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11 out of 12 people found the following review useful: A very entertaining sequel. Much better than part one., 30 June 2004 Author: Captain_Couth (sirjosephu@aol.com) from Sacramento, CA
976-Evil 2 (1991) is a far better film than the first movie. The film-makers didn't try to be serious with the subject matter and the players seem to be enjoying themselves. Shot on the cheap, the sequel follows Spike and his attempts to stop the evil behind that darn 976-EVIL. He's still tooling around on his motorcycle looking like a rebel without a clue. But this time around he has one. It's up to him to stop the madness. A little worse for wear (Spike's sporting a five o'clock shadow that comes and goes) but he's all clad in black leather and looking to kick some demonic butt!Like I said, a very entertaining movie. Unlike the first film the black humor works. The villain in this movie is real creepy and funny as well. The film's direction flows along at a reasonable pace (thanks to the ever reliable Jim Wynorski) and the blood flows. I'm glad they stopped after this one. I probably couldn't take another sequel.Recommended.Bx
7 out of 8 people found the following review useful: *1/2 out of 4., 24 August 2002 Author: Brandon L. Sites (brandonsites1981@yahoo.com) from USA
Slightly better sequel finds that evil telephone line still in business. It seduces a teacher at first and then turns him into a full blooded killer. Lots of grisly memorable death scenes and a wicked twist of an ending are what make this entry better. Sure it is rather poorly done, but this film is a lot of fun and moves along at a nice pace. Rated R.
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Not terribly bad, still not that good, 16 March 2004 Author: slayrrr666 (slayrrr666@yahoo.com) from Los Angeles, Ca
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
`976-Evil II: The Astral Factor' is the kind of movie that you see on late-night TV with your friends and get drunk watching it.**SPOILERS**A local killer, Mr. Grubeck (René Assa), murders a young woman (Karen Mayo-Chandler) on a college campus. The townspeople are shocked that he would such a thing, as Mr. Grubeck is one of the towns' more outstanding citizens. While the police are investigating the situation, Spike (Patrick O'Bryan) wanders into town. A police psychologist's daughter, Robin (Debbie James) stumbles upon the scene and blacks out after seeing Grubeck in handcuffs. While being interrogated by the police captain, (Rod McCary) Grubeck asks for a phone call and calls 976-Evil. The line tells him that he will be granted a favor for serving the dark side and recieves a special power that makes him transparent, yet solid and can walk through walls. That evening, Grubeck stalks Robin on a date with her friends, until Spike shows up. He spills the truth about the phone number to Robin, who semi-believes him. Grubeck appears in the hotel room of the witness to his murder, Turrell (George ‘Buck' Flower) and kills him. When Spike searches Grubeck's house for evidence, the house attacks him, and he barely makes it out alive. He shows Robin Grubeck's phone bill, which contains more than 100 calls to 976-Evil. Believing Spike, Robin breaks into Grubeck's office to find more information, but suffers another flash and faints. When the lawyer for the police (Monique Gabrielle) lives out her flash, Robin becomes even more worried. When no one believes her, Robin and Spike team up to defeat Grubeck themselves.The Good News: For a movie that shouldn't have been made, as the original was creative, but probably was made to never have a sequel, this one is actually quite interesting. It allows the viewer to become involved in the story, as it appears before their eyes. The storyline is the best part of the movie, as it is still similar to the original but different enough to never play like a true sequel, where the plot can be guessed 99% accurately within the first ten minutes or before. The film still gives a few shocks here and there, and the ending is still one of the best I have ever seen. It has a spooky quality to it that completely turns the point of the story around and looks like it took the longest to make, as it threw out the events of the movie and gave it a new direction. The last twenty minutes also gives the film a new twist, as it becomes a straightforward action film. The chase was really inventive and exciting, as it was undoubtedly the highlight. The part where the character became a member in the movie on TV was also interesting to watch, as it integrated flawlessly with the `reel' footage from the movie. The gore is top-notch, and never intrusive, only highlighting the killing scenes' scares. The Bad News: As the sequel to a film that never needed one, this film suffers a lot from bad cameras, bad dialogue, and pretty bad scenarios for most of the movie. Only the last twenty minutes are of real importance and interest, with the movie-within scene being of viewing interest before then. It was also influenced by the late-80's horror scene, so this movie contains love-struck teenagers in dopey situations, a ton of bad jokes, and typical stereotyped performances. Spike is routine as the bad boy biker, Robin the innocent virgin, and the police are useless as the teens fight off and kill the enemy. It also takes an incredible amount of time for police to believe the situation, which is getting more and more boring to watch. If Sam Loomis took over hour to convince Haddonfield Police that Michael Myers was back in the ton is shown in three movies during this time, another one to do that is simply unnecessary to watch. How about some more creativity in movies?The Final Verdict: despite the fact that this movie shouldn't have been made, it is still a good way to speed 90 minutes with friends. It should be a worthwhile effort to seek it out, as it does have tons of redeeming factor to it. Gore aficionados should find it more so than others should.Rated R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, and Nudity.
