Scary Movie 2

Scary Movie 2
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans
Produced by
  • Eric L. Gold
Written by
Starring
Music by Mark McGrath
Cinematography Steven Bernstein
Edited by
Production
companies
Distributed by Miramax Films
Release date
  • July 4, 2001 (2001-07-04)
Running time
 82 minutes[1]
Country United States
Language English
Budget $45 million[2]
Box office $141.2 million[2]

Scary Movie 2 is a 2001 American horror comedy film and the second film in the Scary Movie franchise. The film stars Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Shawn Wayans, and Marlon Wayans (all reprising their roles from the first film, despite their characters having been killed off), as well as Tim Curry, Tori Spelling, Chris Elliott, Chris Masterson, Kathleen Robertson, David Cross, and James Woods.

Where the original film was mainly based on the slasher films of the '90s, Scary Movie 2 parodies an array of supernatural and haunted house films from various decades, including The Haunting (1999), The Exorcist (1973), The Amityville Horror (1979), Poltergeist (1982), The Legend of Hell House (1973), House on Haunted Hill (both the 1959 and 1999 versions), and The Changeling (1980). It also spoofs some contemporary films, such as Hannibal (2001), and Hollow Man (2000).

The film is the last in the series to feature the involvement of stars Marlon and Shawn Wayans, and director Keenen Ivory Wayans. However, the Wayans would eventually go on to produce a similar horror-themed parody, A Haunted House, and its sequel, both starring Marlon Wayans.

Despite generally negative reviews from critics, Scary Movie 2 was a box office success, grossing $141.2 million worldwide from a $45 million budget.[2]

Plot

A teenage girl named Megan Voorhees (Natasha Lyonne) becomes possessed by the spirit of Hugh Kane (Richard Moll), the house's previous owner. During a formal dinner party she emerges in her pajamas, insults her mother and the guests, then proceeds to urinate profusely on the floor. In response, Megan's mother (Veronica Cartwright) seeks help from two priests, Father McFeely (James Woods) and Father Harris (Andy Richter). After paying a trip to the bathroom, the men attempt to drive Hugh's ghost out, but the exorcism does not go as planned. After a chain of projectile vomits and various instances of pedophilia, Megan insults Father McFeely's mother. He responds by pulling out a gun and shooting Megan.

Meanwhile, Cindy Campbell (Anna Faris), Brenda Meeks (Regina Hall), Ray Wilkins (Shawn Wayans), and Shorty Meeks (Marlon Wayans) are at college, trying to live new lives since the events of the first film. Cindy and Brenda get tagged by a socially maladjusted girl, Alex (Tori Spelling). Shorty is still the same stoner he was before. Ray, still confused about his sexuality, has two new male friends, Tommy (James DeBello) and Buddy (Christopher Masterson). Buddy becomes romantically interested in Cindy, but she rebuffs him.

Professor Oldman (Tim Curry) and his charming paraplegic assistant, Dwight Hartman (David Cross), plan to study the paranormal activity at a local haunted mansion called Hell House. They use Cindy and her friends as test subjects. At the mansion, Cindy encounters a foul-mouthed parrot and Hanson (Chris Elliott), the caretaker with a badly malformed hand. Later, the group is joined by newcomer Theo (Kathleen Robertson). They sit down for dinner, but soon lose their appetite due to Hanson's repulsive antics.

Later that night, Cindy hears voices directing her to a secret room, where she and Buddy discover the diary of Hugh Kane's wife. Seeing her portrait, they note Cindy's resemblance to her. Meanwhile, other teens also experience bizarre encounters. Hugh Kane's ghost has sex with Alex in her bedroom, but retreats when Alex expresses her interest in becoming the new Mrs. Kane. Cindy gets involved in a fistfight with the house cat, Mr. Kittles. A toy clown (Suli McCullough) attempts to kill Ray, but in a strange turn of events, the clown doll gets raped by Ray instead. A weed-monster rolls Shorty into a joint. It tries to smoke him (and succeeds, much to Shorty's enjoyment as he states: 'I'm getting as high as a motherf**ker!'), but gets distracted by munchies and lets him escape.

Professor Oldman is seduced and killed by the ghost of Hugh's mistress. Shorty later encounters the same ghost, but seduces and has sex with her. After Dwight equips the teens with weapons that can injure their spectral enemy, they are pursued throughout the mansion. Buddy and Cindy get locked in the walk-in freezer. Cindy gives Buddy a handjob and "revives" him, resulting in him releasing semen blasting Cindy to the door. Cindy then uses a collection of random objects in the room to produce a Caterpillar tractor and escapes the freezer.

Hanson gets possessed by Kane and kidnaps Shorty, who is high on drugs. In the dining room, Hanson sets up a cooker and cuts off the top of Shorty's head. Instead of a brain, there is a small man rapping (Beetlejuice) inside. Cindy, Brenda, and Theo team up to fight Hanson, but wind up defeated. Dwight regroups with the teens. Cindy acts as bait to lure Kane into a device that will destroy him. The plan succeeds, freeing the group from the house's curse.

Two months later, Cindy and Buddy are in a relationship. They are out on a walk when Buddy disappears and Hanson shows up. As he closes in menacingly, he gets hit by a car. The car's driver is Shorty, who is receiving a blowjob from the ghost that he seduced earlier (much like the ending of the previous movie).

Cast

Background

The film is a sequel to Scary Movie. According to director Keenen Ivory Wayans, the makers of the film watched over 130 horror films for background research.[3] Marlon Brando was originally cast as Father McFeely and completed one day of filming before he had to leave the production due to illness.[4] He was replaced by James Woods who was paid $1 million for four days work.[5] Charlton Heston has also turned down the James Woods part. At one point, former President Bill Clinton, who had just left office the year the film came out (2001), was considered for the James Woods part. Because Miramax had not greenlit this sequel until the massive box office success of the original, the film faced a punishing production schedule that involved coming up with a script and tearing through production and post-production in a total of less than 9 months, roughly half the average time for all those steps to be completed on a standard Hollywood production in 2000-2001.

Reception

Box office

In North America, the film grossed $71,308,997. Worldwide, it grossed $141,220,678. Although it was a hit, out of the first four Scary Movie films, this was the least successful to date – until the fifth film was released twelve years later.[2][6]

Critical response

Scary Movie 2 received generally negative reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 15% based on 109 reviews with an average rating of 3.4/10 The site's critical consensus reads, "Instead of being funny, this gross-out sequel plays like a sloppy, rushed-out product."[7] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 29 out of 100 based on 25 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[8] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.[9]

Home media

The film premiered on DVD on December 18, 2001.[10] It was later released on Blu-ray a decade later on September 20, 2011, after Lionsgate purchased Miramax and Dimension Films's catalogues.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Scary Movie 2 (18)". British Board of Film Classification. July 16, 2001. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Scary Movie 2 (2001)".
  3. ↑ Brook, Tom (6 July 2001). "Scary sequel 'out-grosses' first". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  4. ↑ Silverman, Stephen M. (15 June 2001). "Brando's 'Scary' Scene". people.com. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  5. ↑ "Hugh Grant up for Harry Potter role". theguardian.com. 29 June 2001. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  6. ↑ "Weekend Box Office Results for April 12-14, 2013". Box Office Mojo. April 16, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Scary Movie 2 (2001)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Scary Movie 2 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  9. ↑ "CinemaScore". cinemascore.com.
  10. ↑ Wallis, J. Doyle (December 26, 2001). "Scary Movie 2". DVD Talk. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Scary Movie 2 Blu-ray". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
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