Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 (2011) User Reviews

Not as good as first movie

[atinder · 5/10 · 19 October 2012]

I enjoyed the first, I didn't think, I would like, I really did but can't say the same about this sequel

This movie started of where last movie left off, which I liked and then movie went down hill as the movies goes on.

I just didn't like where they took the story at all, as I didn't like the plot, it was hard to enjoy it, however the kills in this movie are really creative some really good gory death scenes.

The acting in this movie was hit and miss from some of the cast members

Not as good or as fun as the first movie but decent kills makes this good slasher movie. 5 out of 10

Still not resting

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 11 November 2012]

The movie continues where the first "Laid to Rest" movie ended. But that doesn't mean it's a straight continuation. The surviving characters from part 1 are back on duty, but quite a lot of new characters are introduced as well. Danielle Harris is one of them, though her role is not that big (no pun intended). Brian Austin Green actually has the biggest part and he obviously has the most fun. He almost steals the movie from Chromeskull himself.

The detectives are almost a letdown, but I liked that they were going in a different direction this time around. It might alienate a few fans of the first movie, but the director already stated, that he didn't want to do the same thing over again. FX are top notch again and an actor from part 1 cameos in this too, but plays a different character. As Nick Principe (Chromeskull himself) said at a convention: He pulled a Clark Kent (you'll get it, if you watch both movies). I am curious to see, where they'll go for the next chapter (Nick isn't that fond of an outer space scenario if I'm not mistaken ;o) ).

An extremely gory but ultimately disappointing sequel.

[BA_Harrison · 5/10 · 27 December 2012]

I know that I enjoyed the original Laid to Rest for its sheer enthusiasm and spectacularly OTT gore, but I can recall very little about the actual plot, despite having only seen it a year ago; perhaps that's because there wasn't much of a story to remember in the first place (the lack of strong narrative clearly didn't matter too much to me: I gave the first film a rating of 7.5/10).

Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 is just as eager to please in terms of bloody mayhem, and does so brilliantly with oodles of really mean-spirited and excellently executed gore, but this time around the film-makers also try to build on Chromeskull's character, and it is here that the film comes apart quicker than one of the killer's victims. While a bit of back-story mightn't have been so bad, what we are presented with here is so overblown, convoluted, and incomprehensible that it only serves to confuse and irritate in the extreme.

The film opens abruptly with no recap of previous events, immediately launching into the unnecessarily complex nonsense that passes for a plot, in which a secret organisation is revealed to be behind the work of our metal mask-wearing maniac. With a script even messier than one of Chromeskull's kills, the viewer is simply left with too many unanswered questions—Who are these characters? What is the nefarious organisation hoping to achieve? Why are the police so f•••ing inept? Who the hell thought it would be a good idea to hire Danielle Harris (she was in the extremely disappointing sequel to Hatchet too!)? It all adds up to a very frustrating and frankly rather tedious experience.

If director Robert Hall proceeds with his intended third and final Laid to Rest film, I really hope that he succeeds in explaining matters in a satisfying manner; simply drenching proceedings with buckets of really nasty knife action just won't cut it next time.

I rate Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 a 9/10 for the sterling work of the effects guys, but 1/10 for everything else (resulting in a disappointing average of 5/10).

ChromeSkull is back and once again it's just all about the death scenes

[KineticSeoul · 30 October 2011]

The first "Laid to Rest" wasn't a great slasher but it was a alright slasher that is passable because of the creative kills with a single weapon. This time the kills are a bit more gruesome for this sequel but it also seemed like they just put in bunch of random character for ChromeSkull to kill. And that basically sums up most of this movie for the most part. If you have a weak stomach though it's just better to stay away from this if you do cause there is almost nothing in the story department. The acting is even more atrocious this time and almost laughable at times than actually makes the premise intimidating. There is more weapons that is used to gruesomely kill people but the only audience I can see really enjoying this movie. Is the audiences that like to watch people die in some of the most gruesome way possible with sharp objects. Although I seen similar movies like this before but even I had to cringe a few times while watching this. Also the mystery behind ChromeSkull is what sort of made the videotaping killer sort of interesting and this movie reveals a bit of ChromeSkull and who he is. I am not sure if this is a good thing but the premise is even more ridiculous this time around. And not only because ChromeSkull manage to survive the first incident, it just makes the killer more supernatural than human. Okay so it is now revealed that ChromeSkull is like some leader in some creepy secret organization. Although it isn't clearly explained what that organization is about. Like I said there is little to no script for this movie and to sum it up, it's a sadistic gruesome killing movie. But there is audiences for this type of movie so if your one of them this movie might be worth a watch with a group of friends that share the same interest. I personally just found this sequel to be gruesome but bland. The movie sort of picks up near the end and than fall short again because it just becomes too ridiculous and stupid.

3.8/10

Laid to rest, yes, but gets the shock treatment for the sequel

[StevePulaski · 3/10 · 17 September 2011]

Robert Hall's 2009 horror debut Laid to Rest wasn't perfect by any means, but offered a great gore-scheme and pacing and suspense that came to its favor. Its characters weren't very well crafted, and logic had to hide out so the film could do its thing, but overall it was a cute and enjoyable little gore flick. Did it ever need a sequel? Well, to Hall, since it was a moderate success on the message boards and online yes it did.

