While the original Prom Night movie has been a favorite for years, rewatching it as an adult, I now question A LOT that happens in that flick. I never realized how much fun the sequel was until after a friend told me how it’s his favorite. Revisiting it again, I’ve got to admit that I enjoy this first sequel better than any of the other films in the franchise.
I know, right? The same is true for the Friday the 13th movies, as well. Fight me, I dare you.
So let’s take a deeper dive into Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II.
(WARNING: I’m sure I’ll be spoiling plot points as my editor has been placed on a Viking ship, set ablaze, and sent out to sea for a Norse funeral)
Prom Night II – The Build Up
The quick and dirty story is Mary Lou Mahoney, a promiscuous bad girl in 1957, dies just as she receives the title of Prom Queen. Realizing her boyfriend is responsible, she comes back thirty years later to exact revenge on him and to finally get her grubby little claws on that tiara, even if she’s gotta possess and kill people to do it.
Not too complicated, right? Writer Ron Oliver throws in a bunch of tropes for good measure, too, including the ever loved, “ah, it’s over….or is it?” But that doesn’t take away any of the entertainment value. In fact, I think the more simplified idea of bad girl ghost revenge helps the viewer to pick up and enjoy all the other happenings throughout the film.
I think the director, Bruce Pittman, gets fantastic performances from the entire cast, even if they’re side characters or passing parts. But there is one powerhouse actor here in Michael Ironside, the grown up boyfriend of Mary Lou and now principal of the school they both attended. If you’re reading this review, or even just perusing the Malevolent Dark website, I don’t need to tell you who Mr. Ironside is. A brilliant character actor, he embodies the heart and soul of whatever part he chooses to play. This movie is no exception. While you kinda sorta feel bad for him at the beginning, as Mary Lou flaunts her proclivity for fooling around, it’s hard to feel sympathy for a guy who sets his cheating girlfriend on fire.
I’m just saying…
Besides Mary Lou, all the other characters from the fifties are unimportant, save the boy, Cooper, she messed around with at prom who in the present day is a priest (talk about a 180 change of heart). The meat of the film is taken up with Craig, Billy’s son, and Vicki, Craig’s girlfriend, the soon to be possessed prom queen nominee. Each actor, Louis Ferreira and Wendy Lyon – Craig and Vicki respectively – are great, though I do have a soft spot for Louis since his role as Earl in Blood and Donuts.
Prom Night II – The Glow Up
I think Craig takes a big back seat to Vicki, though, as she changes from sweet, innocent, good girl to smart-mouthed, cussing, bad girl over the course of the film. Wendy Lyon is soooooo good at this transition. Completely believable as she emotes fear at losing herself and being out of control. It’s also just fun watching one of those soft spoken wall flowers spew a string of profanities at the mean girls or get a little too handsy with authority figures. And don’t let me forget the part where Vicki, possessed by Mary Lou, makes out with Vicki’s dad.
*gag*
Now, we can’t discuss this movie without talking about Mary Lou herself, played by Lisa Schrage. She commands attention every time she’s on screen, no matter what she’s doing. We all love to hate ‘the bad guy’, especially if they’re a woman and she’s just out there living her best life, doing what she wants, saying what she wants, and just throws a big middle finger to the establishment, amirite? Throw a beautiful face on top of all that and all you can do is just sit back and watch the carnage. I’m sad that she hasn’t acted since 1999 but if you can find any of her other works out there, I highly suggest you do.
Prom Night II – The Blow Up
There is plenty of cannon fodder for Mary Lou to take down. While we don’t get to see a couple deaths, the locker squish is my favorite even though we only see the gush of blood that comes out after the victim is killed. One character gets melted by electrocution when he tries to sabotage the prom queen votes (Josh, played by the actor who was young Nick in the original Prom Night). And when Mary Lou PUNCHES her way out of Vicki at prom, it’s a glorious gory sight, even better than Mary Lou’s original fiery death.
Most of the special effects are practical, save for a few optical illusions or tricks of editing. I always appreciate colored corn syrup to CGI blood any day of the week. But it does date the film a lot. There’s no doubt this was shot in the eighties. I’m okay with that, but I can understand why someone else might not enjoy it.
But if you don’t like the monster version of Mary Lou….
All the ins and outs of the rest of the story and film are fine. I do scratch my head a little at the idea that Bill and Father Cooper have always seemed to expect Mary Lou to come back from the dead for revenge. It’s not like they set her up to be a practitioner of black magic or that she even threatened revenge as she died. Though her glare up at Billy through the flames was pretty telling… But aside from that, there are too many mentions of The Exorcist; a little too much naivete in regards to stopping all hell breaking loose; way too much exploitation of religious symbols or ideals (I’m telling you, this is NOT The Exorcist so just staaahhhpp).
I think the only thing that takes me out of the film is the full-sized rocking horse in Vicki’s bedroom, which she had BEFORE Mary Lou possessed her. What teenager has a bedroom big enough for a full grown steed? Once it goes all red eyed and lascivious (shit, I’m using all the big words today), it makes a little more sense. You’ll know what I mean during the riding scene.
I’m just saying…
Prom NIght II – The Wrap Up
With a rocking fifties soundtrack, skullduggery aplenty, full frontal nudity, a buffet of blood and slime, dazzling costume jewelry and poofy dresses, ghostly tomfoolery, and some awesome slut possession (I’m NOT slut shaming – I think Vicki is more interesting after she gets a little randy), Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II is one hell of an entertaining ride.
4.5 Margaritas (out of 5)
