Film Review: Chrome Skull: Laid to Rest 2 (2011)

Chrome Skull: Laid to Rest 2 is a weird mess of a horror film that combines terrible plot revelations together with poor pacing and bad dialogue. And yet...I liked it. Just wished I loved it.

Beware...Kinda Spoilerish...

Chrome Skull takes place right after the events of the first film. You'll remember that our old pal Chromy was done in using the old acid/glue switcharoo trick. Left for dead in some old backwoods convenience store, our final girl hitches a ride with Tommy (Thomas Dekker) and they high tail it to the nearest motel in which to shower up and give us a glimpse of some blood-stained titty action. Well, it's not long before Chromy is picked up by what seems to be some kind of organization that he runs led by Preston (Brian Austin Green(!)...more on him later) and Spann (a cool as hell Danielle Harris). Preston goes off to finish off some business at that local motel where our lovely final girl is showering...and then the film fast forwards a few months finding our old buddy Chromy doing well as they pretty much used skin graphs and morphine to patch him back together. A little far-fetched, yes...but, you are watching a film based on a killer that goes around with a frickin' chromed-out skull mask glued to his face...so, let us move on.

Now...it is kind of revealed that Chromy isn't just some random dude running around filming his victims as he finds new inventive ways to end their lives, but...he turns out to be some kind of sadistic self-funded hunter incorporated with several employees who go around setting up kill zones and finding new victims for him...and then patch up his ass whenever he meets a final girl that fucks him up. We weren't exactly sure what was going on while watching the film...but, we do guess that it was some kind of attempt to further deepen the Laid to Rest universe and give it some depth. While we definitely give the film some points for originality, ultimately, it was kind of a lame place to take the mysterious entity of Chrome Skull and kind of cheapen his whole aura. Even though the first film shared some of the same pacing and dialogue issues that plagued this sequel, the random aspect of it was actually quite refreshing. Sometimes we don't need some pieced-together plot to make the whole thing seem deep...shit, that's what makes Jason Vorhees so cool. He's just a pure killer. Just let the guy go around killing people for his own sadistic sport. He doesn't need a medical team following him around in case of mortal injury...or in this case, immortal injury.

End of Spoilerish Section.

That aside, Brian Austin Green was actually awesome in the film. You'll still see echoes of David Silver in his performance, but he's still great as a sort of obsessive employee of Chrome Skull's who goes as far as getting tattooed for the love of his trade. Sure, it all adds to the silliness of the whole Team Chrome Skull premise...but, he does fine work in the film. I do hope this role leads to more stuff from him in the genre. He plays such a great kooky bad guy. Danielle Harris is equal parts luscious baddie as she plays the female counterpart to Preston...who constantly try to vie for Chromey's adoration.

The dialogue is pretty laughable and if it were not for the often times slow pace, we wouldn't need all those useless scenes devoted to explanation and inane babbling. There's a scene where Tommy (played by Thomas Dekker) flicks some of his cigarette ash into a detective's coffee mug and the detective mumbles to himself..."Well, I guess I finished my coffee now"...which pretty much felt like they just thought this dialogue up as they shot the film. That scene could've been shot several different ways that excluded any kind of dialogue and relied on subtle looks to convey a comedic annoyance much better.

Perhaps we're nitpicking? Well, when you have such a cool killer in Chrome Skull and absolutely insanely awesome gruesome kills...and they are pretty awesome - there's a scene where Chromy stabs some chick in the side of the head...and just when you think...damn, he missed, he finds a way to make it fucking sick! The gore is on another level. Had the film makers put the same amount of thought and energy on the actual script that they obviously devoted to the F/X gore...this film would've seriously been something.

But anyway, when you have all the makings of a great original horror film...you hate to see shit like crappy dialogue, slow pacing and lame plot revelations (just wait til after the credits roll for more lunacy) ultimately knock the film down to watchable status. Perhaps director/co-writer Robert Hall should be laid to blame for most of the film's flaws...because, as much as the man can film a gory killing like few others in the genre can, he can't lens a simple conversation without provoking an unintentional laugh or two.

Chrome Skull: Laid to Rest 2 could have been a fucking awesome horror film breathing new life into a slasher genre that is quickly growing old and tired these days. Instead it's just a watchable horror/slasher that will be enjoyed by those that loved the first entry. It's not bad...don't get me wrong. It's just sort of disappointing and not especially memorable. Well...except for the gruesome money shots, of course.

2 out of 5

Speaking of money shots...

Did you know that co-star Angelina Armani, who plays Detective Holland in the film, has made her name in another film genre? The lovely Angelina has lended her talents to such films as Swallow This 16, Pussy Eating Club, Fuck My Mom & Me 5, Trade School Sluts and Manaconda 3...amonsgt several other adult classics.

A word on Porn in Horror. Marilyn Chambers started it all when she made her mainstream debut in David Cronenberg's Rabid. Traci Lords did it in the 90's. Sasha Grey starred in a few horror films including Smash Cut, the short Blackstone and the upcoming Would You Rather. Most recently Riley Steele tried her hand successfully in Piranha 3D and now Angelina Armani does a pretty good job as a detective in Chrome Skull: Laid to Rest 2. Personally...I don't mind the eye candy in my horror. How about you? Do you like to mix your porn with your horror...like a gory/sexified Reeses Peanut Butter Cup?

Anyway...here's Angelina looking quite sexified...

Thanks for reading,


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