Absolutely brilliant

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

When I first saw this title while perusing the video store (yes, an actual video store), I was a little reticent. My reservations came from the fact that the original is over forty years old, talk about a delayed sequel! I also expected a micro budget and highly amateurish filmmaking.Summary: The film takes place in an apparently different institution than the previous film in which a staff of doctors and their patients begin undergoing strange events after the new patient arrives. An elderly, child like man named Sam.Pros: The director is the son of the original film's director so you know right off the bat that there was some heart in this and it wasn't just a cash grab. At least one actor from the original appears although oddly enough not playing the same character. Some of the acting was passable and the clearly small budget was utilized well. Characters were likable.Cons: Some of the acting is sub-par. The addition of a supernatural element and quirky humor makes this film exhibit quite a different atmosphere from it's predecessor. Less unusual and eccentric scenes and more of a gore element.So, I'd give it a try. I can't say I'm the hugest fan of the original but I quite like it and wasn't underwhelmed by the sequel.

DON't LOOK IN THE BASEMENT 2 is, unsurprisingly enough, a sequel to the original indie horror movie of the 1970s. It's directed by Tony Brownrigg, the son of the original's director S.F. Brownrigg, and it's obviously a labour of love for the guy, with him fulfilling most of the main duties behind the camera. Unfortunately this cheap production is more dull than anything else, concentrating too much on story and atmosphere at the expense of incident and intent.The setting is the same hospital some forty years later, with an all-new cast of characters discovering some bizarre goings-on. Unfortunately this film is all set-up and barely any kind of pay-off, with brief gore the only real horror you're going to get here. Instead we get endless dialogue scenes and too many peripheral characters who add nothing to the story. As a shot on video production this has a slick look but it lacks the original's grainy realism even though the execution isn't half bad. It's more a demonstration of modern indie filming techniques than anything else.

The arrival of a new patient at a home for the mentally ill stirs up ghosts from the past, causing the staff and residents to exhibit severe personality changes.S.F. Brownrigg's cult 1972 horror Don't Look In The Basement gets a belated sequel courtesy of Brownrigg's son, Tony. Unlike his father's film, which was a cheap, grainy, lo-fi effort (none of which prevented it from being an effective shocker), Tony's film is surprisingly polished, boasting crisp cinematography and solid performances. What it is lacking, however, is a decent pace and a strong story.The first forty minutes of Don't Look In The Basement 2 are extremely uneventful and unfold at a snail's pace, introducing the viewer to the characters, none of whom are as memorable as those in the original film. At around the halfway mark, the plot gets a little more interesting as people begin to act strangely, but the leaden pace persists. There's a smattering of gore to help liven up proceedings (including some graphic gut munching), but on the whole I found the whole thing frustratingly lacklustre, and not really worth the 40+ year wait.

Don't Look in the Basement 2 (2015)** (out of 4)A mental hospital is the setting as boss Emily (Camilla Carr) tells her crew that they've got a new patient coming. It turns out that Sam (Willie Minor) was in a sanitarium where he murdered eight people in 1972. Dr. William (Andrew Sensenig) is given his case and it doesn't take long for everyone to realize that something isn't right.DON'T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT was a shocking hit back in 1972 even though it featured no stars or much of a budget. The film was directed by cult favorite S.F. Brownrigg and it remained popular throughout the last couple decades thanks to its public domain status, which meant people had easy access to it. This direct sequel took over thirty years to materialize and it was co-written and directed by Tony Brownrigg, the original director's son.It seems doing sequels to these older movies is something that is catching on because another 70s favorite, SILENT NIGHT BLOODY NIGHT also got the sequel treatment. I went into this expecting something quite awful and was shocked not to get that. In fact, I was rather amazed at the technical quality of the picture because you'd never know that you were watching a low-budget movie. The cinematography by Chuck Hatcher makes this seem like a Hollywood picture because of how great it is. The editing, the score and one of the songs played throughout were also extremely good.Another shock was the fact that all of the performances were extremely good and believable, which is something I rarely say for a film like this. If you're familiar with the first film then you'll remember Carr and it was great getting to see her return here. Brownrigg does a very good job in the director's chair but I must say that the only disappointing thing was the actual screenplay. There's simply not enough going on here to keep you glued to the screen for the rather short 82 minutes.I really wish that a better or fuller story had been done. Everything is here for a good movie but it falls just short because there's way too much talking going on and there's needed to be a bit more plot development. Still, DON'T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT 2 was a shocking surprise and manages to be better than the first film.