Laid to Rest 2, accompanied by the "Chromeskull" subtitle, is a bleak and ugly film not because it's gruesome and violent, but because its plot becomes blown out of proportion and it becomes a cocky horror film. Somebody should've whispered in the filmmakers' ears that this wasn't a big success, but a fairly unexpected one. The story has now become enlarged and has now gone to expand its boundaries to the point where it's unbelievable and contrived.

The film picks up right where the first left off, then manages to fast-forward three months later where we are introduced to Jess (Michaels), a girl going blind because of scar tissue in her eyes. Jess is drugged, kidnapped, and locked in a coffin by the killer who has a video camera on his shoulder and a shiny, chrome-silver mask in the shape of a skeleton on his face. He uses deadly, homemade knives that are something straight out of a sadist's mind, but are crafted with such detail they become one of the strongest points in the film.

I'm not going to even try to explain the backstory of the killer because I feel ashamed for even asking for it. I wished for minor backstory after seeing Laid to Rest. I thought, I'd like just a small, brief explanation of why this person was killing and videotaping it. I didn't need a huge, bloated, and exhausting storyline that is convoluted and outright ridiculous. The film wants to bring the top-secret, government business into play but it doesn't have the budget nor the skills to do so. This is a slasher film. It's a hack and slash, gorehound, bloody, disgusting, gruesome horror film that deserves zero conspiracy talk at all.

The fact that they bring the overblown backstory into play is just a clear sign of cockiness, but who can really blame them? If you spat out a random, unknown horror film into stores with a promising cover and you made big bucks off of it, you'd take the obligatory sequel one step further wouldn't you? Well, Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 doesn't take just one step, it takes about two leaps and, when you think it has officially stopped in one place, it manages to tip-toe a bit further and further. Have mercy.

Bobbi Sue Luther, director Robert Hall's wife respectively, played the heroine from the original film and makes a quick appearance in this one as well. Sadly, she's killed off very quickly just to bring in an annoying and obnoxious blonde girl instantly. She's no Bobbi Sue, and she's not even interesting enough to be concerned for unlike her.

Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 was somewhat promising, but ultimately falls flat on its face. There is a third film planned which I assume and sort of hope will close the series. I hope after this ludicrous sequel we at least get a final and respectable entry in a series that never got off its feet completely. Aside from gore, the series never truly accomplished much else. It succeeds in being a standout for a few reasons, but overall, when closely examined, or even mildly, it's just another horror film inspired by too many others.

Starring: Brian Austin Green, Danielle Harris, Mimi Michaels, Nick Principe, and Thomas Dekker. Directed by: Robert Hall.

We want more! We want gore! We want ... more gore!!

[Coventry · 3/10 · 9 January 2024]

For all you sick puppies out there who feel that movies like "Saw" or "Hatchet" are not quite gory enough yet, there exist a couple of over-the-top extreme alternatives. Since 2016, we have Art the Clown and his shenanigans in "Terrifier", and in the period 2009-2012 there was "Laid to Rest" and its sequel "Chromeskull". I can think of several terms to describe what's going in this film, but they largely have the same meaning: disgusting, nauseating, odious, vile, putrid... If these terms sound like a recommendation to you, be my guest.

"Chromeskull" picks up immediately where "Laid to Rest" left off. I didn't have any recollection of what the plot was about, but - surprise - it doesn't matter. Writer/director (but primarily make-up/special effects wizard) Robert Hall doesn't show any interest in plotting; - it's exclusively about depicting the most mean-spirited and cruelly sadistic kills. After his escapades of the first film, the nearly dead killer-creep's body is recovered by members of a sort of secret organization (?) and taken back to a lair where's operated upon. Who are these people? Who knows! Why are they doing this? Who cares! The most over-ambitious sicko of the organization (Brian Austin Green, no less) slaughters the final survivor of the first film, and apparently loves it so much that he intends to take Chromeskull's place. Bad idea. Where are the police, I hear you ask? Oh, they are involved, but it's the most incompetent and pitiable bunch of amateurs you'll ever see. They even allow for someone to be unsubtly kidnapped at the coffee machine in their police station!

There's no denying the outrageous gore and the explicitly nasty murders are very impressive and depicted to the slightest anatomic detail. Hall, and his team, knows his profession and clearly finds joy in hacking up bodies as realistically and shockingly as possible. There certainly is a demand for this, but personally I draw the line when completely innocent and random supportive characters get butchered. In flicks like "Terrifier" and "Chromeskull", insignificant people - like roommates or best friends - walk onto the set to be promptly and savagely massacred straight away. I love horror and gratuitous gore, but for some reason I have objections to that. If "all gore and no mercy" is not an issue to you, then "Chromeskull" is guaranteed to be one of the greatest slashers you'll ever watch.

The movie ends with the clear intention to have at least one more sequel. I wasn't going to watch it, anyway, but apparently it didn't come. And, most likely it'll never come anymore, because I learned Robert Hall passed away in 2021 at the (too young) age of 47. I may strongly dislike his film, but the horror industry definitely lost a talented make-up/special effects artist.

