War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave (2008)

CheezeFlixz · July 30, 2008, 12:38:37 AM

This direct to video piece of crap should have been direct to trash.

Ok 2 years after the first attack the aliens are back and they're p**sed. Their p**sed because the Sci-Fi channel has better special effects, they're p**sed because the actor can't act, their p**sed because there is no script and H.G. Wells should be the most p**sed off one of all.

A large part of these film was set inside the invades bio-ship which looked a lot like sheets of plastic hanging over red lights ... the "Sting of Death" had more convincing F/X. It also borrowed heavily from several other films, like Independence Day, Jeremiah, I Am Omega 2 and every Sci-Fi movie with a time portal.

So here's the deal, the next wave of aliens come back to earth 2 years later and earth in those 2 year has developed space flight fighters craft from the stolen alien technology, oh they can convert F-22's to fly in space but nearly all telecommunications, gas and food is gone .. even can goods are rare. So they mounts a counter strike they fly into space to find the mothership but it's gone into a sparkly time portal and so do they, meanwhile back on earth a few folks escape from the alien ship but alas something on earth has changed ... but what? I have no idea, the disc was scratch up and I had to skip that part. However I don't feel I missed anything. Something about finding another virus to kill them like in all the other versions of this story.
So back in space with the earth's 100's of trained space pilots appear in a part of space far, far away ... as they pop threw the hole in space they a little dazed and slowly come around. What luck there right outside Mars .. lets go in, shall we? We shall ... so there they are on Mars and find the Mothership to do battle ... the Mothership sends out 1000's of fighters to fend them off ... who will when. Does this smell like Independence Day?

Anyway it's far to painful to go on with this short-short review, it's safe to say skip it. the disc screwed up again and I had to skip another 10 minutes or so of it ... but again I feel no loss.

What did I learn from this film ...
Can Goods (like ravilio) are hard to come by, but converting F-22 fighters into space fighters is really quite easy.
C Thomas Howell really has fallen a long way from E.T.
Christopher Reid should have stayed with Kid-n-Play ... he's not even a poor mans Will Smith. Which he was trying desperately to do.
Kim Little should never ever again try to do a southern accent, ever ... don't do it, just don't. Don't even think about it.
This movie sucked.

Now to be fair I had a bad disc, and I had to skip over parts to get it to play ... I'll be demanding a free rental tomorrow if not for any other reason than this movie was crap. Perhaps, just perhaps on the extremely remote chance the parts I had to skip where good and pulled the story together then this might have been a good movie, but I just don't think that is the case. Nope I think the parts I missed were just as bad as the parts I saw.

I'm giving it 1 star ... I really shouldn't give it any but I'm in a kind mood.

TexasCharlie · July 30, 2008, 07:46:43 AM

Wow, Christopher Reid (was he kid or play?)!!!!

Where did they dig him up from?

This movie sounds pretty awful, but funny review. Not even a poor man's Will Smith, he he he.

Sister Grace · July 30, 2008, 07:56:22 AM

EEK! thanks for the heads up. I'll be avoiding this one...

CheezeFlixz · July 30, 2008, 08:13:09 AM

Quote from: TexasCharlie on July 30, 2008, 07:46:43 AM
Wow, Christopher Reid (was he kid or play?)!!!!

Where did they dig him up from?

This movie sounds pretty awful, but funny review. Not even a poor man's Will Smith, he he he.

He was Kid he makes a lot of crap movies nowadays.

THEN

NOW

Raffine · July 30, 2008, 09:23:45 AM

Thanks for clearing up something that's bugged me for years: which was Kid and which was Play.

Is that a gang sign he's flashing?!? So I assume Play is somewhere out there doing the terror fist-bump?!?

peter johnson · July 30, 2008, 11:10:55 AM

In my ongoing collection of obscure showbiz connections, I know the guy who wrote Kind n Play's "Houseparty" movie. He still gets tiny residual checks from Warners for that, so that means out there somewhere people are still renting and buying that movie . . . go figure . . .
I remember he was so happy when that thing got made -- He rented out an old trainstation waiting room in Boulder & did a "private" screening -- well, he packed the place with 200 people, so not really that "private". I suppose if I ever sold a worthless screenplay, I'd be celebrating too!!
peter johnson/denny crane

Cult Movie Mania · July 30, 2008, 12:14:35 PM

CheezeFlixz,
Thanks for the review, but by now I've learned to steer clear of (most) direct-to-DVD releases. Most simply don't possess the innate charm of the '70s and early '80s, therefore rendering them unwatchable.

I'm sure 'War of the Worlds 2' (didn't even know this one was coming!) is as sucky as you communicated. Was this indeed a 'sci-fi channel' production (or lack thereof)?

You know, the Spielberg version simply wasn't that great. Take away the fancy-schmanzy SPFX and you pretty much have a big, bloated zero.

I'll avoid this one like the plague, not that I would ever consider purchasing or renting it.

