"This isn't how we did it last time."Ghost House bring us this direct-to-DVD sequel to the 2007 movie, which opens with a recast replay of the ending of the original and moves the action out of Barrow to urban L.A. by the end of the opening sequence credits. It is this change from the closed, frozen environment of the first film to over-familiar settings that is only part of this movie's weakness, as it is also dogged by numerous cliches of characterisation, sets, props and action set-ups, a laboured script (in spite of a writing credit by series originator Steve Niles), low-end effects and an incessantly droning synth backdrop that becomes very irritating. TV actress Kiele Sanchez takes over from Melissa George as lead character Stella with a dull performance, and the story and dialogue wanders along with little urgency. Even when the ending takes a mildly interesting direction, it ultimately resorts to a very predictable cop-out. The hugely enjoyable original movie is let down by this very disappointingly lacklustre sequel.
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