T and I waited for autumn to drop before watching this sequel. The first film is a cute, lovable Halloween monster movie with really likable characters. The monster - Crom - looks like a hanging Halloween decoration, and that's a big part of its appeal. So when the Kickstarter for the sequel popped up I wasted no time in securing my part in the film.
My copy arrived with a poster, and a small floating skull-spirit from the film in his own little Wings Chinese carton! Rob York, the director and producer, even included a time-stamped card when "your" ghost pops up. Stuff like this could be the future of movies. And being a Kickstarter backer my name is in the credits. Such a small benefit and it makes you feel really good.
We ordered sweet and sour chicken w/white rice, watched the film and waited for the credits to roll and for my name to appear. It was a lot of fun, and I am stoked to play some (very) small part in bringing it to life. I don't think I'd hesitate to spend even more if there were to be a third film.
The movie itself... The movie is interesting. In a good way. The sequel has a much more serious tone than the first. It's missing that charm and earnestness that the first movie had, which may be impossible to capture again. For one, the lead in the first, Mary (played by Chelsea Jurkiewicz), is absent in the sequel, played by actress Ryann Bailey. She works very well, but she isn't Chelsea, so it just feels like a completely new character. Tanner Gillman's character Harvey makes a fun little nod to the change. Apparently Chelsea no longer wished to act, at least in film, from what I've heard. She was missed in this sequel.
No big deal, the show must go on. Larry Bagby (Ice, from Hocus Pocus) is in the film, for all of a disappointing 2 minutes. I really wanted to see his character actually act in the film, instead he's (spoilers)... killed off as quickly as we meet him. It would have been nice to see Larry and his funny in the movie. So that was a disappointment.
While there are still plenty of humorous moments, the film has an overall more serious tension to it. Where the first film felt like an homage to Goosebumps, this one ratcheted up the stakes a bit more. Something I enjoyed in the first film and continues nicely in the sequel is Harvey and Steve's friendship. The two characters work together as friends.
One of the cool things I liked about Crom's Fury is that the Pooka is included as Crom's lil henchman. The pooka is the Irish legend of the brownie, or goblin. I've included my own variation of the pooka in my Trick or Treat Mart story. Though my pooka may as well have been completely different lore altogether. Here, they are portrayed as hairy little assholes, something akin to the Munchies or Ghoulies.
Uncle Dwayne is new to the cast as Steve's uncle and owner of the movie theater a melee takes place in where our heroes and Crom and his minions do battle. Once again, Steve and Georgia are a really adorable couple, and Steve (Halem Medina) just reminds me of a young Rock. With Mary mostly out of the way in this story, Stephanie (Monica Moore Smith) shines as the new female lead. She was great in the first movie and she's even better here, the story giving her character time to open up a bit and grow with Harvey. The characters really make Crom quite enjoyable.
Mary's dad Greg (Colin Cunningham) was a standout in the first film, but he wasn't in as much as the main cast. So it was nice to see Greg and Harvey team-up for this follow-up. Colin Cunningham is a very skilled actor who has been in some big shows. He anchored the film down, and you can see that he brought out the best in this young cast. He has been in episodes of The X-Files to Smallville and played a recurring role on Stargate SG-1. He's got the chops. Since seeing Colin in the first Crom I've been seeing him all over the place, as it usually happens, and I have to admit - I'm a fan.
This sequel becomes a Harvey and Greg team-up a la Deadpool and Wolverine. The two bicker and fight and by the end become friends. The climax brings the two, along with Stephanie (sorry, and Eleanor) to Ireland, in County Roscommon. It looks like they film near Rathcroghan, the hills and caves of what is purported to be the historical sight of the earliest Halloween celebrations.
The two Crom films quickly became some of my favorite movies, especially Halloween films. The ending leaves the story open to returning with a second sequel, and I am all for it. I'll do whatever I can to support it at Kickstarter. I think I want a title this time, like a producer of some sort. Yeah, that sounds good.
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