Demons 2: The Nightmare Returns

Writer-producer Dario Argento and director Lamberto Bava follow up their gory shocker Demoni with this derivative sequel, basically a carbon-copy of the original. Whereas the first film featured demonic forces emerging from a horror movie to possess theater patrons, this new crop of demons enters the world when a young girl watches the same horror movie on television. Emerging from the TV screen (in a shot reminiscent of Videodrome), the evil forces swiftly take over a high-rise apartment building, transforming tenants into fanged, slobbering marauders. Sealed off within the building, the occupants quickly fall prey to the beasts (not even the family dog is immune to demonic influence) and are either eaten alive or possessed themselves. Despite some clever makeup effects and well-mounted shocks, Demoni 2 falls far short of its predecessor... which itself seemed derivative of George A. Romero's Dead trilogy, the wellspring of choice for so many Italian horror filmmakers throughout the 80's.