Asesino implacable

I sort of enjoyed the first one, so bought the DVD of the second to watch, wish I hadn't bothered.

Apart from the odd bit of fairly restrained violence, this plays as a bland made for TV movie type thing, and the acting is truly awful.

For me, films like this need a bit of sleaze, and there's none on offer here at all.

I'm really surprised that some people hold this one in higher regard than the first. At least director William Lustig managed to create a bit of atmosphere in the first.

Don't think I'll be bothering with 3 and 4 of the series as I can't see them being an improvement on this.

Detective Sam Dietz (Leo Rossi, reprising his role from the first film) is trying to juggle getting over the attacks on his family from the first film & trying to catch a new serial killer (Miles O'Keefe) while teamed up with an unhelpful FBI agent and dealing with a home life that's crumbling around him due to his relentless pursuits of his job. Meg Forster also returns but is relegated to bitching at her husband most of the film.

Instead of focusing mostly on the villain like the previous Relentless did, the sequel unwisely chooses to follow Detective Dietz who comes off as a slightly pompous self-loathing windbag. The first film was (moderately) entertaining strictly because of Judd Nelson's dead-eyed portrayal of that films killer (and William Lustigs direction to a lesser extent) Where as this film gives Miles O'Keeffe's Gregor, the stone cold killer (who could've been a great character, the back story was intriguing enough) the short shift, and while this sequel is still somewhat watchable, it is definitely the lesser because of it.

My Grade: C-

DVD Extras: Trailers for In The Cut, Secret Window & Panic Room

For several years I've enjoyed the other two "Relentless" films, but for some reason I missed this one until tonight.

It's not easy to find these films on line, but it's worth the effort.

The villains in each film are well cast. They present a frightening collection of killers!

Leo Rossi does an excellent job playing a frustrated cop trying to solve a case. He doesn't get much help from superior officers, or the FBI agent with whom he's required to work.

If you're somewhat jaded you will enjoy the killing techniques used...including cable ties.

Finally, you'll see some artful shots of ice cube baths, etc.

Enjoy!

The first movie was a "Maniac Cop" clone, sans the cop uniform. But all the excitement, and energy, and suspense of Part 1 is gone. This time around, it's basically just a police procedural, with the killer playing second fiddle to the plot. We don't see nearly enough of the killer, and what we do see of him is not particularly interesting. Instead, why not just resurrect the original character? I thought Judd Nelson was the ideal choice for the killer in the first movie. Hopefully, parts 3 & 4 will be a lot better.

Incidentally, doesn't Leo Rossi look a little like Robert De Niro?

** out of ****

A Very Well Thought out Masterpiece. Good Plot, Well Developed Characters, and Outstanding Acting is what Makes this Film even more Worth while. It's not jut that, Though. It's just the Simple feeling of Involvement I Get from this Movie. I Feel like I'm in the Movie, One of the Characters, etc. That is how Excellent this Script is.

I Also really Enjoyed the Action and Suspense Packed Tightly into Very Heart Racing Scenes. The ending is Very Good, also. It is Important For one to Know the Very Low and Tight Budget these Producers had to Go on. The Special Effects are nothing to Jump Up on, and the Video and Audio Quality is Terrible, but that Still can not Ruin the Movie. I also Enjoy the Fact that this Movie is not Widely Known. Why? I Don't know. It just seems to me that once I Movie is Widely Known, I Hate it. My Theory is that: When Expectations go Up, Quality goes Down! I Guess I Also like not Only this Movie, but the Whole Series.

On a Scale of 10 I'd give The Plot an 8, The Acting a 7, The Suspense a 10, The Setting a 6, and The Gore a Simple 5.

As Far as The Sequels Go: Part One was Very Good and Scary. Part 2 (This One!!!) is Good, But more Action Packed than Scary. Part Three is More of a Rambo Movie than It is of It's own Series. I Have not Yet Seen Part 4, but Hope to in The Near Future.

Good Movie, 10 out of 10

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