Jesse discovers that his great-great-great-grandfather, who was once an explorer, possessed an Aztec crystal skull with magical powers. Jesse brings along his buddy Charlie to search for the skull, which leads them to dig up his ancestor’s grave. Naturally, Jesse is quite shocked to find that his long-dead relative is, in fact, still alive. Together, they must protect the skull from falling into the wrong hands.
Strictly speaking, this film isn’t really a sequel — except in name. It would have been better off with its own standalone title, which probably would’ve served it much better.
This time around, direction is taken over by Ethan Wiley, who also wrote the script, while Sean S. Cunningham remains onboard as producer. As with the first film, Harry Manfredini delivers another solid and atmospheric score. The original cast is replaced with the comedic duo of Arye Gross and Jonathan Stark, who do a decent job and are genuinely funny in places. We’re also treated to another Cheers alumnus — while the first House featured George Wendt, this time it’s John Ratzenberger (a.k.a. Cliff Clavin) who makes an appearance.
This film leans far more into comedy than horror, with the comedic elements taking centre stage — much more so than in the original House. It really should have been marketed as a dark comedy, and films like The ’Burbs and Gremlins are probably the best comparisons here. Cinematically speaking, it’s actually better made than the first film, and the humour is often spot-on with several memorable highlights. There are absolutely no limits on the imagination in this one — and if you’re hoping for a scary movie, this probably isn’t it.
But if you’re in the mood for a quirky, entertaining dark comedy, this just might be the film you’re looking for.
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