THE RETURN OF SWAMP THING

Dr. Arkane is still alive and, having taken refuge in a mansion on the edge of the swamp, he is creating vile hybrids between men and beasts to find the serum of immortality. One day, Abbie, his stepdaughter, arrives from the city, eager to meet her guardian; but Arkane intends to use her in an experiment, since the girl's blood has particular properties. But in the surrounding swamps, Dr. Holland still roams, transformed years ago into a monstrous man-plant, who, having fallen in love with Abbie, is determined to free her. In 1982, Wes Craven, after the heights of his more raw and memorable films, directs with his left hand what can comfortably be considered his most disastrous work, "Swamp Thing," a fanta-horror bordering on the ridiculous inspired by a DC Comics comic ("Swamp Thing"). This film, a failure also from an economic point of view, inexplicably gave rise to a sequel, directed in 1989 by Jim Wynorski (976 – Evil Dead II). However, a strange case in the cinematic landscape, this sequel manages to turn into a reason for pride everything that didn't work in Craven's film, proving far superior to its predecessor. It must be immediately clarified that "The Return of Swamp Thing" has really nothing to do with the horror genre and that it is simply a childish affair that requires a considerable mental regression to be followed with attention and to succeed in entering the bizarre cartoon logic that pervades the entire film. However, if one is willing to embark on a similar journey, one can even have fun. First of all, this film does not take itself at all seriously and remains faithful to the very camp and deliciously kitsch dynamic characteristic of the 1980s comix movies. Therefore, we will see parade before our eyes monstrous beings made with effective latex costumes, beautiful voluptuous dolls, improbable action scenes, and a genuine idiocy at the bottom; all seasoned with a too fantastic love story between a girl (who looks incredibly like Britney Spears!) and a repulsive monster covered with moss, as well as the inevitable comic gags of an absolutely hilarious pair of kids. Moreover, in the role of Dr. Arkane, we find Louis Jourdan, already a wicked mad doctor in the first film. In short, what to say about "The Return of Swamp Thing"? Surely it is not the film suitable for those looking for an hour and a half of healthy chills, nor for those hoping to find a small example of 1950s revival, deceived by the poster; rather, it is a pure example of entertainment that addresses the most childish side hidden in each of us, doing nothing but turning the countless flaws of Craven's film into virtues. A TV series will follow.