Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!
Plot Summary: Crom is accidentally freed from his tomb and decides to kill randos with the help of the gremlins.
Review: I actually really enjoyed the first entry--it had that kind of charm and fun that kids' movies used to be known for. So, when a part 2 was announced as "Crom's Fury"--and that they were filming scenes in Ireland--I thought "Okay, Crom is not going to be messing around." Alas, this felt like a step down from part 1 despite a better attempt at scale and scope. However, I do want to acknowledge that part 2 did appear to take feedback from part 1 that influenced and helped improve many aspects of the filmmaking.
So what worked this time around? Crom looks better, his design is more menacing, and the special effects were vastly improved. As such, the body count is greatly increased, but I will get back to that later. The background characters are amplified in their quirkiness and charm for better or worse. Likewise, they play a more central role in the movie--altering the trajectory of the story in a path you wouldn't expect after part 1; for example, I did like Harvey and Stephanie getting together better than Harvey with Mary. The concept of going to Ireland and fighting Crom on his home turf was a satisfying and natural progression of the story. Other than these kind of general good ideas and improvements, I will simply add that the film retains that goofy, rated PG vibe that sets it apart from its peers.
Okay, so what went wrong? The story is a mess. Crom's "fury" my ass! Crom does so little besides kill random background characters...and to what end? We have no idea why. And we can't even be sure who kills who since they added these cornball creatures, the pookas, who serve as Crom's minion fodder. I'll admit, they look decent, but they're just the damn gremlins. And, while on the subject of Temu versions, it was kind of funny that they leaned into the one actor looking like The Rock and added "Uncle Dwayne." Amusing. But, getting back to Crom...he kidnaps Mary which makes the entire dynamic of this sequel feel off. The primary character of the previous entry is almost completely absent, and we don't get the epic rescue that is alluded throughout. Yes, we go to Ireland, and even Crom's world, yet, there is no big fight or epic escape or just anything. The buildup is there, but the execution is sorely lacking. Maybe it was budgetary limits, but, still, we needed a better payoff. And since part 3 is clearly hinted, hopefully we get a better resolution to all of these events, because this was not a satisfying conclusion whatsoever.
In general, if you liked part 1, this is more or less of the same caliber. Perhaps others will prefer the approach of this entry over the original, however, I felt part 1 had better pacing, ideas, and direction. Watching them back to back is somewhat complementary despite the actress playing Mary being replaced. Many aspects were improved upon, and I do appreciate the charm and kid-friendly aspect to a Halloween-themed horror. With that said, if they're serious about this being a trilogy...go balls to walls on part 3! Mary and her crew should have a big showdown against Crom. Play up Halloween more--it was totally half-assed in this installment. Finally, lean heavy into the Celtic mythology. Why bother going to Ireland if all you do is visit a pub and joke about Guinness?! Overall, I can't necessarily recommend this entry as a standalone film, but I can suggest to watch this and part 1 together as a (currently) double-feature.
Notable Moment: When they have the car chase with Crom. This is the kind of escalation and improvement I wanted for the whole movie.
Final Rating: 5.5/10
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