High school senior Auna Rue (Ema Horvath) has just transferred to a new school. Her new school is known for its incredible drama program, and Auna is beyond excited to become the newest member of the school’s thespian society. As an aspiring actress, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity that she refuses to let slip away. Willing to do whatever it takes, Auna partakes in what is known as the “Charlie Challenge” and finds herself engulfed in a world of horror and death. The Gallows Act II continues the story of Charlie Grimelle’s death in a new and frightening way, with Auna now in the malevolent spirit’s sights.
The acting in The Gallows was, at best, adequate. It was nothing to write home about and it honestly left a lot to be desired. I was under the impression that I would find similar acting in The Gallows Act II, and I was right. The young actors tasked with bringing Charlie Grimelle back to life to haunt some innocent souls fall short of what audiences might label acceptable acting. In particular, Horvath seems to struggle with her facial expressions, making it difficult to accept most of the situations she is a part of. She tends to make awkward facial expressions, especially during dialogue involving her on-screen love interest Cade (Chris Milligan). Horvath often scrunches her face during times of humor, pain, jubilation, etc., making it difficult to decipher the character’s emotional state. It is interesting to see her portray an individual who is known around her school for possessing a great acting ability (and who is actually successful when presenting things such as her monologues) fail so miserably the rest of the time. She clearly possesses talent and has the ability to convey emotion, making her failures that much more disappointing.
The story, similar to that of the first film, is intriguing. It begs for attention and finds ways to keep viewers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. I find the pain endured by the leads endearing, not because I love the fact that they are suffering, but due to the fact that their pain--while significantly different than what most anyone has ever dealt with--is relatable in some sense. Viewers are able to, through the writing of writer-directors Travis Cluff and Chris Lofing, see the difficulties that come with being consumed by something. A dream or a memory can devour a human mind, making their lives strenuous and overwhelming. Lofing and Cluff are able to ensure that audiences are able to understand how important it is to keep a level head through the hard times. While, on the surface, the story is one of great terror, the underlying theme of The Gallows Act II is that of the human psyche. The writing explains how integral a sound mind is throughout daily life, giving the film a significantly deeper meaning than the first installment.
I mentioned in my previous review of The Gallows that with the release of this film, Lofing and Cluff had the ability to rectify many of the issues present in their first film together. Sadly, The Gallows Act II veers from the original story just enough that it fails to patch up those mistakes. Even with the references to the first film, The Gallows Act II is unable to piece together the somewhat unfinished puzzle of Charlie’s past. Even with all of the flaws present in the film, the ending is what ultimately ruins the film. With a surprising twist (one that I highly doubt anyone saw coming), The Gallows franchise is permanently changed for the worse. If this had been a standalone film, I truly believe that the ending would be considered acceptable; but, considering the fact that audiences already have a backstory for the “Charlie Challenge” and twisting it the way Loring and Cluff do diminishes what was built through two films. The Gallows Act II is ultimately a failure as a follow up to the 2015 horror film.
Written & Directed by Chris Lofing & Travis Cluff. Starring Emma Horvath, Chris Milligan, Brittany Falardeau, Pfeifer Brown, Erika Miranda, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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