Garbage

[berg-74532 · 2/10 · 3 October 2019]

I loved the first the first one. Storytelling was awesome the first time the acting was solid but more importantly believable. Brian Austin Green was a cartoon the cops acted nothing like even tv cops would act like and I'm not sure where this takes place but my guess would be that at no point would cops investigating two homicide's would also be working a missing persons case at the same time. The first movie had a certain feeling of low budget but in the best way possible it's cast had faces that you said I know that person but not sure where from the violence was over the top but not in a way that took away from the story. The first movie made money with almost all of it coming by word of mouth. The Chromeface story was hijacked and molded into nonsense to make sequels of nonsense. When I saw that another Laid to Rest was made I was excited this was horrible, except for the gore witch was solid but not solid enough for me to waste another two hours on each of the never ending sequels to follow.

A vastly Superior sequel, Late night Heaven!

[wolverinejmc · 7/10 · 15 August 2011]

When Laid To Rest came out, I thought I was in slasher heaven. The movie was no BS when it came to what it was about and solidly delivered the goods with gore. A few years later I revisited the film and realized a problem. I was too intoxicated with the gore when younger that I failed to see the horrendous acting. watching it again, I found myself cringing at almost every piece of dialogue. However I still liked the gore.

So here comes the sequel, which promised to be better and gorier, like all slasher sequels should. But I wanted to keep the expectations in check in case everyone stunk again.WRONG! Main girl Jess is very nice to look at and is a great scream queen, unlike the gratingly annoying girl from the first. Thomas Dekkar reprises his role and performs fine, but Jess is the main focus. Brian Austin Green steals the show when featured, I won't say his role but its massively entertaining.

With Chromeskull though, the main attraction is the gore. I write this review after viewing it on demand so I cannot tell if I saw the unrated, but WOAH, I'm more than sure I did. The body count reaches double digits, and every death is more elaborate than the next. not like Saw elaborate, but I've never seen blades used in so many shockingly graphic ways in one film. Director Robert Hall outdid himself here, it's just bloody beyond belief, really, and the energy keeps the film chugging along. There are also some legitimate scares and tension which Laid to Rest sorely lacked.

Did I have any problems with the film, sure, but they're too small to mention. See this if your a horror fan, and be prepared to see so much blood you'll be knocked back. Also, be sure to stay after the credits!

An enormous setback...

[martinmartin-3 · 1/10 · 2 September 2011]

First of.. I enjoyed the first film. It were massively flawed in numerous ways, but there was entertainment value and potential to be seen. I am a cinephile and I believe I understand horror films including it's language and history. I would also like to mention that I had no expectations towards this project. I only figured that maybe the director and others involved would have grown since the last film, and maybe would have spotted what didn't work about it. Oh boy, was I wrong.

The most importang thing in horror is the human element/factor. There really needs to be a balance in all the grimness or else it will not have any impact. This goes for slashers as well. If not for anything else, characters can contribute with some humour. There is nothing in that vein to speak of concerning this. It seems to be directed by an angry inept 13 year old, having watched all the horror/slasher remakes of the 2000's. No finesse, No style, No intelligence, No craftsmanship, No suspense, No nothing.

I'll ignore the first entry from here on as this should be judged as a stand alone piece. By this I mean I will reference back to the first film, but I will not judge it by my expectations or as a sequel in any way. The first film was well above many other direct-to-DVD slasher flick. This one simply is beneath anything ever made in the genre. Ever. I am calm and quite relaxed when I write that this is the most bored I've ever been while watching a slasher flick. You know the feeling you get when your actually so bored your heart starts to race and your body is aching? Yeah well...

I won't bother with the plot as there really is no indication there even was a script on set. I would give it more slack if it at least did a well known formula, but there really is no plot whatsoever. Not even an unoriginal one, it simply does not exist in this dojo. Even horror fans in it only for the gore will be disappointed by this wreck of a film. At least the first film had character relations and some humour. This has neither.

Horrible camera work. You haven't experienced shaky-cam before you've seen this. I do passionately hate that obnoxious ''style'' but this is by far the worst I've ever seen. It even ruins the only enjoyable thing about it, the kills. There is not a stable shot to be found. No steadicam, No dolly tracks and No crane shots to be found in the entire running time of this one. They didn't even bother with a 20$ tripod it seems. It looks beyond amateurish, and the CONSTANT effect does not only suggest laziness, but a complete lack of visual style and personality. I can't even imagine this as being an artistic choice. It simply was not prioritised. This looks to have been shot ultra fast (these films usually are and it is no excuse) and with a vastly smaller budget than the first film.

Crap editing (The first one was guilty of this as well). Boring and irritating score. In fact, any filmatic quality is down the drain so I won't bother to list any more. It really does remind me a whole lot of ''Hatchet II''. It starts out with a decent first film and then... You'll be told that this is a great throwback (tho it is in fact modern in every way) and that it's fun and doesn't really need a plot as no one watches this films for that anyway. Ignore this claim.

The gore scenes are great though. And also the only thing the filmmakers (I do use the term lightly) chose to focus on while making this. It's simply not enough. The fantastic gore made me consider giving the film 2 stars, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. It really does not deserve any.

