It was probably unnecessary to make a sequel in the first place, but I don't remember this being that bad when I first saw it. I saw it once after it came out and thought it was pretty okay. I remember liking the ending. But, we'll see what a second viewing does for it. Subsequent viewings does wonders for its predecessor, so maybe that'll work here, too.
I guess it isn't necessarily a problem that this couple we open on don't have accents...I'm sure there are people who live in the south that don't. But, you'd think it would help establish the film if they did. It's not a bad opening sequence: having a mysterious person in your home is a frightening idea.
Director Gass-Donnelly (think I'm gonna call him Ed for the rest of this...typing that last name is annoying) takes full advantage of not being restricted by found-footage camera work. There's some nice photography happening. It's simple stuff: lots of bordering, negative space in the frame, stuff like that. But it's competent.
Ashley Bell is, of course, this films big weapon. She's very game and gives us another strong performance. The changes in location give her more of a chance to spread out but, it's mostly in somewhat cliche ways: she's sweet and innocent and becomes happier as she gets a job and makes friends, which is nice to see and we feel her joy, and at least she's wearing more than a nightgown all movie, but it feels very ordinary. She's a bit too pollyanna. But Bell is super charming and makes it work.
When Nell and the boy are flirting, things so are so halting that even the Ape they're looking at basically throws a fit. I riffed to the cat: "Rar! This scene is going nowhere!" Because I have no one to riff to. Except the cat. Who is both a tough and easy audience.
Seriously, though, the actors don't really have any chemistry and it's problematic. I'm trying to remember if he's actually a tool of the devil or not, like the rad living statue. I hope the living statue shows up again. I wish he was Nells love interest. Despite that, Nells childish and very intense fascination with sexuality is well played. It's given more time to play itself out here, rather in bursts of disturbing moments in the original, which is both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because it allows for some nice character beats for Nell, a curse because it ends up calling way too much attention to itself. If memory serves, it informs the ending in a way: the demons way of courting Nell rather than seducing.
Wow, they did the "unplugged phone still rings" gag in 2013?! I had said in my post on "Nightmare on Elm Street" that you couldn't do that gag anymore because nobody remembers non-cellular phones. Guess I wasn't entirely right about that.
It's good to see Louis again. He brings a really nice scene with him, too. Exposition through action is much better than forced dialogue, and he has such a great moment of dramatic weight, even if he is just an illusion (?) or a ghost or whatever. Julia Garner does a nice job, too, as the creepy-but-also-not-so-creepy roommate.
The bedroom scene where she floats while having an orgasm-the music swelling with only the slightest hint of menace-is excellent. It's so romantic in its design and execution, and very deliberately. The only one who can ever truly love Nell is the demon. Smart stuff. It's a little over-the-top (it's hard not to smirk when you see it) but it's effective.
This film brings a little bit of Polanski-ish paranoia with it, too. Not just for Nell-but certainly for Nell-but for the audience. In just a few short scenes they've left the audience unsure of what's real or not and, more importantly, who is on Nells side and who isn't. That continues throughout, especially as new characters show up and are suddenly demon people or are black ladies with magic powers who have weird symbols on her walls.
I forgot the rather strong use of the original film as in-universe viral meme. Kind of answers that question for the original, doesn't it: who edited this stuff together? Some asshole from the police department found the footage and posted it online. Kudos to the screenwriter on that one.
Another really nice shot: Nell sits in a church, impossibly small and slightly off-center, surrounded by all these pretty windows positively bathing everything in light. It's such a nice combination of hope and vulnerability. Things kinda spiral out of control from there: dying birds, fat tourist freaking out and seizuring, dudes in "Eyes Wide Shut" masks, mystic prophecies and...sigh...a magical person of color. Can't win 'em all movie.
I feel like the movie forgot entirely about Chris. Then they remembered him long enough to kill him off. I also feel like they ask too much of by asking me to care about him. I like him repeating "He loves you so much." I kind of like Abalams style. Y'know, in an evil way. Not, like, literally.
The second viewing is somewhat worth while. The turns are a bit more obvious, but they kind of were already. The film had already established the "don't trust anybody" nature of things (though I think they coulda done more with it), so when her supposed helpers show up and are pretty clearly kinda shifty, it makes a lot of sense that they aren't on Team Nell. Of course, it doesn't telegraph the real twist: they're anti-Nell because Nell is the vessel for a horrible demon and they intend to get rid of her. It's a nice twist, actually: the good guys are antagonists in this case. Good is not nice.
Yeah, I really dig the ending to this film. The Demon wins by making a rather logical and honest case. "Look, I love you and I care about you. Seriously. I want to help you. They're,y'know, trying to kill you." Great stuff. I once had a friend who said "Y'know, everybody always says the devil is a liar and stuff...but he wants your soul, right? Why wouldn't he be super nice and honest all the time?" Always made a kind of sense to me. And then we get a really fun, but just a tad too short, rampage of evil. Just goes to show you: don't be a shithead to weird people. They might gain super evil demon powers and ruin your day.
Very nice callback to the boots.
And the world is doomed! Yay! Y'know, if I ever get around to writing my "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" horror hero story, maybe Nell can be the antagonist.
So, in closing: it's not the best thing ever. As sequels go, it certainly isn't bad. It's a bit muddled, short changes a lot of story bits, but pulls itself together into a simple but entertaining and fun little horror film.
Final Rating: Three stars.
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