Jeepers Creepers II
Encyclopedia
Jeepers Creepers 2 is a 2003 horror film written and directed by Victor Salva
, produced by American Zoetrope
, Capitol Films
, Myriad Pictures
and distributed by United Artists
, a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
division. The film is a sequel
to the 2001 horror film Jeepers Creepers
.
, the 22nd day of the Creeper's 23-day cycle. A farmer, Jack Taggart, Sr. (Ray Wise
) is trying to put up fence poles while his son, Jack Jr. (Luke Edwards
) is working on the car. While his brother and father are busy, Billy Taggert (Shaun Fleming
), sets up scarecrow
s through the farm's cornfield. One of the scarecrows in the field suddenly moves its head. Billy goes to look at it and sees it has talons on its feet. Frightened, Billy runs to get his brother. However, the "scarecrow" comes to life and pounces on Billy. Both Jacks hear Billy's screams and carry a shotgun out into the field to find the attacker. They chase after Billy and his captor until the "scarecrow" sprouts wings and disappears into the sky with Billy, leaving Billy's family horrified and stunned.
Returning home from a championship game, a group of high school basketball players, their coaches and cheerleader
s become stranded on East 9 Highway in Kissel County when their bus breaks down driven by the loud and bossy Bus Driver Betty (Diane Delano
). The trapped students and their coaches soon discover a makeshift shuriken
has slashed their tires. As night approaches, they see the Creeper (Jonathan Breck
), a monster that resurfaces every 23 years to feed. The Creeper first kills the chaperones on the bus then targets the teenagers. They attempt to limp home on the damaged bus, another makeshift shuriken blows up the remaining back tire. Meanwhile, Jack and his son arm themselves and set out on a personal mission to hunt the Creeper down and to rescue some of the surviving teenagers.
Back on the bus, it becomes evident to the teens that the creature is much stronger than they imagined; when the Creeper's head is severely damaged by one of the students on the bus, it kills a different student by decapitating
him, then consumes his head. Afterward, the Creeper decapitates itself and then we see a new head appear in the form of its victim. When complete, the head transforms into the shape of the original head the Creeper had before the damage. The teens leave the bus to head for a nearby farm, believing that the Creeper is gone, however the Creeper is merely waiting for them. The Creeper chases the scared teens into a wide field, killing two of them. One of the teens, Bucky, returns to the bus with two others. Just as the Creeper attempts to grab him, the Taggarts, having tracked down the abandoned bus, arrive and flash their car lights at the Creeper, forcing him to drop Bucky and as Jack, Sr. shines the light on the Creeper, the Creeper releases his wings as intimidation.
Jack, Sr. fires the harpoon
through the Creeper, and the Creeper grabs the harpoon after it hits. The Creeper starts to pull the truck (as the harpoon is connected to the machine by a rope) until it throws the harpoon back at the Taggarts, who narrowly dodge the weapon. The Creeper then tries to fly through the bus, but Jack, Sr. places another harpoon in the machine and shoots the Creeper again. But the Creeper survives (shedding its disguise), and pulls the truck so hard that it flips over, although both Taggarts escape at the last moment.
Three teens, Izzy (Travis Schiffner), Rhonda (Marieh Delfino
), and Double D (Garikayi Mutambirwa), the Creeper's target, find an abandoned truck sitting in the middle of the field, while its driver becomes another victim of the Creeper. The Creeper approaches as the three teens hijack the truck. As the Creeper chases the truck, Izzy pushes Rhonda out of the truck and her head strikes a rock as she rolls. Izzy, who is driving, then jumps out and runs away after crashing the truck into the Creeper, while the truck flips and is set ablaze. The Creeper loses its wings, right arm, and left leg but still pursues Double D, who is severely injured. As The Creeper is about to eat Double D, Jack, Sr., who managed to repair the harpoon machine, shoots the Creeper straight in the head. Severely injured, the Creeper is unable to defend himself as Jack, Sr. proceeds to use a spare harpoon to stab the Creeper continuously through the chest until he runs out of breath. At the same time, the Creeper apparently succumbs to his wounds as its face wings close around its head. Minxie (Nicki Aycox
), the medium teenager who had a mysterious dream about Darry (Justin Long
) from the 1st film about every 23rd spring that the Creeper likes to eat people, tells Jack, Sr. that the Creeper is not dead, but has gone into hibernation
for another 23 years and will be back afterwards.