A big wasted opportunity. The one thing we learn about the killer is not touched upon at all. It's noisy, excruciatingly boring and incompetent. We're talking later ''Saw'' installments. The focus jumps back and forth between the killer and the police and there is absolutely no involvement to speak of. There is shouting, fast edits and NOTHING else. Nothing actually happens in this dribble of a film. Avoid like the plague. It's not even worth checking out for the gore scenes. It simply lacks the fun of the genre and it takes itself way too serious. Even the idiotic cops isn't played for laughs, it's just dumb. I absolutely hated it.

(And indeed is there a scene after the credits. And it's incredibly uninspired).

Chromeskull Returns Better Than Before!

[werewolfgal13 · 7/10 · 27 August 2011]

I caught this at the Canadian Premiere at DEDfest where it quickly became the favourite of the night's screenings. Having seen the first Laid to Rest I was pretty solid on what I was in for but set my standards a little lower simply because it was a sequel and 8 out of 10 sequels are worse (albeit maybe only slightly) than the original. Boy was I surprised. Simply put Laid to Rest 2 took the first movie, eviscerated it and danced upon it's corpse. It took the concept behind the first film ( guy in mask stalks and kills whilst videotaping his crimes) and attached a somewhat flimsy although very intriguing background to our killer, and also really stuck to what Chromeskull is all about: knives. Every Chromeskull incurred kill was with a blade unlike the first film and none of the gore set-pieces were gags or really funny at all unlike some kills in the first. The gore was stellar, the acting rather good (much much better than the first), the plot was actually there, so all in all if you like this sort of film at all even if you never saw Laid to Rest do yourself a favour and watch it.

2 for the kills , everything else is garbage

[draftdubya · 2/10 · 25 May 2020]

Brian Green can teleport in this movie. The police station in this turd will let anyone walk into the homicide division unchecked. The police in this movie have no problem send just one detective to check out a possible crime scene. "Do it by the book" means to walk into property with no warrant. The female victim can't act her out a wet tissue. After finding the girl dead from a serie killer at the hotel it's cool to just go back home and put on some loud arse headphones. Cops from another town don't believe in calling backup or swat from the town they just went to. Fark all protocol and go in alone.

Great gory sequel

[TdSmth5 · 8/10 · 25 May 2014]

Emergency personnel arrive to the scene after Laid To Rest ends. One girl escapes with a guy. There's some abusive guy in charge. He finds a phone which he'll use to track down the girl. But this isn't your regular emergency personnel. This is Chromeskull's crew. They operate on him to save his life and restore his face after he wore a skill full of acid. The guy, Preston, does track down the girl and slashes her up in Chromeskull fashion. In fact, he's sort of in charge of the organization while Chromeskull is recovering.

When the cops find the girl's remains they recognize the familiar pattern. Elsewhere, a girl is about to undergo surgery for her eyes, she's progressively losing her sight and one night parties with a friend, when Preston-as-Chromeskull arrives, kills the friend and grabs the girl and stashes her in a casket for the real Chromeskull to kill, who's doing better.

The cops investigate the girl's disappearance and find a video with Preston walking by. They bring the guy who drove the surviving girl to the station to identify the image. But Preston is also after this guy to tie up Chromeskull's loose ends. Later he kidnaps him and puts him in the same warehouse with the girl. The lame cops eventually make it to the place, just as Chromeskull is up and ready and not happy with Preston impersonating him.

Laid to Rest 2 is a great sequel. It's enjoyable when a crew learns and when a sequel for once improves on the original. Acting is better, direction is better, the special effects are truly spectacular and realistic. And they are all physical effects, no cheap CGI stuff, which is great because this movie is very gory. Some death scenes are striking but then there are others that are weak. The story is more elaborate and intriguing when it comes to Chromskull's mysterious organization. Unfortunately, locations are weak and they still struggled with telling the story. At some point this movie confines itself to some small dark warehouse and some tiny office as police station. And that's also when this movie runs out of steam. Preston is always whining and begging for forgiveness for something, we do not know what. The cops are an incompetent bunch. This movie, like the first, also has portions shot in POV for no good reason really. It doesn't add anything or improves things in any way. Overall a strong sequel. And at this pace, a third movie should be near A-movie quality. I just hope they get around to making more in the series as the idea and villain have a lot of potential.

Way better then the first one.

[grega_salabajzer · 7/10 · 15 September 2011]

I watched this movie just because Danielle Harris is in it. I wasn't very impressed with the first one, because acting was terrible and the whole movie didn't have the right "groove". So I didn't expect very much from this one. But I was pleasantly surprised. The acting was on a much higher level, the script is well written and it opens many questions, which hopefully will be answered in the next one. The killings are technically better made and the whole movie has that intense feeling. So this is one o the best slasher movies made in the last few years and I'm now waiting to see what will they do in the next one. At the end I want to apologize the makers for not seeing the movie in theater. I had to download it because I'm from a country where horror genre isn't very popular for our distributors.

again gory and a lack of story

[trashgang · 5/10 · 26 October 2011]

The specialized magazines loved this flick. I must say that I wasn't a fan of the first one. I liked the gore but it lacked on a story. This one was directed by the same director as part 1 (Robert Hall) and I must say, it was shot in the same way, a lot of gore but again it was written by the director himself and yes, a lack of story...

