Children Of The Corn II: The Final Sacrifice MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +1 1/2 Content: -3

If there ever was a film that cried out "Please, no sequels!," it was the original CHILDREN OF THE CORN. True to Hollywood form, here comes THE FINAL SACRIFICE. The children of Gatlin, Nebraska, spurred on by an evil spirit, "the one who walks behind the rows," are out to obliterate the adult population of their small community. Standing in their way are John Garrett (Terence Knox) and his son Dan (Paul Scherer), who happen into town. John was once a promising writer for Newsweek. A nasty divorce ruins his career and relegates him to tabloid magazines. This causes a tenuous relationship with his bitter son. With the help of an American Indian professor, John begins to uncover the dark secrets that propel the children. Dan is torn between his relationship with his father and the lure of being accepted by the evil kids. This film should be renamed Corny Children - it's that bad. The much touted special effects are brief and unspectacular. The writing and performances are listless, and real suspense is forsaken for loud sound effects and cheap scares.

Many obscenities and profanities, along with bloody, gratuitous killings serve to cheapen this film. Sexual conduct is depicted once without nudity and crude slang sexual terms are used on occasion. Prominent themes include: adults are evil, greedy, insensitive to the environment by abusing animals and the land; the "Bible Belt" is a place with "nothing to do, nothing to see;" ministers and evangelists are hypocritical, oppressive, sexophobic tyrants; and, the most important goal in life is seeking the "truth within yourself." Scripture is often taken out of context and twisted. This all-out assault on traditional values and sensibilities is offensive. CHILDREN II warrants a letter to the producers, and should obviously be avoided.

Preview Reviewer: Pete Zimowski
Distributor: Miramax Films, 18 E. 48th St., #1601, NY, NY 10017