Caffeinated Clint
By Clint Morris
A few years back Tyro filmmaker Eli Roth gave the horror genre a good kick in the touche with ”Cabin Fever”, a slightly rancid and very ridiculous horror pic about a group of teens whose ‘cabin in the woods’ vacation ends up an infectious time for all.
Roth, though interested (unfortunately the studio didn’t appreciate his vision for the film), doesn’t return for the inevitable direct to video sequel – but by golly, the gore sure does.
Featuring a cast even less familiar than that of the original (aside from a ‘why did he bother?’ sized pre-credits cameo from Rider Strong, the only other returning cast member is the demented deputy Winston, played by Giuseppe Andrews), ”Cabin Fever 2” shifts the action from the ‘cabin’ to the ‘high school’ where, of course, the infectious disease that killed those in the original has found its way into the bottled water that’s so readily available on campus.
One by one, the jocks, fatties, cheerleaders, geeks and even janitors succumb to the ‘fever’.
Unlike the first flick, the death sequences aren’t so much wickedly funny and appreciably witty as they are disgusting and offensive (the whole ‘rotting down below’ scene had me rushing for the ‘skip’ button). The whole thing, in fact, is one tough watch – not only for the sheer fact that its sickening, but because the plot’s as tired as a insomniac triathlete.
Another great title tarnished by another appalling sequel.
Extras : Two featurettes – one on the making of the film, another on making the ‘Prom’ scene as repulsive as possible (they succeeded).
