MovieChat Forums > The Hills Have Eyes II (2007) Discussion > What caused this film to suck so much co...

What caused this film to suck so much compared to the 'first' one?

posted 16 years ago by BrunoAntony
21 replies | jump to latest

Seriously, the first one was great ... genuinely scary and thrilling, good acting, effects, music, etc. The comic, Hills Have Eyes: The Beginning, was terrific ... a really well-written, creepy tale about where the mutants came from.

The Hills Have Eyes 2 was just awful on every single level. I tried to watch it on a flight and was literally fast-fowarding due to boredom. The only thing they got right was using Devendra Banhart's song "Insect Eyes" on the trailer (although not in the film!!!).

Was it ever explained why this film turned out so terribly? Did the budget fall through or something? Did Wes Craven not look at the script?

It seems like such a wasted opportunity ... The Hills Have Eyes could have been a great horror movie franchise.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] liledgar21 16 years ago

The simple fact that they tried to make it teenage friendly by adding comic relief, the protagonists were switched from a family that could be cared about by the audience to a bunch of stupid military soldiers who swear in every sentence, and just an overall terrible storyline, and script.

[–] CantRainAllTheTime512 16 years ago

simple, the second didn't have Doug going psycho! lol
and because the soldiers sucked.

[–] MANiCURE 16 years ago

Early on wasn't there a script that involved Brenda? I could've sworn I heard there were talks of bringing her back, but Emilie de Ravin was trapped with Lost

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You mean you forgot cranberries too?

[–] BrunoAntony 15 years ago

i heard she didn't want to reprise the role because she didn't want to play the character again/

but yeah, it was supposed to involve her leading the army back to the site of her family's massacre.

[–] erik-f-1 15 years ago

What made this movie suck BIG TIME:

The only military unit with OPPOSITE-training (Make the dumbest possible choices, every time, it MUST take a lot of training)..... "I'll leave my rifle unattended over here, and you leave your rifle unattended over there.... and make sure the camera zooms in while we do it, so noone misses it!!"

Every time a mutant attacked it seems the others were just watching.... "Hmmmm I wonder what happens if I stand completely still?"

Am I the only one who wondered why Napoleon or Amber didn't put the rifle into the hole where Mickey was being pulled down, and fire off a couple of rounds? They had plenty of time where only his foot was in the hole.
Instead she stands 8 feet behind him, waving the gun "trying to get a clear shot"?!?!?

Missiy insists on taking a piss AWAY from the others, even though they've already lost 3 guys at that point, WHAT THE *beep*?!

I could continue this all day, even stupid people with no military training would do better than these guys, it was so embarrasing!

People who have rated this movie better than 2 stars, must either:

A) Be really mad about hot sexy Amber.

B) Be drunk and cheer the mutants and the bad decisions on.

It never ceases to amaze me how easy human bones and flesh are cut in half by a dull blade......

There was more than 1 hour I will never get back.....

[–] thatsarappp 15 years ago

This film is NOT that bad. It looks bad partly due to the fact that the first THHE (2006) is incredible.
The Hills Have Eyes (1977) 7/10
The Hills Have Eyes (2006) 10/10
The Hills Have Eyes 2 (2007) 6.5/10

Now if you wanna see BAD, just check out the original The Hills Have Eyes Part 2 (1985). I own it simply because its part of THHE franchise. But to be honest, it makes this THHE 2 look like a masterpiece.

[–] SirusX11 15 years ago

This may also be the single most predictable horror movie in history. I can't remember another horror film where I could so accurately call out the jump scares before they happened. Seriously, this movie uses every single horror cliche that exists. Also, it helps if, when writing a horror movie, you create characters that people will give two $hits about.

"So horribly sad. How is it that I feel like laughing?"

[–] kairingler 16 years ago

I agree, now what went wrong,, *beep* everything i think,, so corny,, it could have been done in so many different ways,, i just thought that it was awful,, and left a bad taste in my mouth after watching it,, i can't pinpoint one certain thing, just the whole movie stank,
are you going to bark all day little doggie,, or are you going to bite

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] grinderVegan765 15 years ago

Haha Wes Craven wrote this trash with his hack son. I think he's lost his touch, didn't he make that horrendous Cursed with Christina Ricci not long ago, and he's selling out hardcore, letting his brilliant classics like The Hills Have Eyes, The Last House on the Left and A Nightmare on Elm Street get remade. Don't get me wrong I thoroughly enjoyed the 2006 Hills Have Eyes, and these films have aged so much a modern re-adaptation is interesting (I don't mean aged in a bad way, they're a product of their time which makes them so fascinating), but selling the rights to all your beloved horror classics is absurd and annoying.

Just cuz you get them big udders don't mean you're nuthin special!

[–] kairingler 15 years ago

i think the first one was so good, it was almost impossible to keep that up for the sequel,, i was dissapointed in it as well
are you going to bark all day little doggie,, or are you going to bite

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] BoxOfficePoison 15 years ago

The combined stupidity of every teenager that ever partied in the vicinity of Crystal Lake would be no match for the ineptitude of this bunch. Why NOT kill them all?

[–] plagueseason 14 years ago

It's pretty easy: Alexandre Aja was not involved with this film.

He wrote and directed the "first" one, and honestly, he's one of the few people that bring a fresh perspective to horror movies nowadays. High Tension is another fantastic film of his - if you haven't seen it, definitely go check it out! I'm not saying he isn't without his flaws (Mirrors was kind of a disappointment), but at least the guy tries, and typically succeeds and making fresh and original horror/psychological flicks.