Bullet Points: Kill ‘Em All 2
I wonder if any of the countless gambling apps out there ever considered taking action from movie fans predicting which direct to video movies would inexplicably end up with a sequel.
If anyone would have placed a bet on 2017’s Kill ‘Em All getting a sequel seven years later… they’d be cleaning up right now because 2024’s Kill ‘Em All 2 is not only a thing, it is currently available digitally and will be released on DVD on October 15th.
- Thanks Movie: I remember watching Kill ‘Em All. I remember not despising Kill ‘Em All. But if I am being honest, I really didn’t remember much about the movie. So I was a bit taken aback that a forgettable Jean-Claude Van Damme movie was getting a sequel. For those of you who never saw the original, or like me deleted it from your memory banks, Kill ‘Em All 2 starts with a news report recapping the hospital massacre that took place in the first movie. It was there that mysterious ghost killer, Phillip (Jean-Claude Van Damme), killed mobster Dimitri Petrovic and all his minions… or more simply, where Phillip killed ’em all. Thank you Kill ‘Em All 2 for jogging my memory.
- Eurotrip: The events of Kill ‘Em All 2 take place seven years after the original film and we find our hero, Phillip in Southern Italy, Mola di Bari to be exact. It is there that Phillip and his previously estranged daughter, Vanessa (Jacqueline Fernandez) are sitting at a sidewalk cafe when Phillip realizes some shady individuals in their vicinity. Next thing you know, Phillip is beating the crap out one of the goons (played by JCVD’s son Nicolas Van Varenberg aka Nic Van Damme), avoiding being gunned down by a sniper and being pursued by some motorcycle baddies. Phillip and Vanessa return to their apartment, where Phillip goes inside to grab some essentials, while Vanessa plays look out. Once inside Phillip takes out some home invaders before he and Vanessa return to the village where Phillip was born.
- Marked Man: You may be wondering who was trying to kill Phillip… the answer is the younger brother of Dimitri Petrovic from the first film, Vlad Petrovic played by Andrei Lenart. Vlad is even more vicious and powerful than his brother was. Vlad desperately wants to avenge the death of Dimitri (he also has a very peculiar way of relaxing). Phillip quickly realizes he is going to need some help with his Vlad problem, so he calls Agent Holman. Holman (Peter Stormare reprising his role from the first film) ends up being the proverbial straw that stirs the drink from the moment he appears on screen.
There’s plenty of spy games, beatdowns, kills and even a bank heist that keeps Kill ‘Em All 2 moving. Jacqueline Fernandez’s Vanessa gets to flex some action muscle in this one, as does Talia Asseraf, who plays Phillip’s cousin, Lydia.
In recent years Jean-Claude Van Damme has been relying more on his acting ability (and stunt doubles) and many of his modern films have a darker tone. Kill ‘Em All 2 had more pep in its step and there was an element of fun to it. It was more of a pure action film and it did not feel like a forgettable film, unlike its predecessor.
I have not forgotten to provide this review with some of Bonus Bullet Points…
- Familiar Face: Maria Conchita Alonso (The Running Man and Predator 2) reprised the role of Agent Sanders from the original movie.
- Unkept Promise: I was led to believe by Agent Holman, that I would get to see Phillip do the Funky Chicken and that never happened.
- Favorite Line: “Shut up, you bastard!”
- Stay Tuned: I’d like to take the opportunity to let all the JCVD fanatics out there know that next month, right here on Bulletproof Action, we are going to have the Best Van Damme Week Ever!
