AMITYVILLE II - THE POSSESSION

Moving into a new house is difficult thing for anybody to do. Transporting furniture – connecting amenities – painting and decorating – general maintenance – as well as a despondent spirit plaguing your mind with visions of death, destruction, and Director: Damiano Damiani; with Actors: Burt Young, Jack Magner, and Diane Franklin. Especially in the year 1982, and for 100 minutes!!!



Amityville II: The Possession


THE STORY:
As soon as the Montelli family move into there new house located in Amityville, strange things happen to them before they even know it. For Mother Montelli, Dolores (Rutanya Alda), she feels scared when an unknown force touching her body. For Father Montelli, Anthony (Burt Young), he becomes enraged when things start falling off of the walls. For Daughter Montelli, Patricia (Diane Franklin), she is apprehensive when she senses something peculiar in the air. And finally, for Son Montelli, Sonny (Jack Magner), he does not know what the f*ck  is happening to him, when he becomes possessed by a malevolent spirit.

Huh?

Yes - that’s right - I said that Sonny becomes possessed! Heck, nobody suspects that this is happening to him, even when Dolores gets Father Adamsky (James Olson) to bless the house, and Anthony is pissed-off because of it. Moreover, when Sonny secretly molests his sister, Patricia, as well!

Ooop! Incest.

Thankfully, though, over time, Father Adamsky starts to become suspicious about Sonny's behavior, when he is subliminally prompted back to the Amityville house by Patricia. However, nothing ever comes from this - because one sordid night, the spirit completely takes Sonny over, and forces him to cause a heinous crime that leaves death, destruction, and misery in his wake.

Obviously feeling somewhat guilty for not being able to prevent this crime, Father Adamsky tries to heal Sonny – firstly in prison – secondly at church – and finally in the house that caused all of this mess to begin with, Amityville.

And I suppose that is why what next transpires’ is religious, demonic, and a right sight for sore eyes – as sermons are spouted – demons fight back – and nothing is ever the same again... for anyone.

Not really the end... I think?

THE REVIEW:

Now to be completely honest with you, 'Amityville II - The Possession' is a film that has no focus what so ever. Granted, for its time, it has all the hallmarks to make for a really great film, it has – good actors – fairly competent special effects – and a premise that was already established in the first film, ‘The Amityville Horror’, which could have easily been expanded upon in this one.

But did this happen? This ‘expanding’? No – not really – instead, it was plagued by ‘sequel syndrome’ – which is a failure to recognize why the first film worked, so it just did a ‘Joey’ and squatted in the mire and relieved itself in turn (i.e. ‘it took a dump’).

You see, as I said previously – this film has no focus, and does not really define whose perspective this story should be told from. It starts of as the Mothers tale – it then drift’s off into the Sons tale – it next sidetracks into the Daughters tale – and finally it lands upon the Fathers tale (the religious one, not the other chubby chap, Burt Young).

Moreover, the structure of perspectives is not even that clearly defined either – it just flimflams between the viewpoints so erratically, that sometimes you don’t know what the f*ck is happening.

Also, in addition to all of this, there is a question of taste also. Well – lets face it – was the incest really needed?  Or the abusive Farther? Now if this had some grounding to the overall story, I would have liked to have seen where this would have led. But alas, it was nothing more than a minor sub-plot dashed away before it could even spout wings. Shame – as in a perverse sort of way that was the only original thing about this movie.

Granted, 'Amityville II - The Possession' isn't all doom and gloom production wise -

 because the few special effects on display were kind of nifty. Well, personally speaking of course, stop motion animation is always great to watch. And on top of that, the creature makeup’s were really well thought out also -  not feeling overtly grotesque, yet maintaining a semblance of realism at the same time.

Plus, in places, I have to say that the camera work was very nice too – as it lent the film that ‘looking over your shoulder’ perspective that always enhances a great horror movie.

Though that is the problem with this movie, right? It is not great – at best it is a plodding and doddering fright fest. OK, so there were some good bits in it - but at the same time - the structures of the film did not help at all.

One of the things that did not really float my boat, is how the ending of the film seemed to drag on and on and on – and at one point I could not help but shout at the screen ‘Get on with it, as I want to review this sh*t afterward!’. Not right, huh? You would have thought that by the end of the movie, you would be intrigued in how it was going to end.

Overall, this is a fairly so-so horror movie with some nice acting, some nice special effects, and the only thing letting it down, was that it did not know what it wanted to be. Still, if you are a fan of the original film, ‘The Amityville Horror’, or alternately like to watch a fairly competent b-list horror film – boy-oh-boy, this one is defiantly one for you.

THE RATING: C+