Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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26 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Deficient Erotic Thriller Sequel without Connection to Predecessor..., November 12, 2005
The original film 8 MM deals with the theme of why people commit horrendous acts of violence, as it deals with an 8MM film that contains a real murder. These films have been dubbed snuff films. Director Alejandro Amenábar even makes a better story of his terrific thriller called Thesis (1996) that portrays a female college student studying violence in media who also comes across a snuff film. Thus, when a title comes out with the name 8MM 2, the audience will make the logical deduction that it will also deal with a theme of why people commit vile murderous acts on film. In addition, to set the film in east Europe enhances this notion of brutal violence, as many films and news updates contain dreadful crimes in Eastern Europe that have links with organized crime. Thus, the implications of another tense and suspenseful cinematic event is set to bring viewers down the horror lane.
However, it would be complete miscalculation by the audience to make the inference that the sequel would follow the same theme. Here in 8MM 2, which does not even have any of the same actors, director, or theme, merely applies the title of a successful film in order to attract viewers. The film tries to evoke a similar atmosphere of depravity and immorality among the upper class, as Joel Schumacher's 8MM. It succeeds to some extent, but does not have the same grim and dark touch.
8MM 2 opens with a shot of a courtroom where a number of people are talking while the sound of a passionately active couple sexually pleasure one another. Here the story advertises the film's path, as David (Johnathon Schaech) tells his fiancé, Tish (Lori Heuring), about a sexual fantasy of his. They are on their way to a weekend vacation at a luxurious hotel where they intend to bathe each other in sinful lust, which enhances when Tish invites a woman to join them after a nightclub visit. Together they end up in a ménage ŕ trios that they never are going to forget.
After the return from their wicked vacation, there are obviously some tense emotions underneath the surface. It bears the same sentiments that Threesome (1994) portrayed through three sexually experimenting college students. However, the emotional turmoil quickly evaporates when David receives an envelop with pictures of Tish, David, and the girl that they met in the club. Due to Tish's father's political position as an ambassador in Hungary and a potential candidate for the Supreme Court nominee and David's future in politics they cannot approach law enforcement. It leaves them dealing with the criminals themselves, which brings them on a journey into the Budapest red light district and the world of pornography.
The film provides a futile attempt to make it a political thriller, but this too fails. Instead, it provides an erotic thriller with non-existent suspense, but much erotica. In some aspects, the film will remind the audience about Wild Things (1998), but there is far more sexuality present in 8MM 2. The film tries to hide a poor story underneath the world of sex while dealing with a rather amusingly silly extortion affair. In addition, Tish and David also seem completely oblivious in regards to the threats that the underworld could pose on them if the criminal elements so desired. The many awkward moments within the film outweigh everything else, and leave the viewers with a hollow and empty cinematic experience.
8MM 2 was a rather disappointing film, as it had nothing to do with the original film with Nicolas Cage, and the story was a clichéd combination between Wild Things and an adult film. The question is whether the audience is better of with the latter, as the story does not capture the audience's attention in regards to suspense, or drama.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
8MM2, November 9, 2006
I WAS VERY SURPRISED WITH THE ENDING. I LOVE GUESSING WHO DONE IT, BUT HAVE TO ADMIT; THIS ONE FOOLED ME! THIS IS THE FIRST MOVIE, I HAVE SEEN WITH JOHNATON SCHAECH. HE REALLY UNDERSTOOD HIS CHARACTER FULLY. ALSO, LORI HEURING, WAS VERY BELEIVABLE!
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sexy Thriller - great Sat nite flick for edgy couples wanting smart & erotic fun, November 6, 2006
Even with a cursory perusal of the cover art and the use of a few excess brain cells not killed by drinking, it is obvious to the casual viewer that 8MM 2 - Unrated and Exposed bares no resemblance to the fantastic original starring Nicolas Cage & Joaquin Phoenix (get that out your head right away), and written by the dude, Andrew Kevin Walker, who wrote the earth-shattering "Se7en". The film-makers are using the "8MM" brand for recogniton-sake (i.e. they owned the rights, ergo - they can sell this "brand as something familiar). However, the movie manages to combine solid acting, nice locations and good production values to make a dark thriller that is both salacious and entertaining. The film is about an attractive young couple (played by gorgeous, fresh faces Johnathon Schaech and Lori Heuring) whose vacation "indiscretion" with a Euro-babe played by Zita Görög (a gorgeous girl who hosts Hungary's version of American Idol in real life) leads to big trouble, secret videos, back-mail, murder & the whole 9 yards. Nice twists and turns lead to some surprising outcomes - some may keep guessing (I did), some may figure it out, but still well-crafted entertainment.
What separates 8MM 2 from most of the drek in this genre (you see these flicks all the time on late night Skin-a-max and just outside the"adult" section of your neighborhood video store) is that it is skillfully made, has talented actors and is filmed in Budapest, the real life sex capital of the world. These touches elevate the film above most of the low-budget, T&A soap operas being cranked out by auteurs looking to make a quick buck by titillating the audience. The settings are authentic, explicit and even a bit sleazy (many scenes have acres of leggy Penthouse Pet-like Euros, walking around naked, having sex, etc...). As a viewer, I really bought into the scenario that found this young couple entering a strange world and descending into a moral and sexual abyss (and liking it a bit). The actors are easy on the eyes and believable (particularly the low-key, girl-next-door-esque Lori Heuring). The production is exceedingly professional - spectacular Budapest exteriors; very competent and well-made. I even liked the DVD extras and "making of" material - it framed the film and revelaed clearly that the people involved took the project seriously and were not just attempting to cash in on another "Wild Things" sequel.
Some viewers may be disappointed that the film had nothing to do with the original. Seriously folks, how many flicks can you make about snuff films (which ironically have no sequels). If you're looking for some nice couples fun to get the old lady (or man) in the mood on a Saturday night, and want something that won't insult your intelligence, check out 8MM 2 - Unrated and Exposed.
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