... She then murders him, ending his reign as the 'American Psycho'. She isn't implicated to or connected in any way with the murder, and on surface value it doesn't appear to affect her life other than by giving her an interest in serial killers and a desire to join the FBI to catch other serial ... Read review
A Girl's Gotta Do What A Girl's Gotta Do... Set nearly 15 years after the events of ... more
'American Psycho' this is the story of a college freshman and Patrick Bateman survivor (Kunis) who becomes a teaching assistant to a professor just as she begins to d...
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Patrick Bateman is dead, but his evil legacy continues in the body of the beautiful, young ... more
Rachael Newman, the only victim who managed to escape Bateman's grasp. Rachael has become obsessed with serial killers to such an extent that while at college sh...
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 2000 - Drama - Director: Giuseppe Tornatore - Original Language: Italian - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Monica Bellucci, Giuseppe Sulfaro, Luciano Federico, Matilde Piana
Advantages: Something to watch (and pick holes in) when you're bored Disadvantages: Horror/comedy doesn't work, no depth to the plot, predictable, unbelievable
...is, the thought of an American Psycho 3 is I'm sure far more scary then the film itself could ever be. Based on the 'link' between 1 and 2 you kind of wonder what half-baked nonsense might be used as a further sequel connection - a miraculously re-incarnated Patrick Bateman (The original American Psycho)? Or perhaps a love child of Rachel's that we never knew she had… It really doesn't bear thinking about.
As a 12 yr old child, Rachel Newman witnesses the murder of Patrick Bateman's last victim. She then murders him, ending his reign as the 'American Psycho'. She isn't implicated to or connected in any way with the murder, and on surface value it doesn't appear to affect her life other than by giving her an interest in serial killers and a desire to join the FBI to catch other serial killers such as Bateman.
[Forward a few years]
As a young lady, Rachel knows exactly what she wants, and how she intends to achieve it. She has a plan, clearly drawn up in her head and so enrols at college on a criminal profiling course - her main aim there is to become her professor's teaching assistant as that stands her in with a very good chance of getting a place in the FBI...
Oh dear!!! How can a sequel go so wrong? The film starts off well, but within 10 minutes or so it's on a downhill slide to failure. Rachel comes across initially as a likeable and plausible young lady. She's gutsy, determined, intelligent, and of course beautiful. BUT… as we follow her through college we realise she's not entirely 'normal'. Her desire to join the FBI is unnaturally fierce (obsessive), and her motto 'Failure is not an option' seems to forcibly fill her head hence ruling her life and actions. As Rachel encounters people that are or could be in her eyes jeopardising her future in the FBI we learn just one more thing: get in her way = end up dead.
The film quickly becomes largely predictable and then sadly, causing only further detriment, somewhat unbelievable too. It's easy enough to accept that Rachel's childhood experiences have left her disturbed (it would probably be more likely than not), and it's fair enough to accept her desire to be in the FBI (to prevent more 'Bateman scenarios') but we never see where the unhealthy drive to succeed at any cost comes from. The opportunities for in-depth character exploration and analysis are there in the scenes where Rachel sees a therapist. My initial thoughts were she'd reveal all to him and then bank on patient/therapist confidentiality to keep her secret (or add him to her 'hit list') but the conversations they have just run along the lines of the therapist asking what she'll do if she can't achieve her goals and her insistent replies that she can and will. It practically defeats the point of the film when the main character's bizarre actions are simply played out but not ever seriously probed.
So, are there any redeeming features to the film? Other than the last 5 minutes, which are surprisingly clever in comparison to the rest of the plot, not really… just loads more missed opportunities.
The soundtrack can best be described as generic rock/pop, which doesn't even attempt to build any kind of atmosphere/suspense/shock factor. It's like, another song, another murder, so what? To add to the dull tunes, you get Rachel's voice droning on as she narrates in parts. It's another missed opportunity though, I mean her narration is just story telling of events that have either happened or are going to happen shortly. There was that chance again to be given an insight into a killer's mind, to let us know what was really driving her and going on in her head, but no, nothing remotely like that.
