Review of American Psycho II: All American Girl

Introduction

Three-years ago, the original American Psycho was one of the most talked-about projects in Hollywood, as it entered deep into pre-production, apparently with the imminent casting of Leonardo DiCaprio as the title-role. Well, that never quite transpired, and after further reported-rejection from Edward Norton, the producers decided to go with Christian Bale, a relatively unknown actor with only a hand-full of leading roles to his name.

So, did the fact that such household names from Hollywood were touted to spearhead the project, phase the relatively in-experienced Bale upon getting cast? Not in the slightest. Bale simply blossomed in the vastly under-rated American Psycho, and turned out a truly magnificent performance as the deranged & delusional, Patrick Bateman. He sold all the characteristics required for the character & sold them brilliantly in what must have been one hell of a tough role to fulfil.

In-terms of the movie & its script, both were equally as impressive as Bale`s performance. It had a diverse humour we know as `black-comedy`, that a lot of people (including myself) didn`t entirely get. However, this never detracted from the overall enjoyment of the movie, as you couldn`t help but grin at the psychopath`s pre-homicidal banter, however odd & out of place it may have seemed. Some of the violence would have been deemed `tasteless` and `shocking` had it been delivered any other way than it actually was. But it was all very classy & most of the violence was off-screen & left to the imagination.

The supporting-cast was another strong-factor, featuring such names as Willem Dafoe & Reese Witherspoon, who have both very much come along way since the movie in-question. With all this in-mind, American Psycho tied-up brilliantly and ended the way it should have, leaving more questions than answers, in the process crying out to be spared of a sequel. It was a fine, fine, stand-alone movie that didn`t need a follow-up or any explanations, turning this into a franchise would be a tragedy.

Well forget everything I`ve just told you, because this sequel is a totally new film, baring only a few resemblances to its predecessor. In other words, they sold-out, they sold out in true Hollywood style. They scraped the cast, production-team, scriptwriters & subsequently, its audience. Yes it emerged sometime ago, American Psycho 2 was never intended to be a theatrical-release, but rather straight-to-video format.

The premise, as you can read above, is a total cop-out & really tarnishes the good work the first-film did. Still, this is a high-profile release, and was on the verge of being green-light for a theatrical-audience, so maybe, just maybe, this could be half-decent.

Video

American Psycho 2 looks absolutely fantastic, both in its content & print. It inherits the look of the first-film, with lots of glossy & bright colours implemented, along with the occasional moody night-sequence. It`s an all-round fabulous print, with no sign of a blemish or dirt-stain. It`s apparent Lionsgate spent plenty of time & effort in making this a well-presented product, maybe to make up for its lack of additions in-terms of extras. With the exception of the un-imaginative static-menu, American Psycho 2 looks tip-top.

Audio

Lacking the superb soundtrack of the original, American Psycho 2 does well & creates its own impressive score that captures the mood it sets out to convey brilliantly. It varies & changes throughout, and the theme never seems to fit-in with the scene, but that`s part & parcel of the American Psycho formula, and it works well. The execution of it all, like the video aspect, is of a very high standard. However, the music & narration sequences seemed a little un-balanced, causing obvious conflicts. But apart from this niggling & frequent problem, it`s all very nice.

Features

Sadly, a single-trailer represents the only extra on this disc.

Conclusion

Lacking the charm & charisma of Bale, American Psycho 2 falls short by a long-distance to the superior original. But to compare this to the previous chapter would be pointless, as only in the opening-sequence do the two films actually tie-together. Which brings me to my main problem with American Psycho 2. The superb ending of the original suggested that Bateman`s homicidal-behaviour was all an illusion in his head, nothing more than a figment of his imagination, but this movie starts by screaming at you it was all actually legit. It`s a real slap in the face & a lot of AP fans are going to be understandably po`ed at this blunder.

However, that`s not to say this is a totally bad follow-up, on the contrary, this is a decent effort with a competent performance by its lead-actress in Mila Kunis. Sure, the dialogue is a little cliché-ridden, the supporting-cast is weak, and the death-sequences are more than a little far-fetched, but underneath it all, there`s an intriguing thriller here.

I can see why a lot of people will resent this follow-up, as it betrays the first film in every way. But I`m an open-minded guy, I never expected too much, and I enjoyed this for what it was. We just have to accept that this is the way Hollywood deals with sequels to great cult-movies.

With the none-existent extras, it`s hard to really recommend this as a purchase. However we are compensated by top-notch audio & video quality, with what I would call the best DTV release I`ve ever seen. Fans of the original should definitely give it a try, as for the rest of you, you`ll have to make your own mind up.