The flick starts were the other one ended at the grocery store. The heroin from part 1 (the wife of Robert Hall, Bobbi Sue Luther) has survived the atrocity at the store and she finally can go away from it all, wrong, after a shower someone is visiting her motel. From there on you can pick up the flick easily because before the shower scene she do has a flashback about what happened at the store.

The names from part 1 are back here in this part and some new names like Danielle Harris. She's only in it for a few minutes so don't expect to see her act like in Blood Night: The Legend Of Bloody Mary. Her name is in fact just a teaser. The acting is believable so on that part no complaints.

But as I said, the story is weak. Here we do have a fake Chromeskull and of course the real one. The fake one do plays the main part in the first part of Laid To Rest 2. The second part it's gore galore with the real Chromeskull. But it just doesn't fit the way the story is told. Why those two girls are chosen by Chromeskull isn't explained of example. And the coppers doesn't add anything special too.

But of course this feature is known for it's gore and that is done in a excellent way. The red stuff do flows a lot and the killings are done in a exaggerated style. The knifes are again impressive.

Overall, this movie is really one for the gorehounds and the lovers of torture porn. The Laid To Rest flicks aren't my cup of tea storywise but i do love the gore in it and the way the killings are done.

Gore 4/5 Nudity 2/5 Story 2/5 Effects 4/5 Comedy 0/5

Very Solid Sequel, Great Effects

[gavin6942 · 19 September 2011]

ChromeSkull (Nick Principe), who barely escaped death, is hell-bent on continuing where he left off... and forging a new path of terror and destruction.

Robert Hall wrote and directed this picture, just like the first part. And Hall proves he knows what he is doing in the big chair -- while primarily known as a makeup artist, he skillfully controls this story and makes it a very powerful franchise for the 21st century. And he has not left the makeup behind, either -- CG is used very sparingly, with more than enough practical effects and gore to satisfy any horror fan.

The cast is also a bit stronger this time, with horror icon Danielle Harris making a sizable cameo and the well-known Brian Austin Green in a starring role. His character calls to mind certain aspects of "Saw", which I think is unfortunate, but also overcomes those comparisons. ChromeSkull is not Jigsaw -- he cares not for redemption or to test humanity.

There is an expanded mythology in this film centering around "the organization", which I found to be a bit complicated and hard to follow. Maybe I need to view the first film again, view this film again or listen to the commentary. I feel there is a lot of potential here for exploring the organization, and also potential for sequels (though hopefully they do not proceed without having a solid story to tell).

This sequel is more mature than the original, but relies on the same strengths -- fast-paced action, terror and gore. If that is the type of horror film you like, this is a must-see for you. I do not wish to say it is anti-cerebral, but this is not a thinking film... it is blood first, story second... and not in a bad way.

What not to do in a sequel

[selfdestructo · 1/10 · 14 May 2022]

Chromeskull was an absolute ordeal to get through. First of all, I LOVED the first movie, Laid to Rest (apparently there was such an uproar that Bobbi Sue Luther did not get naked in it, that she actually does in her brief cameo in this sequel. An interesting turn of events, and literally the only interesting thing that occurs in this movie).

Laid to Rest "2" represents so many things I hate in a horror movie. Excruciating dialogue. And his new "victim" is so hysterical throughout, you can't even understand her. This is part police procedural. Police procedural?! These are ALWAYS losers, and boring, to boot. There are self-absorbed teens who feel a need to video their every movement and thought. Let me get this straight: One of the guys from Beverly Hills 90210 is now the killer? (Somebody kill ME). Worst of all, this movie is complete and utter nonsense.

Ok, I got the impression that Laid to Rest established that Chromeskull was not invincible. Guess what? He's back. In the first movie, he was in absolute agony when the glue peeled his face off. Then his head is completely annihilated with an aluminum bat. Apparently, reconstructive surgery can bring a man back from the dead.

Laid to Rest had a fun retro 80's slasher vibe. Totally eliminated in this sequel. This was just plain sadistic. I was SHOCKED to learn the same guy wrote and directed both movies.

It is revealed in this movie Chromeskull has an entire team working for him. What serial killer has a team?! What's in it for them? Why are they so loyal to him? What are the business and moneymaking opportunities in murder? AND he has a tattoo artist on staff. Baffling!

I don't know how many incompetent cops they off in this movie (incompetent right up to the very last scene), but it's a whole hell of a lot. Tell the rookie to go and CUFF Chomeskull! Yeah... That's a good idea.

Tack on an idiotic, nonsensical stinger, and you've got the Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 experience.

Really poor sequel.......

[FlashCallahan · 3/10 · 18 October 2015]

The makers of the original realised that Laid To Rest garnered quite the cult following, so after much deliberation, they did the impossible thing that only horror movies can do, and bring back the antagonist/anti-hero of the piece, and up the ante......

The first movie was pretty much in the same vein as other slasher movies such as the original Halloween, ANOES, and Friday the 13th, but it had a really grimy, almost goth like edge to it, which made it stand out just that little more than other horror movies.

That, and the fact that the kills were just so extraordinarily in your face and didn't pull any punches, that was the novelty.

Here, just like the rules go for horror sequels, it's pretty much the same, but the makers don't know what to do with the narrative, so they almost meld the far superior Collector movie with the invincible Chromeskull's plans........to film him kill people who he's had in coffins for a while.

