The Hills Have Eyes II

Plot

A group of National Guard trainees find themselves battling against a vicious group of mutants on their last day of training in the desert.

Release Year: 2007

Rating: 5.0/10 (24,845 voted)

Critic's Score: 32/100

Director:
Martin Weisz

Stars: Daniella Alonso, Jacob Vargas, Michael Bailey Smith

Storyline
A team of trainees of the National Guard brings supply to the New Mexico Desert for a group of soldiers and scientists that are installing a monitoring system in Sector 16. They do not find anybody in the camp, and they receive a blurred distress signal from the hills. Their sergeant gathers a rescue team, and they are attacked and trapped by deformed cannibals, having to fight to survive.

Writers: Wes Craven, Jonathan Craven

Cast:

Michael McMillian
–

Napoleon

Jessica Stroup
–

Amber

Jacob Vargas
–

Crank

Flex Alexander
–

Sarge

Lee Thompson Young
–

Delmar

Daniella Alonso
–

Missy

Eric Edelstein
–

Spitter

Reshad Strik
–

Mickey

Ben Crowley
–

Stump

Michael Bailey Smith
–

Papa Hades

Derek Mears
–

Chameleon

David Reynolds
–

Hansel

Jeff Kober
–

Redding

Jay Acovone
–

Wilson

Philip Pavel
–

Foster

Taglines:
Help ISNT coming!

Details

Official Website:
Official site [France] |
Official site [uk] |

Release Date: 23 March 2007

Filming Locations: Morocco

Box Office Details

Budget: $15,000,000

(estimated)

Opening Weekend: $9,686,362
(USA)
(25 March 2007)
(2 Screens)

Gross: $20,801,344
(USA)
(3 June 2007)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Did You Know?

Trivia:

Originally Wes Craven had the idea of Brenda, from the first film, enlisting in the National Guard to overcome her fears, only to be sent back to the same desert with the mutants. She was to be the only one who knew where the mutants hideout was located. This idea was cut since the actress was involved with
Lost at the time.

Goofs:

Factual errors:
The base camp only has an officer stationed with the civilians, however in any given location that could even be loosely termed as a combat zone there would be a required minimum of at least 4.

Quotes:

Mickey:
My leg's asleep.

Crank:
Your dick's asleep.

Mickey:
Wanna wake it up?

Crank:
No, that's your daddy's job.

User Review

Terrifyingly Bad.

Rating: 2/10


'The Hills Eyes II', one of the most pointless and blatantly stupid
sequels to come around in some time, is 90 minutes of incompetent film
making at its finest. Or worst, however you choose to look at it. While
2006's 'Hills' remake was one of the year's best, and truly
frightening, horror films, this sequel takes every spark out of what
made that such an accomplishment. Part 2 never gets off the ground, and
neither does its mind numbing dialogue. Worst of all, it's not that
scary.

2006's remake followed a family who find themselves in the middle of
the New Mexico desert, deserted, and one by one being picked off by
deranged and sadistic hill people. People who, as a result of the
military testing the atomic bomb on their land years ago, have become
who they are. Surviving off travelers who wander into the region. The
sequel puts audiences in the same desert, now occupied by the military
as they covertly investigate the hills and what might have happened to
that poor family. When a group of military trainees are brought to the
campsite, they find it deserted with no signs of life. A grim reality
soon befalls them, as they come to the realization that they're not
alone. And the bloody fate that was handed to many before them will
soon become their destiny.

It doesn't take a genius to realize that 'Hills' has no legitimate
reason to exist. But because last year's remake was received well both
at the box office and by critics, it came to no surprise that a sequel
would be rushed into production while there's still money to be earned.
There's no rhyme or reason to it this time around, just an unbelievable
and ridiculous set-up to pave the way for thoughtless characters,
unoriginal killings, a non-existent story, and slipping interest.
Originally, director Alexander Aja made Craven's cult classic into a
remake that was a unique and thoroughly disturbing experience. One that
gruesomely crossed the line on more than one occasions. Its frank
display of violence, sadistic torture, well-rounded characterization,
and white-knuckled suspense were all effectively used to shock and
repulse audiences. The second time around, it's rehashed hand-me-downs.
There's no style, no grit. It tries to build up tension by dismembering
bodies, when all it really does is make for a been there, done that
kind film, where even the gore seems tame compared to more recent
bloodbaths.

It's a sad state of affairs when deformed mutants who capture women for
breeding purposes fails to keep your attention. It's a bore, nothing
more. 'Hills' has no bite. Despite a jump or two here and there,
there's nothing very scary about this by-the-numbers horror flick. It
feels like something you'd see on the Sci-Fi channel, only with some
F-bombs, a blood splatter here and there, a rape, and a graphic birth
scene that's more gross than shocking. It's cheap. And with 'Hills',
you reap what you sew. With no effort given, you can't expect anything
in return.

Replacing Aja with Martin Weisz as director was the film's first big
mistake, all he does is drain the film of any sort of emotional
resonance. But even more shocking is the uncharacteristically bad
script penned by Wes Craven and his son, Jonathan Craven. You ask, how
bad could it possibly be? This is the kind of dialogue that makes any
comparison look like Shakespeare. Craven has had his fair share of
clunkers in the past, but I'd never expect something like this from
him. It's so unintentionally funny, you have to wonder, is Craven
playing a joke on this? Or did he dump this one on his son after the
studio payed him off? The film's characters are one-dimensional talking
heads with no emotions or common sense. The acting is just as bad. The
only character who may win you over is 'Napoleon' Napoli, the scrawny
kid who doesn't fit in with the others. Even the deranged and
instinct-driven villains, who we might have found some favor with in
the deepest of our thoughts a year ago, are met with indifferent. You
don't hate them, you don't like them. You honestly couldn't care less.
Just like this movie.

Even if you were giddy with fear during 'The Hills Have Eyes', as I
was, you'll have a tough time finding anything to enjoy in this piece
of garbage. It's as generic as generic gets, and there's absolutely
nothing here we haven't seen done many times already. I can't express
this enough, avoid 'The Hills Have Eyes II' like the plague. It's
frightless, unoriginal, frantic, and a bore. Stick to the remake or
Craven's original vision. Because if you don't walk out after the first
thirty minutes, don't say I didn't warn you.