The Barn Part II

Director - Justin M. Seaman (10/31, Volumes of Blood: Horror Stories)

Starring - Lexi Dripps (The Barn, Supah Ninjas), Sable Griedel (Tales from the Grave, Force to Fear), and Mitchell Musolino (The Men Who Built America, The Barn)

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "This Halloween no one can stop the harvest"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     It wouldn’t be the Halloween season without a new film from Scream Team Releasing. Over the last handful of years I’ve been lucky enough to watch several of their releases and it’s not often that I find one I don’t like. Several years ago director Justin Seaman directed what would be one of the more popular slashers of the last ten years. The film, The Barn, was released through his label Scream Team Releasing and would be one that I try to watch every Halloween season along with a few more of their releases. A year or so back Justin started working on the anticipated sequel and brought in several genre icons to appear in the film. He was able to bring back Linnea Quigley along with Joe Bob Briggs, Diana Prince, Doug Bradley, and Lloyd Kaufman. I was really looking forward to checking this one out and snagged the blu when it was released. I wasn’t able to watch it when it arrived but I knew it would fit in perfectly during my October horror binge. 

      The film takes place several years after the first film. Halloween was banned after the disappearance of several teens but the ban was recently reversed. Now a local sorority is planning a fundraiser and decide to hold a haunted barn and maze in honor of the missing teens. However, Halloween traditions and superstitions once again come into play when they knock on the barn unleashing the evil spirits trapped in a well. Now the monsters are back to wreak havoc on those looking to have a little Halloween fun. 

     The Barn Part 2 was the sequel I was hoping for. It is a solid follow up while still giving slasher fans something to watch during the Halloween season. There was some aspects of the film that I did not like but the overall film was very enjoyable. I loved the atmosphere, locations, and the effects but some of the story and casting did leave me a bit confused. What I’m trying to say is that I liked the film but it is far from perfect. The acting in this one was enjoyable. We get several returning cast members who do a fantastic job reprising their roles. I like a lot of the characters but the casting did make me laugh. I was born in the mid-80s and I know I’m getting up there in age but some of these college students or teenagers were portrayed by people older than me. A lot of films do this and it has become a bit of a joke among genre fans but The Barn Part 2 took it to a whole new level. Aside from this, I really liked the cast along with the Scream Team Releasing filmmakers making cameos along with the horror legends that make appearances as well. The story for this one expands on what was introduced in the first film while giving fans something else to latch on to it. The film is more than just a sequel to a slasher. It expands the mythos created in the first film and introduces new horror elements to the series that was absent from the first film. I liked the introduction of zombies along with the new monsters. When you combine that with the backstory to the monsters you have something that could truly span several films. Finally, the film has a lot of great practical effects and some very noticeable visual effects. While I didn’t care for the visual effects I did like the practical. The deaths look fantastic and they fit the film very well. While I was expecting the film to be a bit more gorier it was still bloody and violent. Overall, The Barn Part 2 is a worthy sequel to one of the most popular indie slashers in the last 10 years. I really enjoyed where the story took us and along with the new elements introduced here. I sincerely hope we get a third film. I highly recommend it.