Horror Movie Review: The Brotherhood II: Young Warlocks (2001)

Released the same year as the first movie in the David DeCoteau directed homoerotic horror series, The Brotherhood II: Young Warlocks is a slight improvement over the original movie. Thanks to an increase in entertaining elements, even if it is so similar to the first movie that notable differences are hard to find.

John Van Owen (Sean Faris) is young, chiselled, and good-looking young man. So, of course, he is a nerd who can’t muster up the courage to ask his crush, Mary (Stacey Scowley), out on a date. He hangs around with his two ‘equally’ nerdy friends as they try to avoid the campus bullies led by Harlan (Noah Frank).

Everything changes for John and his friends though when they meet the new kid on campus, Luc (Forrest Cochran). A confident, mysterious, and attractive young man, who promises the trio power and status. All they have to do is join him and do what he says. Of course, as the title suggests, Luc is a warlock and his promises aren’t quite what they seem.

Unlike the first movie, The Brotherhood II: Young Warlocks is far less coy about what it’s about. The warlock aspect is out in the open quite early on and never really goes any deeper than surface level when it comes to mythology. However, just like the first movie, the idea of secret societies existing within college campus grounds is interesting. It’s just a bit of shame that the film doesn’t really do anything that interesting with it.

Of course, these films are famous for one reason and one reason alone, and it’s the homoerotic angle. Something that was surprisingly tame in the original but is ramped up to a delightful degree in this sequel. If you’re game for seeing a lot of young, good-looking men frolicking in their tidy-whiteys, then this film will deliver. Sometimes to such an extent that it becomes almost laughable. We’re looking at you, pool scene.

Light on horror, average acting, awkward dialogue, and an overall low-budget sheen that dates the movie significantly, The Brotherhood II: Young Warlocks shouldn’t be enjoyable. Yet, it rises above all these issues to keep the viewer engaged and entertained throughout.