Skulls 2 (2002) from Johnny Web (Uncle Scoopy; Greg Wroblewski) and Tuna

Scoop's comments in white:

This movie is surprisingly good, considering:

1. It went straight to video

2. It was a sequel to The Skulls

Al in all, it is one of those films that you will probably not shut off when it turns up on late-night cable. The plot moves along briskly, there is some characterization, the acting is mostly tolerable (with a couple of exceptions), there is some tension in the moment, and the "look" is solid. While it is not a great film, it is workmanlike.
My only real quibble is that the resolution is too facile. About three minutes before the end of the film, it looks like the hero is up against the entire world, since we find out that everyone is in the Skull's mighty grasp. And then he turns it all around instantly, and there is a happy ending.

At least until Skulls 3

NUDITY REPORT
The murdered girl, Margot Gagnon, shows her breasts on a roof in the scene where she falls to her death.
Tuna's comments in yellow.

The Skulls II (2002 video) is about a secret society of the rich and powerful that inducts top students from universities. It is reminiscent of The Brotherhood of the Bell (1970 TV movie) with Glenn Ford, Rosemary Forsyth and Dean Jagger, which made the story so believable I wondered for years if such a society could actually wield most or all of the power in the US. In both films, someone falls afoul of the society, and discovers that what seemed to be too good to be true, in fact was.

DVD info from Amazon.

  • Spotlight on Location: a featurette on the making of the film

  • Widescreen anamorphic format, 1.85:1
A legacy new member (his brother is a Skull) witnesses the murder of a girl by a fellow Skull, and can't just ignore it and remain loyal to the society. He learns just how powerful they are, and what he is up against.

I enjoyed this a lot, but partially because it reminded me of The Brotherhood of the Bell, which I haven't seen since the 70's. (Warner, if you are reading, get this on DVD). The University of Toronto locations were gorgeous, and the cinematography was first rate. Performances were also convincing. 

The Critics Vote

  • no reviews online

The People Vote ...

IMDb guideline: 7.5 usually indicates a level of excellence, about like three and a half stars from the critics. 6.0 usually indicates lukewarm watchability, about like two and a half stars from the critics. The fives are generally not worthwhile unless they are really your kind of material, about like two stars from the critics. Films under five are generally awful even if you like that kind of film, equivalent to about one and a half stars from the critics or less, depending on just how far below five the rating is.

My own guideline: A means the movie is so good it will appeal to you even if you hate the genre. B means the movie is not good enough to win you over if you hate the genre, but is good enough to do so if you have an open mind about this type of film. C means it will only appeal to genre addicts, and has no crossover appeal. D means you'll hate it even if you like the genre. E means that you'll hate it even if you love the genre. F means that the film is not only unappealing across-the-board, but technically inept as well.

Based on this description, this film is a C+ (Tuna) to C (Scoopy)

Return to the Movie House home page