The cast isn't exactly an all singing all dancing 'A list' of celebrities either, unless you class a somewhat past it William Shatner as Rachel's professor something to write home about. Mila Kunis in the lead role of Rachel does okay, but she certainly doesn't make you think 'wow that role was made for her'.
There are no special effects to talk of, and perhaps the best bit of camera work is one of the murders seen as a reflection as opposed to 'in the flesh'. It was a shame though in some ways as it was undoubtedly the goriest murder of the film and it might have been better seen fully. On the subject of the murders, most aren't even shown in the act so to speak, just inferred by other actions, re-caps and/or the resulting corpses.
(It's also worth adding that the killing spree is leaving bodies littered all over the place, yet in most cases we hear little or no mention of missing persons and/or the discovery of said bodies and we see no police investigations till near the end of the film)
To add insult to injury, there's some attempted humour carelessly thrown in to Rachel's part during the murder scenes (amongst others) but in most cases it just leaves you thinking 'I can't believe she said that!'
The premise was there, yet it never materialised. It's a story that could have worked, but just didn't. The horror wasn't horrific enough, nor the comedy funny enough and that just left me feeling a bit empty and somewhat disappointed. I sighed rather than gasped, and grimaced rather than laughed - maybe because it was on the most part so damned predictable it just took the 'wow factor' away. Let's face it, when half way through the film with Rachel mid killing spree you just know that when she says 'Nice mop!' to the cleaner that has just witnessed one of her 'sinister' acts she's not going to let him get away. He ends up impaled on said mop!
Whilst the action is as black and white as Rachel's plan, the way the film itself comes across overall is very much grey (maybe a consequence of the 3 million pound budget and 20 day filming schedule?). I sat for a while after it in a state of disbelief, not being sure if I had taken the film too seriously or not seriously enough, or if it in fact would even have mattered. I'm not entirely sure what genre it was supposed to be either - the onscreen TV guide indicated horror; my TV magazine went with comedy… enough said?
As a stand-alone film (and with a bit more thought) it could have worked, and nicely too. The way it ended could possibly have spawned a sequel of it's own, was it not already the poor relation. The only connection this sequel has to the original film (apart from the name and the odd mention of Bateman during the serial killer lectures) is using Rachel's childhood experience with Bateman as a trigger to her adult life's events. I'd imagine that any scenario involving witnessing and then committing murder would have some quite undesirable effects on a child, so there seems no need (or justification) to play on the 'American Psycho' title.
As it is, the thought of an American Psycho 3 is I'm sure far more scary then the film itself could ever be. Based on the 'link' between 1 and 2 you kind of wonder what half-baked nonsense might be used as a further sequel connection - a miraculously re-incarnated Patrick Bateman (The original American Psycho)? Or perhaps a love child of Rachel's that we never knew she had… It really doesn't bear thinking about.
So, do I recommend it? Hopefully you'll have gathered that NO, I don't. It may be worth a look if you're a serious fan of either William Shatner or Mila Kunis, or if you enjoy purposely wasting your time. Otherwise, just don't go there.
Advantages: Quite liked the ending Disadvantages: Implausible
...years after the previous film, American Pyscho 2 tells the story of Rachael Newman. It transpires that Newman (aged 12) witnessed the murder of her babysitter at the hands of the notorious serial killer, Patrick Bateman. Surviving the ordeal – and never being traced to the scene of the crime – she manages to live a relatively normal existence thereafter, although she does develop an unhealthy interest in serial killers. Her interest leads ... ...a whole new guise…..
American Psycho (the original) was a good movie. Without being particularly graphic, it still had an inherent capability to make the viewer nervous. Such was the nature of Patrick Bateman’s psychopathy that you really didn’t know what to expect next, and I recall feeling extremely uncomfortable, right from the outset. The sequel is nothing like this – American Psycho 2 is largely a sequel in name only. ...