Oh, and the 'invincible' Chromeskull has hench-people, in the shape of Brian Austin Green, and special guest star Danielle Harris, who is only in it because she's our modern day scream queen.

And it's a pretty boring affair, even though the film is on for barely ninety minutes, it seems like a life time.

The kills are as visceral as ever, but they use far more CGI than practical effects, which ruins the illusion of the kill.

If they make a third, let's hope they return to the grime and grunge that smothered the original, and make it a little more edgier...

More boring and incomprehensible than the first

[Groverdox · 3/10 · 29 August 2018]

The sequel to "Laid to Rest" is perhaps even more boring and amateurish than the first one was. There is more going on on-screen this time round, and yet it is even harder to focus on, due to the horrible, unnecessary and distracting camera work.

This one attempts an inexplicable angle in that ChromeSkull, the titular killer, has "minions" who follow him and try to get into his good graces. It makes sense that a serial killer whose modus operandi is filming his murders and sending them to cops might have some 'fans'. Maybe disturbed suburban teenagers, or young men and women who are tired of Satanism/Druidism/whateverism. Why then are the "minions" an extremely organized group who operate like a mini-CIA? Whose idea was that? At first you are trying to figure out who they are. Once you work it out, you wonder WHY they are. Why would these bright, attractive young adults devote themselves to getting into the good graces of a serial killer with a stupid mask?

Plus, the inclusion of these other types distracts from the titular bad guy. It feels like he's hardly in it. Instead, his protege minion mugs for camera time, and his very existence seems like such a contrivance that you are irritated seeing him and the other idiots on screen.

This one does have some extreme violence, as the first one did, the handling of which reveals the filmmakers knowledge of fake blood and guts could potentially make up for their lack of all other filmmaking expertise. However, I don't think there's anything too memorable in this sequel in terms of violence.

Certainly nothing of the calibre of the unbelievably gory original, which featured a man losing his face - and a good part of his head - to acid, and someone having the stump of their neck bludgeoned in.

Indeed, this sequel is so bad it just made me almost-praise the almost equally crappy original.

Not as good as the first but an OKAY sequel with less umph

[Mike_T-Little_Mtn_Sound_Archive · 6/10 · 25 March 2019]

Short and sweet, with no spoilers.

As noted in other reviews, the movie picks up where part one ended, but quickly goes another direction, as we find out Chromeskull has an entire team of people working for him. Again, as many reviews note, this is hard to believe, and a bit of a personal letdown, but I won't trash it like others. At the end of the day, I don't judge movies on whether they are realistic, as I take what I'm fed and go from there. Most serial killer/slasher flicks are unrealistic, so why wrestle with a plot over its "this could never happen" facets?

I put this movie in the "JUST O.K." boat. I came for the blood and gore, not superb storyline or acting, and in this respect it was fine. Due to working on intercharacter relationships, however, some of the intensity was lost, as well as the consistency of "kills," if that makes sense.

***NOTE: So I like blood and guts horror. Sue me.

But I digress.

Personally, I feel like the storyline tried to do too much for a formulaic slasher flick. I liked the original, as it wasn't about notable actors or personal relationships other than the people involved. With Brian Austin Green's inclusion, part 2 felt a bit contrived, as if attempting to find validation for the script. Besides the fact that he doesn't play a convincing maniacal killer, the beauty of part 1 is that the story doesn't rely on anything but sheer slashing. BAG was completely unnecessary and could have been played by any old chump and it wouldn't have mattered to me. Though, any time I see Danielle Harris, I'm happy.

Anyway...beyond this bit of beef, it was ok. The pace is different, since we already know what Chromeface does, and the story takes precedent over kills. At the end of the day, there just wasn't enough "meat" to take it from "just ok" to "good."

The production was on par with part 1. Shot on professional equipment, decent acting (but for BAG), editing, etc...all about the same as the original. Special fx remained decent as well.

All in all, if you watched the first one and enjoyed it, you'll be ok with the sequel (I hear there's another one in development...with BAG. Ugh), just don't expect quite as much. Not a total let down, but I think the writer just tried to do too much.

Notes on Parental Contact:

• There is a fair amount of profanity. At least as much as part 1, if not more.
• I would not call this a scary movie, but there are several scenes that could be described as "intense."
• Brief partial nudity but sex and sexual content is not a prevailing theme.
• Violence and gore is what most people would call "severe." As noted above, there are fewer killings in part 2 but the ones we do see are no less gory than the first. If you're a gorehound like me, it's fine. Lots of blood & violence with a smattering of gore for good measure.

For those who call this a terrible movie because the story is fake or the acting isn't Oscar worthy, why would you expect this to begin with? It's a straight-up slasher flick for the modern horror buff. Yes...they tried to add some "Saw"-like elements, but come on...what movie doesn't borrow from another these days.

So, if you watched the first, then you should see the second. Just know it's lost a bit of umph. Still worth the watch, just take what you're fed and go with it.

I'M TRYING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION HERE!

