TERROR TRAIN 2

Robyn Alomar and Tim Rozon

TERROR TRAIN 2 (2022). Director: Philippe Gagnon. A Tubi Original. 

In this sequel to Terror Train, medical student Alana (Robyn Alomar) is still feeling the effects of her battle with a serial killer in the first film. Alana's roommate Claudia (Nia Roam) importunes her to follow her shrink's advice and face up to her fears by taking another trip on the "Terror Train" on New Year's Eve, a pretty ridiculous notion considering. Of course another killer begins slicing his or her way through the passengers, which include the President of the Fraternity (Dakota Jamal Wellman); the Magician (Tim Rozon); the obnoxious, hateful Pet (Romy Weltman); Pet's pal, Mary (Tori Barban); returning conductor Sadie (Nadine Bhabha); and her new assistant JP (Matthew Villeneuve). Could the mad killer from the first installment, whose body disappeared, still be on the loose? If a lunatic on the loose weren't bad enough, Pet and her friends' callous attitude towards what happened in the first film just makes things worse for Alana. 

Dakota Jamal Wellman

Much of the multi-cultural cast who survived the first film return for this sequel. In general the acting is quite good, with these young people dealing with their roles and the often absurd situations with aplomb. Tim Rozon, returning as the Magician, makes a nice impression. Claudia, who is keeping secrets, apparently has a huge crush on Alana, and this business is handled rather awkwardly, out of keeping with more modern looks at gay characters. But the biggest problem is that Terror Train 2, filmed back to back with the first film, seems a bit thrown together, and while it holds the attention, it doesn't emerge as an especially memorable horror movie. 

Verdict: They should have stuck with just one. **1/4. 

TERROR TRAIN (2022)

Matias Lucas and Robyn Alomar

TERROR TRAIN (2022). Director: Philippe Gagnon.

In this Tubi Original remake of the 1980 slasher film, some medical students maneuver a nerdy guy into bed with a corpse and he winds up in a mental institution. While this doesn't seem especially believable, the film then jumps forward three years to a Halloween party on a train. At first people believe the corpses the party-goers stumble over are fake, but finally Alanna (Robyn  Alomar) realizes that her friends are being slaughtered one by one. Does this have something to do with that practical joke from years before, or is something else behind the body count? Alana eventually finds herself in a desperate struggle against the true killer. 

Robyn Alomar and Tim Rozon as the Magician

I freely admit I enjoyed Terror Train, finding it well-acted, suspenseful, and fast-paced, with several exciting scenes. While there are some gruesome sequences, the movie is never vomitous, which is probably why some gore geeks didn't care for it, but the film works perfectly well without the grisly upchuck stuff. The young cast is enthusiastic, and I was particularly impressed with Matias Lucas as the somewhat nasty or misunderstood "Doc," who is charismatic and effective in his portrayal, although everyone is pretty decent. Robyn Alomar acquits herself nicely as the "final girl," so to speak, although she isn't the only survivor. I also liked Mary Walsh as the head conductor, Carne, and Nadine Bhabha as her younger assistant, Sadie. Followed by a sequel shot back to back. 

Verdict: Fun contemporary slasher flick. ***.