Days before the November mid-term election, three young women who identify as Muslim, Mexican and Haitian are stalked by a deranged person.  Erratically driving a Republican-type branded SUV and dressed as Donald Trump, the driver comes complete with a too-long tie and perfectly awful mask. As hideous Trump masks complete with billowing hair are handed out, the terror grows.  Harassment, terror, disgust, revolt, racism, Fiesta Boxes of crap, and a bunch of disillusioned people. It’s starting to sound like an ordinary day in the United States of America.

If most of the exchanges are based on reality, and you can’t make this stuff up, then the US is in a worse state than I had imagined. From writer/director Richard Lowry (Apocalypse Rising, A Lesson in Cruelty) comes this schlock-political-horror comedy apparently inspired by John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN (1978). A Michael Myers  – Donald Trump connection. Yep, I can see that.  The visual references to Halloween were on point as was the music, although overwhelmingly present. Normally this amount of musical distraction appears when the director can’t bear to leave anything out, thinks the audience has no imagination, or has no control over the editor. In the case of this film, its inspiration was as one reviewer put it: “a thrill ride designed simply to leave the audience shaking with fear”.  Documentary or fiction – it’s difficult to tell. Despite a few funny moments whatever its genre, it’s anything but comedy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umdLEOyIjJY

Unrelated to the Japanese media franchise Resident Evil, this film, including zombies (living or dead who knows…) appears to be a way for writers Lowry & Gregory Wolk to evacuate the worst of the current US regime.

When a film arrives in the inbox with ‘piece of shit’ as its password, it raises specific pre-viewing questions like do I have time in my life to lose 90 minutes. This is a film with a message rather than one trying to attract viewers. Or it’s possible that those living in Trump-land need to evacuate their disbelief at the current situation and what better way to do it than a ‘horror’ film. If you are ready to awkwardly laugh about the situation or gasp in disbelief, then this is probably a film for you. Or you could just have a look at twitter for the same.

Under the tutelage of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), light heavyweight contender Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) faces off against Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), son of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren).

While being a sequel to Ryan Coogler’s 2015 spin-off of the Rocky franchise, this is technically movie number eight within the Balboa/Creed narrative. A great many will have been following these films since the John G. Avildsen original, but some will have only gotten in the ring more recently. There are some story elements that echo the trajectory of the Italian Stallion but for the most part, Adonis Creed’s second round is a unique and refreshing bout. It taps into the legacy of previous Rocky films, once again adding layers to the legacy of Apollo Creed, Rocky Balboa and their shared story.

We see Adonis Creed discover that the pinnacle of your art can be a lonely place. His pride and fears rear their ugly head once more and while early on it may seem as though this sequel takes the lazy approach and 180’s his arc from the previous movie, I think there’s more here than initially meets the eye. Director Stephen Caple Jr. lacks the nuance and subtlety of Coogler, which actually makes him the right man for this sequel. This is not a subtle movie, nor is it trying to be. That being said, there are several artful flourishes that make this film stand out from the other Rocky movies, but the pacing occasionally suffers in the more dialogue-heavy scenes.

Once more we get the outstanding Tessa Thompson returning as Bianca and Phylicia Rashad as Mary Anne Creed. These two women represent the heart and the brain behind Michael B. Jordan’s titular character. Both Creed’s girlfriend and his adoptive mother have weathered the storm of seeing their loved one’s bruised, bloody and raw. Here we are privy to a spectrum of emotions as we hit familiar beats from previous instalments. There’s even a shady promoter reminiscent of the Don King’a’like from Rocky V.

Tapping into the current political climate, it makes perfect sense for Ivan Drago and his behemoth son, Viktor to resurface as the big bads. The shared history between the characters is potent in ways that evoke the worlds of wrestling and soap opera, so if you’re one of those people who thinks Rocky IV is the best Rocky sequel then it’s likely you’re going to absolutely love Creed II.

Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu) is a solid antagonist and probably the most fleshed out on screen since Apollo Creed. He also seems like an amalgamation of Ivan Drago and Clubber Lang in that he’s ferocious, imposing and unbreakable. An avalanche wrapped in a landslide. His arc is just as important as Creed’s and just as emotionally resonant by the conclusion.

This film represents a culmination of the original Rocky franchise and in many ways, completes arcs for both Balboa and Creed. Short of Stallone wheeling out a long-lost sibling for Creed III, I’d be more than happy if this film saga.

Creed II is out this Friday

Remember the heyday of DVDs? That time when every single movie release was jam-packed with bonus features no matter how bad it was. While there has been a prevailing shift from physical media to streaming and digital downloads it seems that in the time of Blu-rays many awesome films have lacked the care and attention they’ve deserved, until now.

Lovingly restored and featuring a wealth of bonus materials, The Fog, along with Escape From New York, They Live and Prince of Darkness represent what some could consider the second string of Carpenter classics after Halloween and The Thing, which goes to show just how incredible the director’s films are, and their importance within the genre.

In the past week or so I’ve followed keenly as a bunch of publications have ranted about these amazing restorations I’ve noticed an overall lack of rally cry for The Fog. Sure, it doesn’t have the “beer and a pizza” cult power of Escape From New York, the Sci-Fi politicism and one-liners of They Live or the malevolent, weirdness of Prince of Darkness. Instead it silently creeps and eviscerates the nerves when watched by unsupervised children and adults alike.

As someone who discovered John Carpenter through a dusty VHS copy of The Fog at my grandparents in the early nineties, it’s safe to say the man left a lasting impression on my tiny, ten-year-old brain. Both the supernatural elements and the distinct score had a profound effect on me and influenced my Horror kinks. Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Atkins, Janet Leigh, Hal Holbrook and Adrienne Barbeau’s hair act the shit out of this eerie ghost story of revenge, lepers and damp weather. It’s a film I’ve owned on different formats over the years but the 4K restoration is a thing of beauty.

A natural evolution from the close-quarters horror of Halloween, The Fog shifts from a singular bogeyman to an ethereal malevolence that courts both the tangible and intangible. In spectral form the antagonists billow under doorways and cascade over buildings and vehicles. The visual effects here are simple but do an outstanding job of creeping across the town and over sets. Makeups and creature effects are utilised sparingly. Less is more, and the tension ratchets up despite a distinct lack of gore.

The disks contain audio commentaries, theatrical trailers, photo galleries, outtakes but the pinnacle of all of these is the brand new retrospective documentaries, Retribution: Uncovering John Carpenter’s The Fog, and The Shape of Things to Come: John Carpenter Un-filmed. Featuring talking heads from cast, crew and aficionados, these docs are a must for fans of the deep dive and offer new insights into the filmmaking process of the Master of Horror.

The 4K Collector’s Editions of The Fog, Escape From New York, Prince of Darkness and They Live are available now.