Tales from the Hood 2 Reviews

Not as great as the first film. Suffers from weaker acting, directing and writing compared to the first. Clarence Williams III is missed but Keith David does great with what he has to work with. The monster in the first story is probably the most ridiculous thing i've ever seen in a horror movie. The thing looks like an evil Mr. Bill. The last story is the best one yet it's ruined by the governor candidate looking like Larry Bird wearing a Don Johnson from Django Unchained halloween costume.

The original "Tales From The Hood" went from box office failure to cornerstone of black horror cinema and minted cult classic for a variety of reasons. From its reverent tip of the hat to EC comics' tongue in cheek, ghastly morality tales, to its predominant use of black actors and crew, to its extensive use of physical effects, and, most strikingly, to its poignant stabs at pressing social issues plaguing the black community and America, Tales stood out amidst its cinematic peers as unique. On those strong foundations a loyal fandom was fostered. That selfsame fandom has demanded a followup for over two decades and what better time than now to bring this beast roaring back to shine a light on the strained racial landscape of American society than now?

It was certainly the right moment and the right team was behind it (returning creators Rusty Cundieff and Darin Scott) but, alas, sometimes lightning doesn't strike twice. Not to insinuate that Tales From The Hood 2 is an utter failure, rather it feels like a cheaply produced knock-off of its predecessor that mostly misses the mark rather than being an incisively razor sharp product. I say mostly because there are redeeming moments in the film that give you a glimpse into what could have been.

The biggest issue with Tales 2 is a general lack of focus to the intent of the film. As with the original movie and the source inspiration of comics like Tales from the Crypt, The Haunt of Fear, and The Vault of Horror, the goal of the macabre stories is to ultimately teach a lesson about the ills of humanity. Twisted morality tales are as old as time and tend to resonate deeply if done right, something that the original deftly juggled with its delightful fusion of comedy, social insight, gore, and camp. Tales 2 attempts this anew but falls short of the goal quite often. Another prominent issue with Tales 2 is its subpar production values, cast, and effects. The original Tales, by no means, was an overachiever in these departments but the combination of all that worked in it made it stand out. Here too many of the cogs in the machine are misfiring for the whole piece to continue moving ahead at a steady clip.

In the first of four stories (not counting the wraparound), "Good Golly", we are given a warning about the dangers of casual racism and staying power of seemingly "harmless" racial propaganda. It focuses on two interracial friends who visit a museum centered on stereotype branding and later break in to steal a "pollywog" doll because of the white friend's childhood attachment to it. This walks hand in hand with the type of story told in the first film but the ultimate result is hindered by the weak acting, the bland cinematography that robs everything of atmosphere, and the poor character work. Couple this with the underwhelming effects and what you ultimately get is that aforementioned "cheap knockoff" vibe. The sad part is you can see the piece working under better circumstances.

Next up is "The Medium", a story that quickly loses some narrative focus despite ultimately being the most fun of the bunch. At its core the story is another blast on black on black violence and those in the community that balk at the success and progress of others wishing to move beyond their societal constraints. Some thugs kill a reformed pimp in an attempt to get at his newfound wealth. He dies without revealing where it's at so they force a charlatan TV medium to confer with the dead man. Miraculously the medium is possessed by the vengeful spirit and everybody gets their comeuppance. Despite a jarring shift early on, the story does tidy up quite well and touches upon some of the blend of humor, camp, and social commentary of the first movie. The only downside is that the deaths of the evildoers fall short of the established mark.

After that peak came the lowest of valleys in the form of "Date Night". Some guys use Tinder to date rape ladies only to be preyed upon themselves. Quick and to the point plot but extremely out of place and with terribly underwhelming results. To top it all off this story feels completely out of place. It is more of a statement about men than about the target audience. While that's fine (especially considering how important the issue truly is), the story is lacking any creativity or satisfactory resolution. Bereft of fun or vision, "Date Night" is best forgotten. In light of the Bill Cosby controversy the filmmakers had ample source material to really say something about how we tend to forgive the actions of the powerful, famous, or influential but instead they opted to tackle that briefly in the wraparound story in regards to a double standard among men. A missed opportunity but, more woefully, a dreadfully unimpressive segment.

The final tale is "The Sacrifice" and if there was a reason for this film to exist, this is it. While "The Medium" proves the most fun, this last story is the most relevant and shocking. Casting aside the framework of morbid grue and comedy, "The Sacrifice" chooses to impart its social wisdom via a solemn parable more fitting of The Twilight Zone. In fact, it reminds me most of a reversal of the story "Time Out" from The Twilight Zone movie, where a racist learns to empathize with those he hates after walking in their shoes. The story is a startling look at how dangerous is it to lay with the enemy under the perception that you are keeping your ideals and freedom intact. It follows a black political adviser who is backing a gubernatorial candidate despite his controversial views, namely those clearly targeting black voters. Simultaneously, we are shown the gut-wrenching tale of true historical figure Emmett Till who was brutally murdered for supposedly catcalling a white woman. This pivotal piece of American history, though horrendous, set forth a movement that changed the landscape of the country forever. Ultimately, our modern character is forced to see a world where the sacrifices of his people in the past are cast aside by his carelessness and he must choose to walk the path of a martyr or lose all that was gained.

This last tale, as aforementioned, doesn't wallow in that ghastly mirth of the tales that inspired and were in the first film but rather transcends them on grounds of its purpose and the way it opts to deliver the message. It is also worthy to note that since this more straightforward approach doesn't require spooky atmospherics the cinematography is far more fitting. All the actors do relatively admirable work (no Oscars will be handed out but you're not begging for them to close their mouths) and, all in all, it's a solid installment. The best of the bunch, for sure.

The wraparound story, "Robo Hell", I could of seen going somewhere but it's ultimately hobbled by the ludicrous sci-fi feel and, more so, by the horrendous effects and cop out culmination. It follows the host telling tales to an AI that needs nuanced examples of crime to learn how to properly judge potential evildoers. All this for a campaign by a racially biased businessman to capitalize law enforcemnt. This one should of ended in that grand guignol fashion but clearly the budget (or imagination) was lacking and we get a very unsatisfactory conclusion with nary a drop of blood spilled given how much it was teased with the whole air of Robocop it had going.

Of course, Clarence Williams III is sorely missed as the manic storyteller, Mr. Simms, but you feel that it's probably for the best that his legacy didn't have a chance to be stained by this subpar offering. As it is Keith David does his best with the poor material at hand, although at times it feels like he knows this isn't exactly the best thing he's done.

Ultimately, Tales 2 proves a sad reminder of what could of been rather than what is. Most of it feels like a missed opportunity and I hope that it came down mostly to a lack of funding rather than creative bankruptcy. There are moments were you can see glimmers of something decent but they are overshadowed by the large doses of mediocrity. I can't even say that the two worthwhile stories are worth sitting through the slog of the rest. Best to approach them individually if you ever wish to see more of Tales 2 again. I, for one, will probably not revisit it and that saddens me greatly. I suppose we will always have the original and sometimes that is good enough.