Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever

I've got a sorted history with "Cabin Fever". In fact I've got sorted history with Eli Roth. I watched the first film back in 2004 upon it's DVD release, as I skipped it in theaters. I watched it and hated it. Hardcore hated it. Hated it like I hated "The Grudge" which I had seen on DVD around that same time. Then "Hostel" came around. Hooray more shitty "Saw" inspired torture porn. But something was different. In fact this is something I've argued with people about. I actually like the "Hostel" films. I find them gross and often hard to watch and furthermore hard to enjoy, but I think they're funny. And then I started thinking... maybe this is what I missed with Roth's "Cabin Fever". At the time I wasn't jumping to find out, but as more time passed I started reading Roth's stuff and watching him in interviews and talk film and... well... I like the dude's personality. His movies are nothing to call or write home about, but his opinions and thoughts on cinema are actually really sound and he gives off that mild doucebag look, but without taking himself seriously in the least. I can dig that.

So after all this, I did go back and watch "Cabin Fever" again and I liked it. I found it funny and bloody and while the pacing and some of the tone was a bit off, I liked where some of the stuff ended up going. But most importantly I liked the gore effects. Even when I hated the film, that was something I was impressed by. So we come to "Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever" directed by Ti West, an indie horror fan and critic favorite whose "The House of the Devil" is still on my list of need to watch pictures. West's style is great and very much in keepings with the 80's horror cinema look and feel. The major downside to the very watchable, but very dismissible sequel is the story and the lack of real gory violence which is what these pictures are all about.

The film picks up right where the first left off, but destroying the lead of the last film in it's opening (a very nice scene it was). The flesh eating virus has made its way into the water system and said water has been bottled up and delivered to various places, like the local high school. So what West and company attempt to do is make a teen dramedy with a horror twist. Ok, that's something I can dig, however West's plan has it's drawbacks. There's several generally awkwardly paced out pieces of the movie through its conversational parts and much of that bloody nasty stuff with skin pealing away and all that jazz has been tossed out for the most part. Instead we have some very 80's inspired blood puking and decay going on, on the multicolored dance floor and the military is moving in.

Here again is a chance to do some really cool stuff "Planet Terror" style or "The Crazies" style, but alas very little is done with the this piece. Is it a set up to a third picture? Sure, but why do that while leaving this one fairly incomplete? Then again I feel like I'm attempting to give a lot of credit to a straight-to-DVD flick. In short "Cabin Fever 2" is watchable and has a few cool moments and a great look to it, but doesn't do much in the way of wowing you over to convince you that it's anything of real worth. Great example of a throw away movie.