23 years later, kids have heard about the creature the farmer has killed and desire to see it. They pay their $5 to see the "attraction" called "Bat Out of Hell". The teens look up to find the Creeper, with his body parts sewed back together, crucified to the wall as a tourist attraction. An elderly Jack, Sr. is seated by the harpoon gun, which is loaded and aimed directly at the beast's heart. One of the teenagers asks if he is waiting for something, and Jack, Sr. responds, "about three more days... give or take a day or two".
The film ends with a closeup of the Creeper.
gives the film a 23% rating with an average score of 4.2 out of 10, Top Critics Gave a lower rating of a 15% average score of a 3.9/10. They state the film: "is competently made, but it doesn't have the scares of the original."
On February 9, 2011, Salva spoke to Fangoria
about the film. Salva hinted that the script may lead into a television series instead of a fourth film as originally planned. When Fangoria asked, "With MGM out of bankruptcy, do you see Jeepers Creepers 3 on the horizon?" Salva replied, "Though I have been beating this drum for so long that people have started not to believe me, I am told they are very close to closing a financing deal for the third film in the trilogy. So I want to say yes, but let’s not jinx it by saying any more. My script for the film, which was written some time ago, sets up a TV series that features Poho County and The Creeper. The script has been ready to shoot for a while now."
Victor Salva
Victor Ronald Salva is an American film director, mostly of horror movies. His body of work includes the films Powder and Jeepers Creepers.-Early life and career:...
, produced by American Zoetrope
American Zoetrope
American Zoetrope is a studio founded by Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas. Founded on December 12, 1969, American Zoetrope was an early adopter of digital filmmaking, including some of the earliest uses of HDTV...
, Capitol Films
Capitol Films
Capitol Films is at the hub of David Bergstein's Pegasus Studios - a multinational Filmed Entertainment Group - with interests in production, post-production, library management and foreign sales....
, Myriad Pictures
Myriad Pictures
Based in Santa Monica, California, Myriad Pictures is a leading independent entertainment company specializing in production, financing and worldwide distribution of feature films and television programming. President and CEO Kirk D’Amico opened the company in 1999 and has built a diverse library...
and distributed by United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
, a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
division. The film is a sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to the 2001 horror film Jeepers Creepers
Jeepers Creepers (2001 film)
Jeepers Creepers is a 2001 horror film written and directed by Victor Salva. The movie takes its name from the 1938 song "Jeepers Creepers" which is featured in the film.- Plot :...
.
Plot
The story begins 4 days after the events of the first filmJeepers Creepers (2001 film)
Jeepers Creepers is a 2001 horror film written and directed by Victor Salva. The movie takes its name from the 1938 song "Jeepers Creepers" which is featured in the film.- Plot :...
, the 22nd day of the Creeper's 23-day cycle. A farmer, Jack Taggart, Sr. (Ray Wise
Ray Wise
Raymond Nicolas "Ray" Wise is an American actor, known for his roles as Leland Palmer in Twin Peaks, as Leon C. Nash, right-hand henchman to villain Clarence Boddicker in the science fiction classic RoboCop, and recently as the Devil in the CW television series Reaper.-Life and career:Wise was...
) is trying to put up fence poles while his son, Jack Jr. (Luke Edwards
Luke Edwards
Lucas Daniel "Luke" Edwards is an American actor. He began taking acting lessons for fun on his mother's suggestion and landed his first television role in 1988 on an ABC Afterschool Special episode...