[nogodnomasters · 5/10 · 17 April 2019]

I will say I never saw the first movie. I was confused as this movie assumes that you did see the first installment. I was asking basic questions such as "Who is Chromeskull? Why is Chromeskull? Why does he kill? What is this organization behind him?" I felt behind and found myself going back through scenes to see if there was something I missed.

Once I got over that, I have to ask...Seriously. If you are going to kidnap someone, wouldn't you think about checking them for a cell phone before you lock them up? The cops have various clues and leads and are hunting down Chromeskull as he, or I should say his slightly inept apprentice, prepares his next victim.

If you watched the first one, and made it through 5 or so Saw movies, you don't need to be reading reviews, you know you are going to watch it anyway. If you haven't seen the first one, I would recommend watching it before attempting to watch this one.

F-bomb, shower nudity.

Suspend belief and enjoy the sh!t outta urself for awhile

[slingshott-58928 · 7/10 · 26 January 2017]

People intend to forget what movies r all about. Suspend belief of reality and enjoy some of the best on film kills ever...between Laid to Rest & Laid to Rest 2 a low budget horror fan has some of the best on screen kills they could ever ask for!!!! I found the original in a used media store in my city in the 5 for $10 bins...sought out the sequel minorly n was lucky enough to run into it where i work at F.Y.E. If u in the mood for "decent" story line n spectacular kills seek no further as far as i'm aware as of my writing of this review, ( Hello run on sentence). hahaha These 2 films...this one a lil less cause it suffers from "good movie sequel syndrome...but the 2 back to back r a horror/slasher film fan's wet dream...male or female...Have Fun!!!

Gory but iv'e seen worse...great kills!!!

ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest II

[Scarecrow-88 · 5/10 · 1 June 2012]

Several strikes against Chromeskull: Laid to Rest II. First, the casting of Brian Austin Green immediately had me groaning intensely inside. No, more like nauseated. I can't stand this 90210 pretty boy trying his hand as a Chromeskull disciple who works for the plot's ludicrous "The Organization", I guess a certain type of covert kill-happy operation that delights in the recording of pretty girls as they are tortured, begging for mercy while the psychopath quietly enjoys his handiwork. Most of the time they are trapped in coffins, crying, pleading, wanting to be freed from this terror, falling on deaf ears.

Another strike is the rampant stupidity on display, how the main lead killer seems indestructible. How can such damage to a face and head sustained by the Laid to Rest psycho not lead to his demise? The opening facial reconstruction (including skin graft and eyeball surgery) reminded me of Chucky the Doll's repair in Child's Play 3, to use another embarrassingly ridiculous rebirth of a killer.

It is hard to accept any of this without laughing, and if the tone of Laid to Rest II wasn't at times so serious (the lead detective of the most inept police task force I've seen in a thriller in quite some time tries to console the kidnapped final slasher heroine's distraught mother, mentioning he himself has a daughter and will do all he can to get her back safe and alive) you might could take it all in stride and just roll the eyes, have a drink and popcorn, abandoning all preconceptions of this attempting to be anything other than a 90 minute stab-a-thon. This is that in all its glory. I would definitely reward this sick-in-the-head film a "creative kills" award for if there is a way to savagely butcher a person with a blade, Laid to Rest II delivers in spades. One scene has a poor female cop (and not a bad looker, to boot) pressed, mouth-first (ouch!) into a "spinner blade" stuck in a stair step as she was trying to climb away from wannabe Chrome killer, Austin Green. Green has his own Chromeskull mask he wears, so devoted to his "boss", he has the Skull and Knives tattoo inked to his chest. Yeah, he also enjoys provoking the film's screeching heroine into tears, talking about how his master enjoys slaughtering victims. Nice guy, this Austin Green. I just can't even stand to look at that mug of his.

Anyway, Chromeskull gets in on the action later as Detective King's (Owain Yeoman) litter of cops enter his abandoned warehouse which looks like it was ripped from a SAW sequel. Between Austin Green and Nick Principe's mangled-faced monstrosity, a whole police force is massacred in one singular location! There is one cop who is hooked to a type of electrical box and submerged, against his will, into a tank of water as his face begins to peel away before being slammed into the side. A number of familiar faces show up (director Robert Hall has a ton of friends, I guess) in supporting roles like organization member Danielle Harris who has a way with ChromeSkull, Thomas Dekker (a nice young actor I liked in the wrongfully cancelled Terminator series, as Tommy, a "loose end" that needs to be eliminated), Gail O'Grady (NYPD Blue) as the heroine's concerned mother, and Johnathon Schaech (The Forsaken; Prom Night remake) as an enigmatic FBI agent. Harris steps away from her usual sweet-victim roles in these kinds of movies to play a cold-blooded heel bucking for Green's position. She even has a scene where she shaves ChromeSkull's head bald and tells him via Internet communication (Skype, whatever you want to call it) to have fun in Hollywood where he seems to fit right in with the crazies who populate the streets. ChromeSkull's Organization is quite hi-tech and intricately designed, quite efficient like the FBI or CIA; it's just so surreal that this movie asks us to believe in this.

