Food Of The Gods Part 2 (1989)

This 1989 follow up to the 70's animals gone bad cult classic shows giant killer rats one more time. The giant rodents and the title is really the only way you can connect the two films because they are as different in plot as possible.

When a young boy is the subject of a hormonal growth experiment, his attitude changes along with his size. The once sweet little boy now says things like "Fuck you, Bitch! Get out of my fucking room" Naturally scientist need to find an antidote and use lab rats to continue their experiments. Well this is a Nature Gone Wrong flick and before you can whistle three blind mice these giant rats are running amok on a college campus. Surprisingly enough this late 80's flick was shot on 35mm and some of the special effects are a bit gruesome. The killer rats first attack an animal rights activist group in a scene that reminded me very much of the opening of 28 Days Later. The leader of the activist group has his eyeballs gnawed out.

Limbs are chewed off, backs are ripped out and heads are severed. We even get a completely out of place melt down in a scene that seems like it belongs more in something like Street Trash rather then A Food Of The Gods movie. Despite the bloodletting that I just mentioned Food Of The Gods Part 2 follows the style of many other B grade horror flicks from this era where we see more of the gory aftermath rather then the victims actually being torn apart. The movie is very unbalanced in this way. Some of the murder is on screen but in my humble opinion way to much of it is off screen. There is also a bit to much of a silly tongue in cheek tone that flows throughout the sequel. Where as the 70's original did its best to play it straight and of course no matter how ludicrous the subject matter, playing it as serious as possible is always the way to go.

Another problem I had with the sequel is the fact that the rodent slaughter at the end is nowhere near as graphic, disturbing or believable. I can assure that no rats were harmed during the filming of this one. We get a bunch of wire tricks whenever a giant rat is shot and well, it just doesn't look real. On the upper hand Food Of The Gods 2 does offer up some bare breasted action, foul mouthed children and a bare assed man running down a public street. The rats chase after him and take chunks out of the mans ass. Boom mic's are visible throughout the film as well and we also get an exterminator who is putting on his best Clint Eastwood impression.

Still I recommend sticking with the original. 70's is king and this late 80's flick just doesn't compete.