) is working on the car. While his brother and father are busy, Billy Taggert (Shaun Fleming
Shaun Fleming
Shaun Michael Fleming is an American actor and musician. He has a younger brother Dan Fleming who he lives with in his residence in Agoura Hills....
), sets up scarecrow
Scarecrow
A scarecrow is, essentially, a decoy, though traditionally, a human figure dressed in old clothes and placed in fields by farmers to discourage birds such as crows or sparrows from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops.-History:In Kojiki, the oldest surviving book in Japan...
s through the farm's cornfield. One of the scarecrows in the field suddenly moves its head. Billy goes to look at it and sees it has talons on its feet. Frightened, Billy runs to get his brother. However, the "scarecrow" comes to life and pounces on Billy. Both Jacks hear Billy's screams and carry a shotgun out into the field to find the attacker. They chase after Billy and his captor until the "scarecrow" sprouts wings and disappears into the sky with Billy, leaving Billy's family horrified and stunned.
Returning home from a championship game, a group of high school basketball players, their coaches and cheerleader
Cheerleading
Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
s become stranded on East 9 Highway in Kissel County when their bus breaks down driven by the loud and bossy Bus Driver Betty (Diane Delano
Diane Delano
Diane A. Delano is an American character actress, sometimes credited as Diana Delano. Her best known roles might be "Bobbi Glass" as well as her twin sister nurse "Jessi Glass "on the 1999 series Popular and the recurring character "Barbara Semanski" on Northern Exposure...
). The trapped students and their coaches soon discover a makeshift shuriken
Shuriken
A shuriken is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing...
has slashed their tires. As night approaches, they see the Creeper (Jonathan Breck
Jonathan Breck
Jonathan Breck is an American actor. Beginning his career as a stage actor, Breck was most successful for playing The Creeper, the demonic antagonist in the Jeepers Creepers series of horror films...
), a monster that resurfaces every 23 years to feed. The Creeper first kills the chaperones on the bus then targets the teenagers. They attempt to limp home on the damaged bus, another makeshift shuriken blows up the remaining back tire. Meanwhile, Jack and his son arm themselves and set out on a personal mission to hunt the Creeper down and to rescue some of the surviving teenagers.
Back on the bus, it becomes evident to the teens that the creature is much stronger than they imagined; when the Creeper's head is severely damaged by one of the students on the bus, it kills a different student by decapitating
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
him, then consumes his head. Afterward, the Creeper decapitates itself and then we see a new head appear in the form of its victim. When complete, the head transforms into the shape of the original head the Creeper had before the damage. The teens leave the bus to head for a nearby farm, believing that the Creeper is gone, however the Creeper is merely waiting for them. The Creeper chases the scared teens into a wide field, killing two of them. One of the teens, Bucky, returns to the bus with two others. Just as the Creeper attempts to grab him, the Taggarts, having tracked down the abandoned bus, arrive and flash their car lights at the Creeper, forcing him to drop Bucky and as Jack, Sr. shines the light on the Creeper, the Creeper releases his wings as intimidation.
Jack, Sr. fires the harpoon
Harpoon
A harpoon is a long spear-like instrument used in fishing to catch fish or large marine mammals such as whales. It accomplishes this task by impaling the target animal, allowing the fishermen to use a rope or chain attached to the butt of the projectile to catch the animal...
through the Creeper, and the Creeper grabs the harpoon after it hits. The Creeper starts to pull the truck (as the harpoon is connected to the machine by a rope) until it throws the harpoon back at the Taggarts, who narrowly dodge the weapon. The Creeper then tries to fly through the bus, but Jack, Sr. places another harpoon in the machine and shoots the Creeper again. But the Creeper survives (shedding its disguise), and pulls the truck so hard that it flips over, although both Taggarts escape at the last moment.
Three teens, Izzy (Travis Schiffner), Rhonda (Marieh Delfino
Marieh Delfino
Marieh Delfino is an American actress.Delfino was born in Caracas, Venezuela to an entrepreneur father, and immigrated to the United States in 1984. Her sister is Majandra Delfino...
