American Psycho 1 & 2

We all know that generally sequels suck big time, there are rare occasions that they don't and actually exceed expectations, and sometimes they have nothing what so ever to do with the original apart from the odd vague reference every now and then.

These films get slammed, and on the most part justifiably, but sometimes you just have to suspend your prejudices and treat the movie as it's own stand alone entity.

One example that worked really well is Halloween III: Season of the Witch, nothing what so ever to do with Michael Meyers or the rest of the Halloween franchise and once you get past this you realise that it's an effective little horror movie.

Last night I watched American Psycho II: All American Girl, it's a film that I have been avoiding for ages after seeing the reviews and reading that it had nothing to do with the original, just another bandwagon jumper, but finally decided to give it a go!

Let's start at the beginning with the original, I covered the book briefly in an earlier blog, the film American Psycho is a PG compared with the book but caused controversy none the less.

American Psycho is a 2000 movie starring Christian Bale, the film is classed as a "black comedy psychological thriller" and mostly lived up to that.

The film centers on Patrick Bateman, a New York City investment banking executive who is a narcissistic egotistical image obsessed psychopath whose grasp on reality is tenuous to say the least.

He's a banker by day and a serial killer by night, though he doesn't seem to spend a lot of time actually working, it more long lunches in trendy restaurants and comparing business cards!

His kills progressively get more extreme, some for personal gain, some just for pure pleasure, as he tries to feed the psychotic demonic thirst inside him.

But that's not what the film is really about, it's about the dangers of consumerism, Bateman eats in trendy restaurants not because the foods any good, he does it because it's the place to be seen!

This is covered a bit better in the book, Brett Easton Ellis will use a chapter just describing what (or who) someone is wearing, what products they're using and why somewhere is a must place to visit, he even uses a massive paragraph to describe the quality and finish of a business card!

As I stated at the start of this, I watched AP II last night and I have to say I found it very entertaining, I know, I was shocked as well! I'm not saying it's a great movie, that it doesn't have plot holes or that it's a good sequel to AP, I'm just saying that it was entertaining, which after all, is what a film should be!

The film is about the sole survivor of Patrick Batemans serial killing spree, who also happens to be his killer, played by Mila Kunis, and takes place some years after this.

Kunis plays Rachael Newman, a college student who will do anything to became her professors (played by William Shatner!) TA believing that this will give her a near shoe in to joining the FBI.

The film originally started off as having nothing to do with AP but Lions Gate saw a chance to piggy back on the success of it and cash in, this seemed to fuel the dislike about the film which possibly lead to the poorer reviews than it deserved as it doesn't compare to the original.

Kunis stated in an interview with MTV News that she was "horrified" that she made this movie and was glad it went straight to video, I think she's doing herself an injustice, she plays a very good psychotic, sexy serial killer who'll do anything to get what she wants!