LostWitness 22.05.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of American Psycho 2 (DVD)
Advantages: Mila Kunis Is Good Eye Candy Disadvantages: Awful Film In Every Respect
...the success of the first American Psycho, starring Christian Bale, this film went straight to video (and rightly so). The plot involves a girl (Mila Kunis) who witnessed her babysitter being killed by Patrick Bateman (Bale) in the first film. There is a vague explanation at the beginning which suggests that this girl has now devoted her life to killing other serial killers (as well as Patrick Bateman). However, this theory is clearly proven wrong ... ...a little, as the "All American Girl" psychopath serial killer, Rachael Newman. It's just a pity she got cast into this role, I bet it did nothing for her curriculum vitae.
The amusing thing about this film is that it actually tries mixing comedy, horror and parody, as if it wants to be the next "Scream". It so doesn't pull it off. The comedy is rubbish and just doesn't work, the horror is so unscary you'll be yawning and the parody...well, what ...
SurveyMasterNico 30.04.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of American Psycho 2 (DVD)
Advantages: Fit chick in the lead roll Disadvantages: Not a sequel to American Psycho
...assume the killer is dead. American Psycho 2 follows these rules to the letter.
Following in great Hollywood tradition, American Psycho 2 is not as good as its predecessor. American Psycho was a superb movie - a great tale based on a brilliant book, and one of the few movies I don't think anyone should be without a copy of in their video collection. It is obvious that the sequel has been made exclusively to make money of the back of American Psycho's ... ...to match its inspiration. Liking American Psycho is no guarantee that you will like this sequel, for whereas the story of Patrick Bateman was a satyrical and violent movie, number 2 is more of a teen-horror flick, reminiscent of Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, though a touch darker than both.
The movie is not terribly gory as horror movies go, and sticks to a fairly standard theme. A young (and extremely beautiful) student, Rachel Newman, ...
ILoveJackDaniels 05.09.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of American Psycho 2 (DVD)
Advantages: Mila Kunis Disadvantages: Not very orginal
...probably familiar with the original American Psycho - weather it be through the book or the film - most of you have an fairly good idea of the plot which is about a serial killer, Patrick Bateman. When I first saw the film I was very impressed and when I found out an American Psycho 2 was coming out I was more then thrilled, being a horror freak I just couldn't wait to see how the sequel was going to match up and I was intrigued and interested in ... ...years after the events of American Psycho, this is the story of a college freshman and Patrick Bateman survivor Rachael Newman (Mila Kunis) who becomes a teaching assistant (as a freshman!!??) to an professor. Even as she develops her own murderous obsessions, destroying anyone in her way... Patrick Bateman is dead. However, his evil continues on in the body of a college student (Kunis) who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Rachael Newman, ...
RottenPumpkins 15.05.2002 (19.05.2002)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of American Psycho 2 (DVD)
Advantages: mila kunis Disadvantages: none that specific
American Psycho was a box office smash and pretty much made Christian Bale (who played the 'Psycho' Patrick Bateman) - It's main star a household name.
The first film was very 'catchy' but in some cases may have offend people with it's graphic violence and sex scenes. Many people loved the first film however the sequel released not longer after which went straight to video American Psycho 2 - All American Girl has received many bad reviews which ... ...the only way to obtain American Psycho is to rent it from your local video store if it is available as it is pretty much deemed a box-office flop. However i am in favour of this sequel. It's main character is a young talented actress called Mila Kunis (That 70's Show) who plays her character very well.
I think the sequel is far more twisted in the sense that Patrick Bateman in the first film killed because he wanted to - not to serve any particular ...
starclippings 07.04.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of American Psycho 2 (DVD)
The story of a college freshman who becomes a teaching assistant while developing skills as a murderer removing everyone in her way...
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
ENTERTAINMENT IN VIDEO; CINRAM LOGISTICS
Release date
22/04/2002
No of Discs
1
Catalogue No
EDV 9165
Barcode
5017239191657
Languages
Main Language
English
Technical information
Special Features
Trailer
Aspect Ratio
1.78 Wide Screen, 16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround English
DVD Description
Patrick Bateman, the yuppie serial killer of AMERICAN PSYCHO may have met his timely end at the conclusion of his own sordid story, but one would-be victim managed to cheat death and escape him. As a result, Rachel Newman (Mila Kunis of TV's THAT '70S SHOW) has since developed an unhealthy obsession with serial killers--leading her to become one herself. Will anyone catch onto her secret before she can kill again
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