The Fly II (1989) Reviews

• Not exactly good, but not nearly as bad as it COULD have been... (minor spoilers here)

  one4now42004-08-10

  This does not touch the Cronenberg movie (or the Vincent Price movies, from what I've seen of those), but is definitely worth the watch for fans of gross-out monster flicks. The plot? The son of Seth Brundle (Harley Cross) is born in a corporate laboratory. He grows up at a very fast rate (now played by Eric Stoltz) and falls in love while discovering the evil secrets of the bigwig and his scientists, who have raised him. Nothing helps him on his quest to destroy them more than when the metamorphosis that took place in Dad begins to take place even faster in Son. It has its funny moments (the under-used John Getz from the original gets some big, cynical laughs), as well as very emotionally moving moments (especially when Stoltz puts the mutant dog to sleep, which is very sad and touching). There is a hackneyed element, to be sure (the romantic part with the awful country song is something that would be perfectly acceptable to fast-forward through), but, overall, it's still a kinda fun movie that's more effective than many people might tell you. As far as the gore quotient goes, this one I would consider more of a splatter movie than Cronenberg's (which had its gross-out moments throughout, but wasn't as bloody as this one was). Still, if you like gore, I would suggest it especially. I myself have no problems with gore as long as I like the movie around it, and I liked "The Fly 2" enough to actually watch it more than once without that choice being under the influence of substances! Also, one way it was better than the first film was how it ended. While the ending to the first was somewhat abrupt (even if it was a great movie and didn't really need anything extra), this one features a happy ending that is not sappy (always commendable), as well as one of the greatest acts of vengeance ever agonizingly drawn out on film. All in all, I agree that "The Fly 2" doesn't really touch David Cronenberg's "The Fly" in overall quality, but it doesn't deserve the terrible reputation that's been heaped on it over the years, even if there's nothing to disguise the fact that is inferior.

• Son of Brundlefly.

  BA_Harrison2009-06-30

  It kinda goes without saying that with FX man Chris Walas taking the directorial reins from Cronenberg, the sequel to the 1986 horror hit The Fly ain't going to be on a par with its predecessor. But even though The Fly 2 doesn't quite pack the emotional wallop or sophistication of part one, it's still an enjoyable slice of hokey B-movie monster madness that should particularly appeal to those who love a bit of splatter with their big-bug action. Part Two begins as Veronica, the pregnant girlfriend of tragic deceased scientific genius Seth Brundle, dies whilst giving birth to son Martin under the watchful eye of Bartok Industries, the organisation that funded Seth's telepod experiments (baboons don't grow on trees, y'know). Thanks to the unique human/fly genetic make-up he has inherited from his father, Martin experiences accelerated growth, and by the age of five, is a fully grown scientific whizz-kid (played by Eric Stoltz) working for his benefactor Anton Bartok (on the same telepod project that claimed his father's life) and romancing pretty computer operator Beth Logan (Daphne Zuniga). Bartok (Lee Richardson), however, is not as benevolent as he seems: with his own wicked agenda in mind, he has led Martin to believe that his rapid growth is the result of a very rare growth disorder, and has kept the lad under continuous observation, waiting for the day that his dormant insect genes fully awaken to transform him into a multi-limbed monster. Despite being a newbie in the director's chair, Chris Walas proves to be no slouch when calling the shots: working from a script by frequent Stephen King collaborators Frank Darabont and Mick Garris, he delivers a surprisingly polished product that offers spirited performances from B-list stars Stoltz and Zuniga, a touch of pathos with a memorable key scene involving a mutated dog, and a whole slew of top-notch special effects, the most stomach churning of which see one poor guy having his head crushed by an elevator! Yowch! I do struggle a little with the notion that entering a telepod with another human being (especially a full clothed one) would revert a Brundlefly to perfect human form, but since this was something alluded to in the original, and there's a fitting payoff for the bad guy as a result, I'll cut the film some slack. Besides, I had lots of fun with The Fly 2, and that's what really matters.

