ALLIGATOR II: THE MUTATION (1991)
You thought that Random Sequel Month was over, didn't you? So did I, friend. So did I. But when you chance upon a cheap copy of Alligator II, you pounce on it like a malnourished panther. I recall glancing at this straight-to-video item when it aired on television back in the 90's (USA Network, methinks), but I've slept since then. I don't think I need to tell you that the first film is a top-tier cult classic. It's strange to consider that tawdry "nature runs amok" vehicles were not always prevalent in pop culture. Nowadays, they are a dime a dozen, if you'll pardon the cliché. I'm not complaining. I dig Alligator II more than I should, although I can't justify handing out more than three Z'Dars. The plot is anorexic. Disembodied limbs emerge in the sewer system, so naturally, officer David Hodges assumes that a genetically altered alligator is the culprit.
No, really. His default setting is conducive to wacky urban legends. It doesn't take much to convince him either. Maybe he has an Alligator poster hanging above his bed. In 2024, this would be called a reboot. In 1991, it was just another tepid sequel, but again, I won't begrudge The Mutation for having the audacity to exist. The cast is chock-full of upmarket names that seem to frequent the convention circuit.* Dee Wallace Stone is wasted in a throwaway role. She plays a neglected wife, and man, she should have been the main character. Richard Lynch has fun wrangling a Cajun accent. Elsewhere, Steve Railsback goes for ham as a sleazeball real estate magnate. Everyone is a little too talented for Alligator II: The Mutation, the alligator itself notwithstanding. The effects are fine, but the actual creature changes in size. Scale is always an issue. I did enjoy the finale, which takes place at a carnival. In my head, it's the same carnival as the one in Howling VI: The Freaks.
*I'm not trying to be derogatory. I met Dee Wallace Stone at a convention, and I can confirm that she's an absolute sweetheart.
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