Ambitious sequel continues horrors hot streak…
I have spoken before about just how successful a year 2017 was for the horror genre. For the first time in my life time there are murmurings about horror films being nominated for awards and many critics end of year lists were packed full of horror offerings. This inevitably has a trickle down effect that results in even the indie flicks raising their game.
2014’s Creep had a head start on the horror revival. Unsettling, unique and… well… creepy, Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass crafted a horror film that stood out for its probing approach and tension building. Like all great horror films, Creep is a film that stays with you well after the credits have rolled.
Under normal circumstances I would be worried about a sequel to such an accomplished film. Historically, horror sequels don’t have the best track record. But Brice and particularly Duplass have both demonstrated impressive quality control throughout their career and they have earned a degree of trust from their audience.
Creep 2 is by no means a rehash of the original. We find serial killer Aaron (Duplass) in the midst of an existential crisis. He is still slaying, but he no longer feels the same joie de vivre from his raison d’être. Under the pretence of hiring a videographer, Aaron meets Sara (Desiree Akhavan), an aspiring vlogger who is desperate to produce something of real value. The ensuing game of cat and mouse sees Aaron and Sara take turns to be feline and rodent in a psychological battle that always keeps the viewer guessing. It is a wonderful thing to watch a horror film and have literally no idea what will happen next. It is uncertainty and fear of the unknown that drives terror and fear and Creep 2 plays on this emotional quirk beautifully.
Akhavan and Duplass share an electric and dynamic chemistry and this helps Duplass to deliver possibly his best ever performance. Being honest, the idea of Mark Duplass as a serial killer was absurd before Creep but he owns the role so much in this sequel that it is now difficult to think of him as anything else.
This kind of low budget fare isn’t for everyone, but for those people always on the look out for the next bone chilling film to keep them awake at night, Creep 2 is a worthy addition to an ever expanding canon. Apparently Creep 3 is on the way…