PopHorror Let's Get Scared
In the horror genre, there are a lot of different approaches to sequels. It’s even tougher in the independent world because smaller budget films may have less exposure to get fans excited about the future of their franchise. In Psycho Ape! Part II: The Wrath of Kong, the filmmakers go the full meta route. Everything is exposed, outlandish, and over the top. Let’s take a look at Psycho Ape 2 and see if people will go bananas for it.
Psycho Ape! Part II is written by Greg DeLiso (Hectic Knife 2016) and Addison Binek (Psycho Ape 2020 -read our interview with him HERE) and directed by DeLiso. It stars Kansas Bowling (Murdercise 2023 – read our interview with her HERE), Floyd Cashio (as the titular ape, Facade 2020), and Heather Harlow (I Slay on Christmas 2023). The film follows the events of the original, beginning with a trial scene to free the Psycho Ape with the purpose of making a sequel. Psycho Ape! Part II not only takes a self-referential approach, but it goes as far into self-deprecating comedy as Gremlins 2: The New Batch (read our retro review here). It also holds itself in a bit of a sequel metaverse, referencing things like Psycho 2and Terminator 2, among others.
Kansas Bowling stars as Nancy Banana, who has a complicated love tryst with the gore-happy gorilla. While the movie doesn’t entirely explore their connection, it serves as a unique situation for a final girl. Heather Harlow is Mary Jane, a detective with a vested interest in keeping notes of every move the ape makes. Though she has a Pink Panther score noting her time on screen, she serves as a more serious character, providing a nice balance to the madness happening around her.
While the plot of Psycho Ape! Part II leaps around like a monkey from tree to tree, the film truly embraces what it is. There are references to its low budget, the fact that certain moments make no sense, and that it’s a movie inside of a movie. It feels more like a documentary with the characters sharing earnest moments and shilling merchandise as we hear the director giving direction. Everyone seems to be having fun, as is often the most prominent goal of indie filmmaking.
Psycho Ape! Part II is a silly, irreverent horror comedy that leans more on the laughs than the violence. Check it out at their Indiegogo link:
You can also rent a copy of the film through Addison directly, for $5