5 out of 7 people found the following review useful: A surprisingly good movie, with a hot looking girl!, 15 November 2002 Author: c150 from Chicago, Illinois
I have to say this movie surprised me in that it was very well produced and directed. This movie is much better than the original 976-evil movie, the acting is better, the script is better and the characters are more believeable. Now let me talk a little bit about the main character in the movie, her name is Debbie James and wow what a hottie! She is a former Miss Teen USA and a former Miss USA finalist. She is also a former Miss Colorado. Her acting isn't bad either in this movie and she is the main character. I wish Debbie james would appear in more movies (she only has had minor roles in a few subsequent movies) but at least we get to see her as the main character in this interesting movie, which is certainly worth renting and even buying. I give this movie 8 out of 10 stars!
4 out of 6 people found the following review useful: "Isn't someone going to answer that phone?" Terrible sequel., 3 August 2006 Author: Paul Andrews (poolandrews@hotmail.com) from UK
976-EVIL 2: The Astral Factor starts at Slate River college where the dean Mr. Grubeck (Rene Assa) has just murdered pretty blonde teenager Lori Glazier (Karen-Mayo Chandler) which brings his murder count to five girls, this time however a drunk bum named Turrell (George 'Buck' Flower) is witness to his crime & Grubeck is arrested. Grubeck is given his statutory one phone call which he uses to phone 976-EVIL a direct line to hell, Grubeck is given powers which enable him to astrally project himself while asleep & is also given the name of the drunk who meets a very sticky end that night. Meanwhile pretty blonde teenager (notice a pattern here?) Robin (Debbie James) is contacted by 976-EVIL survivor Spike (Patrick O'Bryan reprising his role from the original) who knows that Grubeck is using the Satanic hot-line to murder & generally be antisocial, by a strange coincidence Robin used to work for Grubeck who developed a crush on her & he still has it...Directed by Jim Wynorski, whose very name when attached to a film sends shivers down my spine, 976-EVIL 2: The Astral Factor is a terrible sequel to a fairly decent original. The script by Erik Anjou plays the concept far more like a standard teen slasher (as if we didn't already have enough) rather than trying to develop the demonic phone-line to hell idea as in the first, instead they take the 976-EVIL premise & simply use it to give some supernatural powers to a homicidal maniac who wants to kill lots of dumb & annoying teenagers, yawn. The whole things a bit of an embarrassment really, it's predictable, the character's really are stupid & gullible, the exploitation elements are lacking & as a film it provides little in the way of entertainment. The opening scene features a naked blonde in a shower for no reason other than show off her breasts, she is chased by Grubeck & then just lies there & waits for him to kill her which he does by pulling a rope which releases a fake stalactite to impale her! It doesn't get much better either apart from a couple of decent car chase scenes & one or two nice kills, overall there is very little to recommend here I'm afraid.Director Wynorski still had the nerve to use his real name on the credits when he made this back in '91 instead of hiding under his usual Jay Andrews pseudonym, the film is reasonably well made but it doesn't have any style or the visual look of the first film. It's pretty bland & forgettable stuff while the gore is also disappointing, someone is impaled, someone has a garden trowel stuck in them in a direct rip-off, sorry homage to Night of the Living Dead (1968), a few after the fact slit throats, & in the films best moment a guy is hit by a speeding truck & he just explodes everywhere, excellent. 976-EVIL is also one of those films where it's fun to try & spot all the continuity errors as there's plenty of them.Technically the film is OK, although I'm sure that truck at the end changes between a tanker trailer & box trailer... Now on to the best aspect of 976-EVIL, Miss USA finalist Debbie James. Frankly she is one pretty hot looking young lady & makes the film a lot easier to sit through that's for sure, she can't act but she sure looks good & nobody's perfect are they? As for everyone else the acting sucks including original cast returnee O'Bryan.976-EVIL: The Astral Factor is an awful film from the ever awful Jim Wynorski, it didn't do anything for me & I think the original 976-EVIL (1987) is a far superior film that tried to do something with the concept whereas this doesn't.