The ultimate strike against this is the ugly digital photography and steadi-cam epileptic movement. Saving money for the gore gags, I guess as the director seems to enjoy lavishing slasher fans with opens wounds, severed heads, and lots of blood. One great scene I rejoiced was Green's fate as it is quite gruesome. Dekker deserves better than his part provides and Mimi Michaels spends all her screen time in a frenzied state of horror, shirtless (just a bra), and pleading for her life. Michaels' character is losing her sight, so she tries to negotiate by telling Green she couldn't identify if he'd let her go. Of course, you get the follow-up heckling from Green that is expected from a movie of this type. He really thinks he's a badass in this movie, let me tell you. I just threw up in my mouth a little..

A step above most modern slasher movies/sequels.

[kdeno · 8/10 · 24 September 2011]

Its weird to think that it was a full two years ago that Robert Hall unleashed his now cult status slasher flick, Laid To Rest, to the world. The film gave the new generation of horror fans what Pieces and The Prowler gave to the older generation: an unrelenting slasher film, full of all the gore and blood one could ask for. It also introduced us to Chromeskull. With his now-iconic mask and knives, he carved his way into the hearts of horror fans everywhere.

Now, in 2011, we find ourselves back for seconds with CHROMESKULL: Laid To Rest 2. At the end of the first film, our villain (thought dead) was lying on the floor of a convenience store, face ripped off, head smashed in, as out heroine made her escape. picking up where that film left off, this sequel begins by showing us a secretive agency picking up the body of our killer in an attempt to save his life. We then meet our cast of old and new characters. Thomas Dekker, the highlight of the film for me, returns in a much larger role than in the first film. Brian Austin Green appears in what is likely the biggest role in the entire film, even more-so than chromeskull. He plays an employee at what is only referred to as "the agency" that seemingly revolves around the capture, chase, and killing of people, all recorded on tape. tired of being under-appreciated, Green's character decides he is fed up with the way he has been treated, and begins to take on the task of killing people while wearing the infamous Chromeskull mask. From there we get subplots involving the police investigation, and the story of a new girl whom the agency has picked for Chromeskull to stalk and kill. As far as slasher movies go, I doubt you will find a follow-up as good as this anytime soon. the sequel improved over the original in almost every way imaginable. The acting is far tighter in this with the addition of Green, Danielle Harris, and Owain Yeoman. The script also appears far tighter, with characters making far smarter, more logical decisions than in the previous film. Most of improved of all, of course, is the gore. without giving too much away, i will say this. You have never seen anything as brutal and unrelenting as the kills in this movie, fake snuff films not included. Disemblowments, decapitations, sliced off body parts, and more. its all there in glorious detail. Director Robert Hall seems to have decided that, after viewing the first film, that it simply was not disgusting and disturbing enough, opting for nearly double the body count of the original. There are a few drawbacks, however.

While the main cast may be better than the last films, the supporting cast and a few very minor characters have some acting classes to take, particularly the female and sort of "second in command" police officers. Their performances simply take a lot from the viewing experience when they are on screen. Also, as Brian Collins of Horror Movie A Day pointed out, the kills are not quite as interesting. Aside from that, the basic presentation of the movie is not stellar but is not terrible, looking like a standard DTV film shot on video.

All in all, if you enjoy horror movies, specifically slashers, and lots of blood, this is surely one to check out. Solid gore, direction, and performances make this one of the top 3 DTV horror films of the year. 8.5/10

A movie made by gore hounds for gore hounds.

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 20 October 2019]

Those people who judge a horror films' success based on how violent it is will probably dig this sequel to makeup FX expert Robert Halls' first "Laid to Rest" feature. It's got sufficient atmosphere to enjoy, a blazing pace, and good energy, but let's face it: the main reason anybody would watch this is to see a steady supply of cannon fodder meet extremely gruesome demises. It does fall into that standard horror movie trap of Stupid People Doing Stupid Things, but if people can forgive the (mostly) routine script, they'll be delighted with the sadism and brutality on display. Basically, it's EXACTLY the sort of film you'd expect a makeup FX expert to direct.

ChromeSkull (towering, menacing Nick Principe returns to the role) has barely survived the finale of the previous story, and wouldn't you know it, he has an entire company of people eager to do anything for him. And that includes patching him up if he gets hurt in any way. His loyal assistant Preston (Brian Austin Green, a long way from 'Beverly Hills, 90210') feels like he's not properly appreciated, and does some damage of his own before this sequel wraps up. Meanwhile, previous survivor Tommy (Thomas Dekker) is found and interrogated by the cops, but Preston is not far behind.

If you're a dedicated slasher fan, "Laid to Rest 2" delivers the goods in a purely visceral way. And the audience will be more than happy to see most of these idiots buy the farm in glorious fashion. Hall does, however, give leading lady Mimi Michaels a more sympathetic and vulnerable part to play by making her character Jess be slowly going blind. Some of the best moments in the latter parts of the movie attempt to show things from her perspective. This viewer, however, would have appreciated it if the filmmakers had kept their damn camera steadier more often.

ChromeSkull himself remains a mild innovation on the typical slasher killer, what with his stylized mask and the presence of a video camera mounted on his shoulder. As to whether he will become more iconic as the years go by, that remains to be seen.

Seven out of 10.

Well....

[devonkentlash · 3/10 · 4 October 2020]

Not nearly as good as the first movie, I did, however, enjoy the hell out of some of it. In the end though, it didn't do it for me other than Danielle Harris.