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| Jeepers Creepers 2, 2003 - Source At The End Of The Review |
Jeepers Creepers 2 (hereafter JC2) is action from the beginning moments. A central theme of all the JC movies is the feeding cycle of the monster, who is known as The Creeper (hereafter TC). The monster is played by actor Jonathan Breck. TC gets to feed every 23rd year for 23 days. Another plot device is the incitement of terror in TC's victims. By frightening its prey and smelling of their fear, TC can detect what part of its victim that it wants to consume. You can learn more about The Creeper here.
I give this movie a solid 6 out of 10, primarily because there are so many characters that it is difficult to care about them. The movie was written and directed by Victor Salva.
Synopsis
Set a few days after the events of the original film, a championship basketball team's bus is attacked by The Creeper, the winged, flesh-eating terror, on the last day of his 23-day feeding frenzy.
The movie takes place on day 23. The time is four days after the church in movie #1 was burned. Billy Taggart (Shaun Fleming) lives on a farm with his father and older brother. While securing some scarecrows, TC takes Billy. A little later, while examining the area (in a cornfield), Billy's brother Jack "Jackie" Taggart Jr. (Luke Edwards) discovers a strange weapon and shows it to his father, Jack Taggart (Ray Wise).
A basketball team and some cheerleaders are traveling home on a bus. The bus has a flat tire. A strange shuriken-style weapon is found embedded in the tire. One cheerleader, Minxie Hayes (Nicki Aycox, R.I.P.) has a vision of Billy Taggart and Darry Jenner (Justin Long; from Jeepers Creepers 1). Both seem to be shouting a verbal warning of some danger. Shortly after that, another weapon flattens another tire on the bus, which is now sitting on the rim.
Jack Taggart builds a homemade harpoon-type weapon and mounts it on his pickup truck. He intends to hunt TC.
At the disabled bus, the killing begins in earnest. All of the adult staff is quickly dispatched, leaving only students. TC then appears at the back of the bus, sniffing for its next prey. Minxie continues to experience visions. One student begins to use the bus's CB radio to call for help.
Taggart, manning his harpoon weapon, begins to hunt TC. He finds evidence of some victims, and then hears the bus's SOS on the radio. He responds, telling the students that he is on the way, but it will take some time to get there.
TC enters the bus and chaos ensues. One student is decapitated. Several students leave the bus, heading toward a farm that they believe to be nearby. One student remains on the bus.
TC reappears. The students rush back to the bus. The remaining student is too scared to open the bus door. The students scatter, and TC starts picking them off with unique bladed weapons. Later, the student who remains on the bus does let one cheerleader back into the vehicle.
Taggart arrives with his truck and TC killer. He, along with his son, encounters Minxie. One student reappears at the bus. He is seized by TC. The harpoon truck arrives at the bus. Taggart sees TC.
Taggart fires his weapon at TC and hits it. TC eventually escapes. Taggart reloads and hits TC again but fails to kill it. The pickup and the weapon are damaged, but not destroyed.
Three kids find an abandoned truck - the occupant was one of TC's victims. They attempt to escape in the vehicle. They are pursued by TC. The truck is deliberately crashed by the driver. Two survive, and TC is badly injured.
As the creature attacks one of the two survivors, he is again struck by Taggart's harpoon. It's a headshot. Taggart then stabs the monster multiple times. It does not die, but rather cocoons itself or hibernates. Dawn has arrived. Minxie says, "Its time ran out." "Looks dead to me," says Taggart.
At the ending, a group of kids arrive at the Taggart farm, where TC is now on display. A posted sign reads, "5 dollars for a view, 10 dollars for a picture." The exhibition is hosted by Jack "Jackie" Taggart Jr. (an adult version of the character, played by Jon Powell). Suddenly, Taggart himself appears. He is asked by the kids if he is waiting on something. He replies, "Two or three days, give or take a day." It's almost 23 years later, and TC is due to wake up again.
Attribution: Fair Use, http://www.impawards.com/2003/jeepers_creepers_two.html