CheezeFlixz · July 30, 2008, 12:41:45 PM

Quote from: Film Ranch on July 30, 2008, 12:14:35 PM
CheezeFlixz,
Thanks for the review, but by now I've learned to steer clear of (most) direct-to-DVD releases. Most simply don't possess the innate charm of the '70s and early '80s, therefore rendering them unwatchable.

I'm sure 'War of the Worlds 2' (didn't even know this one was coming!) is as sucky as you communicated. Was this indeed a 'sci-fi channel' production (or lack thereof)?

You know, the Spielberg version simply wasn't that great. Take away the fancy-schmanzy SPFX and you pretty much have a big, bloated zero.

I'll avoid this one like the plague, not that I would ever consider purchasing or renting it.

Well don't rule out all DTV releases some are quite good, some are good in a bad way. Alien Apocalypse comes to mind with Bruce Campbell, so cheesy bad it's good. Other are bearable good and yet others grow on you like some festering boil.

I have another one rented I having watched yet, "Side Sho". Imdb gives it poor marks ... but I put little faith in their ratings the users there all seem to compare every low budget movie to some big budget blockbuster.

Many where comparing WOTW2 to the Spielberg WOTW which for it's budget sucked ... but I think that is comparing apples and oranges. WOTW2 was a continuation of another WOTW released at the same time as Spielberg's to ride the "oh it's Tom Cruise" wave, well it's didn't work. That one sucked too ... in fact that all have except the 1953 original.

Cult Movie Mania · July 30, 2008, 01:14:19 PM

Note that in my post I specified "most" DTV releases, as not to bash the entire lot of them. That being said, a good one is most certainly the exception and not the rule, sometimes due to bad filmmaking/screenwriting, and the fact that we've endured a very bland pop culture period for the past 20+ years doesn't help either. This 'aint 1973, baby.

One DTV (or more accurately direct-to-cable) release I enjoyed was Phil Tippet's Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation.

CheezeFlixz · July 30, 2008, 04:25:14 PM

Well I took WOTW2 back and told the guy there is was all scratched up so he without even asking put a free rental on my account ... I said while your at it toss one on there for "The Good Humor Man" ... that or I want my two hours back, he opted to give me another free rental. Gotta like Movie Gallery.

I told I really didn't feel ripped off that I had a skip a few minute of it, it was a blessing in disguise.

TexasCharlie · July 30, 2008, 08:36:28 PM

Quote from: CheezeFlixz on July 30, 2008, 04:25:14 PM
Well I took WOTW2 back and told the guy there is was all scratched up so he without even asking put a free rental on my account ... I said while your at it toss one on there for "The Good Humor Man" ... that or I want my two hours back, he opted to give me another free rental. Gotta like Movie Gallery.

I told I really didn't feel ripped off that I had a skip a few minute of it, it was a blessing in disguise.

he he he,

HappyGilmore · July 30, 2008, 08:53:51 PM

Quote from: TexasCharlie on July 30, 2008, 07:46:43 AM
Wow, Christopher Reid (was he kid or play?)!!!!

Where did they dig him up from?

This movie sounds pretty awful, but funny review. Not even a poor man's Will Smith, he he he.

I blame VH1. They had him on that stupid Celebracadabra show. It was a 'celeb-reality' show featuring B and C level stars like Chris Reid, Hal Sparks and C. Thomas Howell doing magic with magicians, trying to win like, $50,000.

Now he's in this movie. Good call, VH1, good call.

Although, I liked him in the House Party movies.

Raffine · July 30, 2008, 09:05:59 PM

Quote from: HappyGilmore on July 30, 2008, 08:53:51 PM
B and C level stars like Hal Sparks

HEY! As president-elect of the HAL SPARKS International Fan Club, I resent that remark.

Oh, wait . . . I'm president-elect of the HAL SMITH International Fan Club.

Never mind.

Not Hal Sparks

HappyGilmore · July 30, 2008, 09:17:17 PM

Quote from: Raffine on July 30, 2008, 09:05:59 PM
Quote from: HappyGilmore on July 30, 2008, 08:53:51 PM
B and C level stars like Hal Sparks

HEY! As president-elect of the HAL SPARKS International Fan Club, I resent that remark.

Oh, wait . . . I'm president-elect of the HAL SMITH International Fan Club.

Never mind.

Not Hal Sparks

Who doesn't like Hal Smith, honestly?

John Randal · July 30, 2008, 10:45:03 PM

Quote from: CheezeFlixz on July 30, 2008, 08:13:09 AM
Quote from: TexasCharlie on July 30, 2008, 07:46:43 AM
Wow, Christopher Reid (was he kid or play?)!!!!

Where did they dig him up from?

This movie sounds pretty awful, but funny review. Not even a poor man's Will Smith, he he he.

He was Kid he makes a lot of crap movies nowadays.

THEN

NOW

Man ever since he lost that epic flat top his feet have sure been dragging. LOL