OCTOPUS 2: RIVER OF FEAR (Video 2001) 4.7 out of 10 stars Time to Read: 1:43 min You people need to get a sense of humor...

You people need to get a sense of humor...

OCTOPUS 2: RIVER OF FEAR (Video 2001) 4.7 out of 10 stars Time to Read: 1:43 min

BASIC PLOT: 

New York Harbor Patrol is having some problems. Tourists, dunks and corrupt drug smuggling judges are all disappearing off the shores of the Hudson River.

The police brass and the mayor are convinced it's a serial killer, but Harbor Patrol Officer Nick Garfield (Michael Reilly Burke) knows better. He's seen the problem, and it's no two legged murderer. It's an aquatic menace of huge proportions, and it has plans. It's going to use it's eight legs, ink sack, and giant teeth to crash the city's Fourth of July celebration. If this monster has it's way, New York Harbor will never be the same.

Will Nick be able to stop it's murderous rampage, or will blind ignorance, greed and disbelief, allow the monster to keep on killing?

WHAT WORKS: 

*ACTING IS GREAT I believe everyone is who they claim to be, and that's really saying something for a low budget, straight-to-video monster movie. The standouts are Michael Reilly Burke, as Nick Hartfield, who's just been promoted to head of a harbor patrol platoon, his partner, Walter, who's taking a desk job in a few weeks, played by Fredric Lehne, and Tony, a wet brained drunk accused of murder, played by John Thaddeus.

*PROPS ARE GREAT The props are awesome for something this low budget. It's cheesy fun, but not unbelievable. The CGI isn't great, but for 2001, it's fine.

Props are above average

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: 

*WE SHOULDN'T LOSE MAIN CHARACTERS AT THE 35 MIN MARK It's jarring, it's too soon, it's too sad, and it disturbs the flow of the movie. If you need to have deaths, they should be ancillary characters. Main characters should just be removed due to injury, and hospitalization. I always say, why kill, when a good coma will do the trick?

Nick & Walter 

*IF NICK WAS PSYCHOLOGICALLY CLEARED, THE UNION WOULDN'T LET HIM LOSE HIS PROMOTION The NYPD has a powerful union, and he'd know his Captain couldn't demote him without cause. It would be an empty threat.

*THE SACCHARINE BUS RIDE SEEMS TO GO ON FOREVER! Rachel's bus ride with singing children is hellish! How long can we listen to her and the kids sing Old McDonald?

Michael Reilly Burke
as Nick Hartfield

*IT SEEMS HARBOR PATROL WOULD KNOW BETTER than to set off explosives near the Lincoln tunnel, but you know, this is a low budget monster movie.

TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION: 

*I don't know why this is rated so low. It's a police procedural, mixed with an old school monster movie. It had fine acting, and at times, it feels like you're watching an NYPD cop show. People need to get over themselves, and learn to have some fun. Yes, it's cheesy, it's meant to be. What did you think you'd be watching with a title like Octopus 2: River of Fear (2001). Only watch if you're looking to turn your brain off for a few hours, with some mindless New York fun. If you take life too seriously, watch some reruns of SVU instead.

Also, everyone needs to stop comparing this to everything else. I get where the low ratings are coming from now - it's the those fanboys again! Oh, so the monster's eyes aren't as good as in Godzilla? Who cares?! Oh, so there's a scene in it like Daylight? Who cares!? I write reviews for NORMAL people, not those in the Godzilla chatroom on 4chan at 2am on Friday night, just saying.

CLOSING NOTES: 

*THIS IS A STRAIGHT-TO-VIDEO MOVIE, please keep that in mind before you watch/rate it. Straight-to-video movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted.

*I HAVE NO CONNECTION TO THE FILM, or production in ANY way. This review was NOT written in full, or in part, by a bot. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews (less trolls and fanboys), and better entertainment. Hope I helped you out.