Phantasm II

Whereas Phantasm was a surreal, ephemeral nightmare of a movie, Phantasm II strips away the artifice and dreamlike nature and streamlines it into an action-horror movie. Think of it how Aliens or Terminator 2 changed course from their predecessors, without abandoning it; the tension is still there, but it ratchets up the action. Fans debate which is better; I prefer the original for the creepy, uneasy setting. But I still enjoy this one immensely. It definitely benefits from a bigger budget as well, as the special effects are wonderful. You can see every dollar up on the screen, in the best possible way. Two notes, though, on things that are mildly disappointing. One, there are a LOT of story beats that are repeated here from the first one. As a result, it can feel a bit more-of-the-same. But perhaps the bigger issue is that any questions you have from the first movie will remain when this is over. Phantasm II is not interested in answering anything. It's a high-octane thrill ride, and nothing but. For some, that'll be alright. But for those looking to have their questions answered, look elsewhere.