Plot
20 years after the last sighting of Jason Voorhees, Crystal Lake resident and former victim Tommy Jarvis still lives with the haunting notion that Jason will one day return.
Cast
Vincente DiSanti returns to direct and Thom Mathews takes the lead this time around.
Verdict
Let me be clear, Never Hike Alone was an incredible fan film! A love letter to the fans from DiSanti and I was suitably impressed. However, after watching his very disappointing Never Hike in the Snow (2020) and the non-DiSanti two Friday the 13th Vengeance movies I was not only burned out but also very much doubting that Never Hike Alone 2 would deliver.
Was I right? Meh, kind of on the fence.
The first thing that hits you about Never Hike Alone 2 are the production values and the cinematography, from the opening shot by the lake it's stupendous and the latter puts most Hollywood movies to shame.
The trouble is unlike the first movie the sequel lacks consistency. Inconsistent cast, inconsistent visuals (Some in the light look quite bad), inconsistent writing and even the finale raised an eyebrow.
Jason himself didn't look quite right, in the dark great but in the light he looked hokey and what's with the creators obsession with Voorhees using a bow and arrow!? Seriously, it looks stupid stop it. It'd be like Michael Myers using a shotgun, it just doesn't sit right.
Never Hike Alone is a valiant effort but based on this and Never Hike in the Snow perhaps the first movie should have been a stand alone.
Rants
You know what bugged me the most about Friday the 13th Vengeance & its sequel? The shilling, the ridiculous amount of same worded reviews from one hit activity profiles. If your movie is good then let it speak for itself, people aren't stupid..........well not all of them and we can see straight through your desperate efforts at telling the world what you've made is good.
Why do I bring that up on here? Because DiSanti or those close to him have done the same thing here. At time of writing every single review bar one is fake, from a profile with only that review as activity. Don't be fooled, you're being lied to. Weird, the wordings are very similar to the Vengeance ones as well.....
Breakdown
Stunning visuals in places
Feels loyal to the subject matter
Actors seem to be phoning it in
Ropey finale
Shilled badly.