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful: Dial up this horror sequel now!, 8 December 2008 Author: Prolox from Canada
That supernatural horoscope line returns to kill more innocents, this time injecting it's evil powers into a college professor, turning him into a psychopathic killer that can leave his body at night & exit his cell after he's caught by the police, in order to continue his bloody killing spree, leaving the local police baffled at the crimes & wondering if he had a partner or if their dealing with a copycat killer, however asking this demon for help has it's downside, as the professors spirit slowly decomposes, making him look more like FREDDY KRUGER with each passing day. With the help of the lead hero of the first movie, a young woman attempts to stop the horrific bloodshed before the killer gets her as well. 976-EVIL 2 is far & away better than Robert Englund's original horror thriller, at least we don't have to wait until the film is almost over to get our thrills. The pace comes quick & furious from first frame till last as the story draws the viewers attention & always provides the horror fan with something interesting to watch. The make-up effects, directing & acting are surprisingly better this time out & horror fans looking for a good time are sure to love this with it's creepy thrills & gory moments. If only it had a better ending (which like the original leaves a set-up for another sequel that never came) & did the ending have to be so similar to INTRUDER (1988)? Definitely recommended!*** starsPROLOX TRIVIA: In this movie there is a scene where a female victim is driving a car on a highway & an evil spirit takes control of the car sending her to her fiery death. This scene was also used in another JIM WYNORSKI film GHOULIES 4, which came a year after this one.
3 out of 8 people found the following review useful: A Masterpiece to say the Least!, 1 February 2002 Author: Ed Moorehouse from Everett, WA
This is a Darn Good Movie that I Would have never Expected to be so Good. I first got Interested in the Series upon Learning that the Guy who Plays the Infamous "Freddy" Directed Part One. I Was looking to rent the Original, but could only found the Sequel, and was left with no other Choice. I didn't Expect Much, and got much more than I Would have ever Thought.What Makes this Movie such a Masterpiece is really hard to put into Words. I would say it is mostly the Originality and the Obvious effort put into the Script to try to do the best with a VERY low budget. In Addition; Very good Acting, Good Video and Sound Quality, Good Murders, and a Remarkable Sense of Suspense.Why would someone Not like this movie? They lack a sense of love for Horror Movies and/or Put this Movie in with a bad Attitude (If you Say You'll Hate this Movie, you most Likely will). I can also say that This Movie is for a Certain group that not everyone is in, and other user comments prove this! Reading the Plot Summary and Viewing the Trailer should really help you Decide before renting.I give this Film 10 out of 10.People who enjoyed this movie might like: Puppet Master, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Friday the 13th, Child's Play, Scream 2, The Dead Next Door, Bloody Murder, Phantasm, The Dead hate the Living, Castle Freak, Bad Channels, House and Haunted Hill, and I Know what you did last summer. For more Recommendations, Check the other Movies I Have commented on by Clicking on my Name above this Comment Section.
4 out of 11 people found the following review useful: Did we need a sequel?, 30 June 1999 Author: Dino-38 from Moscow, Russia
I believe, we did not. The first part of this movie was far not very good (What do you expect of a film directed by Freddy Krueger?). But this is one of the worst horror movies I have ever seen. Rene Assa (Who is this?) gives the worst performance of a college chief, who fell in love with one of his pupils, then he started dialing this number 976-EVIL, and than started performing assorted Omen-like murders. This poor girl (pupil) stands his evil powers with (guess who?) Spike, an annoying biker who participated in the first part too. Special F/X are poor, the acting is horrible, directing by Jim Wynorski (that genius whose mind brought us "Ghoulies IV" a movie which is in no way better). I didn't see any point in the script, it seems to rely solely on cheap special effects and some disgusting dead scenes. This movie sucks!
0 out of 4 people found the following review useful: A direct hotline to the Devil., 8 April 2002 Author: Michael O'Keefe from Muskogee OK
Gracious be, what a story. A wicked teacher(Rene Assa)takes advantage of powers obtained from his phone calls to Satan. Some creative murder scenes and a fun watch with a party crowd. Debbie James is nice in the looks department, but light in acting skills. Patrick O'Bryan seems miscast as the biker hero. Also in the cast is Philip McKeon.
2 out of 10 people found the following review useful: The phone had a funny voice when I answered it, 10 January 2003 Author: Rainbow2003 from Montgomery, Alabama
Debbie James is dire as Robin in this curious horror farce. The following cast is pretentious. The costumes are sexy. One of the fair movies in the genre, 976-Evil 2: The Astral Factor stirs hollow horrors. 5 out of 10.
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