Return of the Living Dead Part 2 (1988)

Return of the Living Dead brought us the battle royale between punks and zombies. Part 2 ups the ante by pitting middle school children against zombies in the ultimate suburban octagon.

And really, that is just about the biggest difference between the two movies. 

In Part 2, a drum of that pesky Trioxin 2-4-5 finds it's way to a sububan neighborhood that looks straight out of Poltergeist. And, just like in Poltergeist, this suburban oasis is located adjecent to a graveyard.  A group of middle schoolers discover the drum and make the logical choice to "see what's inside". Once the Trioxin gas is released, it makes it's way to the cemetary.  Sound familiar?

The "all new" zombie rules are back in full effect.  Running zombies?  Check.  Talking zombies?  Check.  Goofy zombies?  Check, check and check.  It should be mentioned that an all new method for killing zombies is introduced in Part 2 that doesn't include olde tyme decapitation. You'll just have to watch the movie to find out.

Even the living dead need Claritin

Thom Mathews and James Karen (Freddy and Frank in Return of the Living Dead) return playing essentially the same characters.  This time they go by the names Joey and Ed and are engaged in the lucrative career of grave robbing. They even repeat some of the same lines and actions from the first film.  Each time this happens we challenge you to take a shot.

That counts.  Take a shot.

Return of the Living Dead Part 2 isn't a complete do-over a la Evil Dead 2.  But it doesn't make any real attempt to improve upon it's predecessor.  It's not any better or worse than the first which begs the question, "why bother?"