie takes place in the water. The main charaters are normal every day people there are no terrorists or millitary people or secret goverment aggents in this one like there were in the orignal made a year earlier. If you like this movie I recommend you see the other horror movies made by lion gate Octopus. Crocodile 2 Death Swamp, Spider 2 and Frality.

An octopus attacks New York city killing everyone. It must be stopped! Pretty average movie. Good to rent