Horror Movie Review: 10/31 Part 2 (2019)

A marked improvement over the first even if it follows the same formula, 10/31 Part 2 is another anthology hosted by Jennifer Nangle’s Maolvolia. Once again, a collection of unconnected horrors that all share the theme of Halloween.

Viewers will immediately know they’re in for a more substantial offering this time around as 10/21 Part 2 begins with a collection of grindhouse trailers. Trailers for non-existent movies like Treaters, TruckSquatch, The October Kids, and The Candy Taker. It’s a fun introduction to the anthology.

The first segment comes from Tory van Buskirk and is called ‘A Samhain Liturgy’. A hefty and lengthy offering that sees babysitter (Danielle Douglas) making the mistake of sneaking her boyfriend Cameron (Ty Sells) into the house of the child she is looking after. Not only does this go against the wishes of the child’s mother, but the child himself, Tommy (Devin Douglas) isn’t happy about it.

It turns out he has a big secret and it’s waiting in the basement. However, this segment is twist-heavy and goes in directions the viewer could not have expected. It’s extremely watchable, with a good cast, and plenty of entertaining moments.

It’s with the next segment that the variety in 10/31 Part 2 really begins to show up. Written by Mike McPherson and directed by Stephen Wolfe, ‘Dead Lift’ is one of the strangest entries in all of the 10/31 films. What starts off so simply, Jeremy (Tim Robinson). a rideshare driver picking up an unusual man named Howard (William McCarthy), and beginning to wonder if he will get out of the car alive, turns into science fiction with Lovecraftian vibes.

It is extremely odd, but it does capture the imagination, thanks mainly to some incredible performances and a deeper story.

It’s quite the opposite with ‘Apache Hatchet Massacre 2’, which comes from Max Groah, and probably should have been one of the trailers at the start. Not only is it very short, but it’s also very silly, and the joke gets old really quickly.

Having another slasher spoof straight after that one isn’t the wisest move, but thankfully Drew Maverick’s ‘Overkill’ is actually funny and clever. Telling the story of several serial killers all turning up to kill Becky the Babysitter (Anastasia Elfman) at the same time. It sounds funny, and it is done extremely well.

Things get more serious though with the final segment and Tory van Buskirk second segment, ‘Sister Mary’. Here, Sister Mary (London Grace) is having to deal with psychological problems stemming from her past. While also dealing with the issue of something twisted living in her basement. What starts off strongly, loses its lusture as it goes on, leading to a half-hearted finale that is wholly unconvincing.

It’s disappointing segment to end on but it’s still not a terrible story, which applies to all of 10/31 Part 2. There’s nothing bad here and some of the segments are really good. Again, like most anthologies, it’s a collection of ‘hit and miss’ stuff, but there are more hits than misses this time around.