Scanners II: The New Order (1991)

A scanner discovers a plot by renegade elements in the city government to take power with the help of evil scanners.

Director:

Christian Duguay

Writers:

David Cronenberg (characters), B.J. Nelson

Stars:

David Hewlett, Deborah Raffin, Yvan Ponton

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Hewlett	...	David Kellum
Deborah Raffin	...	Julie Vale
Yvan Ponton	...	Commander John Forrester
Isabelle Mejias	...	Alice Leonardo
Tom Butler	...	Doctor Morse
Raoul Max Trujillo	...	Peter Drak (as Raoul Trujillo)
Vlasta Vrana	...	Lt. Gelson
Murray Westgate	...	George Kellum
Doris Petrie	...	Susan Kellum
Dorothée Berryman	...	Mayor
Michael Rudder	...	Feck
David Francis	...	Gruner
Stephen Zarou	...	Walter
Tom Harvey	...	Chief Stokes
Jason Cavalier	...	Convenience Store Thug

Storyline

Good and evil scanners combatting when a crooked politician schemes to gain control of a major city. Scanners are people who, because their mothers had taken a certain drug during pregnancy, have acquired telepathic powers. One scanner escapes from a mental center and is hired by the politician to use his powers to gain control of others minds, and then, their actions.

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Plot Keywords:

scanner | paranormal phenomena | shot to death | resurrection | murder | 

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Taglines:

In the 21st century, the mind is the ultimate weapon...

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Genres:

Action | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and graphic sci-fi action

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English French Japanese

Release Date:

28 June 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Agyfürkészők 2. - Az új rendszer

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD 5,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Allegro Films, Filmtech, Image Organization

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Vlasta Vrana (Lt. Gelson) previously starred in "Shivers" directed by "Scanners" creator David Cronenberg.

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Quotes

Commander John Forrester: How's everything?
Doctor Morse: Not good. Elaine, one of our female scanners, just died. We're losing too many, too fast. The only functional scanners we have left are Feck, Gruner and Drak.
[watching camera surveillance of Peter Drak]
Commander John Forrester: I wouldn't call that functional.
Doctor Morse: He's got tremendous command of his powers. He could bounce back.
Commander John Forrester: He's a psychopath. What we need is a clean scanner. A virgin mind.

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Connections

References Skinheads (1989)

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Soundtracks

Mind to Mind
Written by Aldo Nova & Marty Simon
Performed by Alan Jordan
Courtesy of ATV Music / Polygram Music Publishing Inc.

User Reviews

What's to hate about Scanners?

I have always love the film Scanners and have always loved David Cronenberg, but after Deadringers, I always felt he started to go downhill from a wonderful ride in the horror genre. Scanners was one of his best in his early period, when he was working from original screenplays and wasn't in an adaptation funk at all (ie., Naked Lunch, M. Butterfly and Crash). It was a promising plotline and was very entertaining. It has also become a cult classic. So when I saw this sequel when it first came out, I didn't think it would be as good as it is.

I'll spare you the plotline since you've undoubtably have read the other reviews, but I will comment on the films structure. It works surprisingly well considering the original didn't leave much for a sequel like this one. If one were to truly look at the first film for a sequel, the likely route would have been to have the main characters be on the run from the secret corporate organizations (a plotline used in Firestarter) which could lead to a very boring and predictable outcome. But this film was made ten years later and the plotline ideas can have new twists and it is this factor that makes this film a success.

The opening ropes you in by the way it mimics the opening to the original--homeless, drifting Scanner losses mind in public and gets corralled by the guys in shades and trenchcoats. But its different from the original opening in that Scanners 2 opens with the vagabond Scanner screaming at the city in agony as the mental voices of the population invade his extrasensory mind and drive him crazy. It would be like an itch you can't scratch. I liked this aspect of the opening and it made me realize the filmmaker was a huge fan of the first film. It proved he wanted to be true to the first film and not just make another sequel in name only. The plot device of making the Scanners junkies to mind suppressing drugs was another excellent addition. It further proves the filmmaker's desire to make a good sequel.

If you loved the first film, you have to give this one a try. It is very entertaining, great character development and delivers in the gore factor department.