Plot: What’s it about?
Abby Arcane (Heather Locklear) has returned home to look into her mother’s death, which was never fully explained. She intends to look deeper into the case, but she’ll need some outside support if she wants to uncover the truth. And she won’t find that assistance with her stepfather Dr. Anton Arcane (Louis Jordan), as he is more concerned with his experiments. Inside of his high tech laboratory, Dr. Arcane conducts some strange experiments too, though none as outrageous as the one that forever changed his life. That incident was when Dr. Alex Holland was turned into the hideous creature now known as Swamp Thing, a creation that still lurks within the swamps around Arcane’s lab. When she arrives, Abby discovers that not only will her stepfather not help her, but he is involved in some nefarious schemes. Dr. Arcane is in the process of perfecting his immortality serum, but Abby might not live to see the ultimate creation, as she could be sacrificed in order to further the experiment. But just when hope seems lost, Swamp Thing emerges from the muck and comes to the rescue. He and Abby hit it off and even find themselves falling in love, but will they survive Dr. Arcane’s assault long enough to pursue the romance?
The original Swamp Thing movie was a blast, but it veered a lot from the comic book source material, which is a trend this sequel bucked. Instead of following in the same vein as the original, The Return of Swamp Thing goes back to its comic book roots, with mixed results. The film is pure camp and is focused more on outlandish moments, as opposed to genuine horror atmosphere or traditional scares. Instead of the usual horror elements, we’re given over the top performances, corny dialogue, and an attempt at some action driven sequences. The fights between Swamp Thing and his foes aren’t well crafted by any means, but they’re still fun to watch, especially when Swampy resorts to weapons. The dialogue, as mentioned, is corny and uses a lot of lame jokes, but it works within the framework of the picture, since it aims to be overdosed with camp texture. This is probably not going to sit well with some folks, especially not those expecting a darker, more traditional horror movie, but there is still an audience for The Return of Swamp Thing. So for fans of camp horror and B movies, this one is more than worth a look. And since Image has issued a dynamic disc, I am more than able to recommend The Return of Swamp Thing.
The title character might be that botanical marvel Swamp Thing, but Heather Locklear commands a ton of screen time here. And of course, she looks excellent and provides a nice visual to the experience, but her thespian skills aren’t too impressive. But in this case, that doesn’t spell disaster, as the material seems to be written with middling talent in mind, as even great actors might be pressed to deliver elite level efforts. So she isn’t remarkable as far as timing or emotion, but come on, she doesn’t need to be in this movie, she just needs to look hot and be there, both of which she nails in The Return of Swamp Thing. And in some scenes, she does manage to come off as solid and as such, there’s no real need to overcriticize her work here. I mean, if this were an arthouse picture with a complex script, that would be different, but this is a campish horror movie with corny dialogue, so we shouldn’t expect too much. You can also see Locklear in Firestarter, The First Wives Club, Body Language, and Tv’s Melrose Place. The cast also includes Sarah Douglas (The Final Programme, Solarbabies), Monique Gabrielle (Bachelor Party, Evil Toons), and Louis Jordan (Swamp Thing, The Paradine Case).
Video: How does it look?
The Return of Swamp Thing is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a much better looking visual effort than I expected, given the condition of some of the 80s cult movies out there. The treatment here is quite good and starts with a clean source print, which shows minimal grain and infrequent debris. As such, the visuals can come through unhindered and of course, that makes a world of difference. A sharper, cleaner presentation than any previous home video edition, this film has simply never looked better. The contrast is strong and even in dark scenes, detail is solid and murkiness is never an issue. The colors have a trend toward the greens and browns, but all the hues are in fine form in this transfer. Another cult movie has been given a great visual treatment, thanks to Image Entertainment.
Audio: How does it sound?
In an unexpected move, Image has created new Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround options, ensuring that the movie has never sounded so good. The major studios don’t often go to this much trouble for even their elite level releases, but Image has gone above & beyond for this cult picture, which is much appreciated. As you can assume, this material isn’t the kind that can keep pace with more recent blockbusters, but this was a 1988 production, so it is recent enough to benefit from such a lush treatment. The surrounds come to life often and to effective ends, so the atmosphere is enhanced many times over, adding a lot to the experience. The amount of presence isn’t constant, but these mixes are well done and do a lot to enhance the material, even though it wasn’t prime choice audio potential. The dialogue is well presented also, in clean and clear fashion throughout. A superb audio treatment in all respects, Image has outdone themselves with this release, which also includes a 2.0 stereo option.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The main extra here is an audio commentary with director Jim Wynorski, who schlock movie buffs should be quite familiar with. Wynorski has directed numerous B movies and as usual, his comments are insightful and candid. He talks about the pains of the shoot, his cast & crew, and his thoughts on the finished product. The attention to detail is impressive, as Wynorski comes up with a lot of stuff that is fun to hear, including a ton of interested stories from the production. This disc also includes a promo reel, six television spots, a selection of still photos, two public service announcements, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