• Fly II: Cruise Control

  Quicksand2002-12-31

  I caught this movie on cable last night; this is one of those films where the memory of having seen it years ago is better than the actual film. The production design is actually quite good, surprising when, upon closer inspection, they apparently only built one set (the lab), and the rest of the scenes-- all brief ones-- were shot at cheap locations, such as Beth's houseboat, Martin's condo, and such. The acting is decent, considering the lack of any character at all (especially braindead Beth). Eric Stoltz and Daphne Zuniga actually put some effort forth here, which is nice, considering this was probably little more than a paycheck for both. The problem is the script. First-time director Chris Walas does well with what he was handed-- probably in pieces, from four different screenwriters-- but I got the feeling that a coherent, dramatic story arc was chopped down to a lightning-paced 111 minutes. It seems like entire scenes are missing-- or else they were never written. The bare bones I watched were perhaps merely excuses to link together special effects and make-up from Walas's FX company. In that sense, it's kinda like a porno film. No one cares about the plot, the just wanna see the "money shot." And this one has a few-- they spent all their money on a) mutant dog ($100), b) Unlucky Security Guard #2 ($1000), c) fly cocoon ($50), and d) Alterna-Stoltz (priceless). This explains why, with the exception of Unlucky Security Guard #2, the deaths are not nearly graphic enough, and thus unsatisfying... considering how great a length the "story"-tellers go to make us hate everyone in the film who ISN'T Martin or Beth (or Borans). The film is shot well, considering how few locations are used, though several directing mistakes jumped out, not necessarily worthy of the "goofs" section. For example, note how when Beth enters the lab, never having been there before.... at the end of scene, she somehow knows the exact command to type into the computer to open the doors on the OTHER SIDE of the room. How does she expect to find her way back to her desk? (which is apparently down the hall, less than 100 feet away... just like everything else in this building, which, by the way, we never see from the outside) More proof there's another hour of this movie that's either on a cutting room floor somewhere, or just never got filmed. Pity the entire movie couldn't fulfill the promise of the single, memorable final shot, as the credits appear. 5/10, cuz it's half a film.

• The Fly 2 buzzes!

  travisbickle19732008-05-26

  On second viewing - all these years later - my first impressions regarding my feelings on "The Fly 2" have been altered; like the DNA of our central character. Though you wanted the quirkiness and tour de force performance that Jeff Goldblum gave in the first "The Fly" or the gravitas and grit that David Cronenberg is so adept at, this sequel actually has a sensible storyline, vivid and shocking special effects and an ending that ultimately makes you care how the characters find their way out of their pus-filled cocooned predicament. Chris Walas's direction induced a strong pacing and tension throughout the journey, whilst the screenwriters provided a thought provoking social commentary on the nefarious activities of profit over human concerns in the corporate world. Eric Stoltz, in dark hair and a high pitched voice, as the mutating offspring of Seth Brundle (Goldblum's character from the first film), inhabited the child-like qualities of his role with the sensitivity he displayed in "Mask", adding an appropriate amount of dark dimension when the situation or two called for it. Daphne Zuniga, in the follow up female role from Geena Davis, is empathetic as the caring and defiant Beth Logan. And Lee Richardson, does a masterful job of a torn, yet despotic CEO of Bartok industries, becoming the surrogate father figure that Stoltz's rapidly aging Brundle so requires. Whether you watch this sequel immediately after the first film or years later, you'll soon realize that "The Fly 2" stands on its own merits as a crisp horror tale, as well as continuing a legacy with intellect and thrills. Maybe having Frank Darabont ("The Mist", "The Shawshank Redemption") work on the script helped bring the depth and arc this follow up required. 8/10

• It's not Cronenberg, but it's not total trash either

  BroadswordCallinDannyBoy2006-06-24

  Seth Brundle's offspring, Martin, is born and begins his life in a controlled lab environment at Bartok Industries. He grows at an accelerated rate both physically and intellectually. After seeing some of the ruthless ethic that the company has towards its experiments and the length they go for results Martin goes on a rampage and escapes. Also, his mysterious and idling chromosomes start to become active and he begins to mutate. First he has better strength and speed and soon he turns into a monster. Much of the visceral symbols and themes from David Cronenberg's film are lost at the expense of gore and special effects, but parts of this obviously inferior film are nonetheless engaging. The character's motivation is clear, the atmosphere is pretty defined, and the film's last act is pretty exciting. Featuring some good gore effects and a ruthless act of revenge against an evil character ultimately make this film more satisfying than its reputation would suggest. 5/10 Rated R for violence, gore/gruesome images, and a sex scene