Moving from high school to college, all of the “survivors” find themselves with a fresh start in a new location. But for Cindy Campbell (Anna Faris), Brenda (Regina Hall), Shorty (Marlon Wayans), and Ray (Shawn Wayans), it wouldn’t take long for trouble to find them once again. This time it comes in the form of a snooty professor (Tim Curry) and his assistant Dwight (David Cross), who arrange the four with a few new faces like Buddy (Chris Masterson) in a “research assignment.” The group must spend a weekend at Hell House, a known paranormal hot-bed that played host to an possession years before. While this seems like the proverbial “bad idea,” the professor will grant them As for the entire class when completed. With this offer too good to pass up, they are all on-board with the frightful weekend retreat. But soon it becomes apparent that the instructor was holding crucial information that could threaten the livelihood of everyone involved. This dramatic set up plays host to another funny parody that is packed full of raunchy jokes, precarious situations, and many horror references spun in comical ways.
This one picks up right where the first one left off in terms of production. Director Keenan Ivory Wayans was very good in getting the “creative” team all on the same page to make an extremely comparable piece to Scary Movie. With successful spoof series, it’s usually customary to simply dismantle an entire genre as a whole while making special note of a few of the more popular flicks in that particular class. The first Scary Movie is a bit different from the norm in the way that the centerpiece of inspiration is solidly Scream and the “fills” come from generic conventions (Keenan Ivory has even said it was tough making a parody based on something that is, in itself, poking fun at horror movies in reference to Wes Craven’s classic film). So for this one, the usual approach of satire is chosen: with House on Haunted Hill serving as a simple blueprint where the genre is picked apart. This “flip of the script,” so to speak, actually works pretty well and surprisingly produces the same kind of humor. I think this has to do, in large part, with the great characters carried over from the first.
I don’t think Anna Faris gets enough credit for the work she does in this series, or her comedies in general (see Just Friends for a prime example of her high grade humor being overshadowed). It may be true that in most Scary Movie 2 scenes that she is not the main engine of humor, and most often Cindy is the butt-end of comical “jabs” from others on-screen. But the way she embodies her character while pushing the story along so that her fellow cast members, often times, just have to deliver the funny is vitally important to what does make this series enjoyable. And she’s actually pretty funny, to boot.
Marlon Wayans brings back Shorty with the same level of humor as the first outing, while brother Shawn steps it up two or three notches with his character Ray. So much so, that his performance is probably the best of the bunch, top to bottom. Regina Hall complements the other “college kids” well, as does Masterson. But the other set, comprised of Curry, Cross, and Chris Elliott as the creepy care taker are what really save this movie from being “not so good.” Every single exchange between Elliott and others, especially with Cross, mark the memorable/quotable moments that become etched on the mental tablet of “funny stuff” that every comedy film fan possesses. The presentation of the disk is okay. It’s not very impressive visually speaking, with the resolution not as “clean” as one would like. Although the DTS audio on this one has unsuspected clarity and even features some “power” in the few elaborate stunts that were performed.
The Special Features section wasn’t half bad. Not an absolute ton of selections, but enough to support the feature and add something else to the product.
-“Behind-the-Scenes” Featurette: Interviews with Shawn, Marlon, Keenan Ivory, Regina Hall, Chris Elliott, and others about the motivation of a sequel and what it’s like working with the Wayans.
-“Special Effects Tour with Lou Carlucci”: Takes a close look with Carlucci at the SFx in Scary Movie 2 and how those work to make the over-the-top comedy happen.
-“Here Kitty, Kitty”: Short expose of the animatronic felines that encompass one of the more memorable scenes.
-“Scary Effects”: Another look into the smoke and mirrors of a few stunt shots.
-“Behind the Make Up with Barry Koper”: Interview with the head of make up effects who tells how advantageous scenes were made possible.
There are also Alternate and Deleted Scenes.
