Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever (2009)

Directed by: Ti West | 83 minutes | horror, comedy | Actors: Noah Segan, Alexi Wasser, Giuseppe Andrews, Mark Borchardt, Rusty Kelley, Marc Senter, Rider Strong, Judah Friedlander, Amanda Jelks, Angela Oberer, Lindsey Axelsson, Lila Lucchetti, Andrea Powell, Patrick Durham, Jonathan Sachar, Stephani Drapeau, Caitlin Coons, Gabrielle Tuite, Hayley Lovitt, Micah Shane Ballinger

Two times minus is plus. It is clear that director Ti West has mathematical insight, because the best man has applied this calculation to his film. ‘Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever’ is so horribly wrong it’s approaching the limits of genius. And that is worth a round of applause (with one amputated arm and a festering hand)! ‘Cabin Fever 2′ starts where the first part ended. A flesh-eating virus has severely thinned a group of friends. Unfortunately, one of the comrades lost his balance and fell into a small river. Unfortunately, that was more used for the drinking water extraction of a sleepy dormitory town. The virus returns and this time a high school has to believe it.

You know from the start that you are going to watch a very bad movie. The actors are far too old for their roles, blood squirts in gallons from wounds and the acting is laughably bad. But still: it works! West doesn’t take his film seriously for a second and goes all out with bad jokes, dirty situations and other unsavory antics. For example, he even throws a frontal shot of a dripper into the battle. The cast goes all out with cringe-inducing one liners that are fired at you full of jeu.

Normally it’s irritating to see a sequel that doesn’t seem to take the source material seriously, but in the case of ‘Cabin Fever 2’ it’s a really good move. Part one, directed by Eli “Hostel” Roth, was too serious and the balance between humor and horror was skewed. As if there were no choices to be made. West opts for laughter with full conviction and is not ashamed of anything. Good taste is overrated!

The power of this vehicle is the obvious fun that splashes from it. And the bold caricatures that are put down with taste. The cowardly policeman (with a squeaky voice), the fat student (with a big waffle) and his shy buddy: it works in this case. Seriously intended characters hadn’t worked. This is the cinematographic version of a potato war in the snack bar: it’s bad for you, not well prepared and lavish, but at the same time also tasty every now and then.

Oh yes, in case you get hungry while watching this movie, wait a minute. There are some extremely raunchy scenes in which there are human bodily fluids, festering wounds and a lot of pus. Gross, completely over the top and very funny, but not for the faint of heart. This unpretentious horror without character development and respect for the viewer’s mental level: wonderful!