), and Double D (Garikayi Mutambirwa), the Creeper's target, find an abandoned truck sitting in the middle of the field, while its driver becomes another victim of the Creeper. The Creeper approaches as the three teens hijack the truck. As the Creeper chases the truck, Izzy pushes Rhonda out of the truck and her head strikes a rock as she rolls. Izzy, who is driving, then jumps out and runs away after crashing the truck into the Creeper, while the truck flips and is set ablaze. The Creeper loses its wings, right arm, and left leg but still pursues Double D, who is severely injured. As The Creeper is about to eat Double D, Jack, Sr., who managed to repair the harpoon machine, shoots the Creeper straight in the head. Severely injured, the Creeper is unable to defend himself as Jack, Sr. proceeds to use a spare harpoon to stab the Creeper continuously through the chest until he runs out of breath. At the same time, the Creeper apparently succumbs to his wounds as its face wings close around its head. Minxie (Nicki Aycox
Nicki Aycox
-Personal life:Aycox was born in Hennessey, Oklahoma. She has a younger brother, Steve. She speaks fluent German according to an interview in Jack magazine. She also comes from a Native American heritage.-Career:Aycox began performing at a young age...
), the medium teenager who had a mysterious dream about Darry (Justin Long
Justin Long
Justin Jacob Long is an American film and television actor. He is best known for his roles in the Hollywood films Galaxy Quest, Jeepers Creepers, Dodgeball, Live Free or Die Hard, He's Just Not That into You, Drag Me to Hell, and Youth in Revolt, and his personification of a Mac in Apple's "Get a...
) from the 1st film about every 23rd spring that the Creeper likes to eat people, tells Jack, Sr. that the Creeper is not dead, but has gone into hibernation
Hibernation
Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate. Hibernating animals conserve food, especially during winter when food supplies are limited, tapping energy reserves, body fat, at a slow rate...
for another 23 years and will be back afterwards.
23 years later, kids have heard about the creature the farmer has killed and desire to see it. They pay their $5 to see the "attraction" called "Bat Out of Hell". The teens look up to find the Creeper, with his body parts sewed back together, crucified to the wall as a tourist attraction. An elderly Jack, Sr. is seated by the harpoon gun, which is loaded and aimed directly at the beast's heart. One of the teenagers asks if he is waiting for something, and Jack, Sr. responds, "about three more days... give or take a day or two".
The film ends with a closeup of the Creeper.
Cast
- Ray WiseRay WiseRaymond Nicolas "Ray" Wise is an American actor, known for his roles as Leland Palmer in Twin Peaks, as Leon C. Nash, right-hand henchman to villain Clarence Boddicker in the science fiction classic RoboCop, and recently as the Devil in the CW television series Reaper.-Life and career:Wise was...
as Jack Taggart, Sr. - Eric NenningerEric NenningerEric John Nenninger is an American actor, best known for playing Scott Braddock in the 2003 horror film, Jeepers Creepers II and for his recurring role as Cadet Eric Hanson on Malcolm in the Middle.-Biography:...
as Scott Braddock - Garikayi Mutambirwa as Deaundre "Double D" Davis
- Nicki AycoxNicki Aycox-Personal life:Aycox was born in Hennessey, Oklahoma. She has a younger brother, Steve. She speaks fluent German according to an interview in Jack magazine. She also comes from a Native American heritage.-Career:Aycox began performing at a young age...
as Minxie Hayes - Marieh DelfinoMarieh DelfinoMarieh Delfino is an American actress.Delfino was born in Caracas, Venezuela to an entrepreneur father, and immigrated to the United States in 1984. Her sister is Majandra Delfino...
as Rhonda Truitt - Diane DelanoDiane DelanoDiane A. Delano is an American character actress, sometimes credited as Diana Delano. Her best known roles might be "Bobbi Glass" as well as her twin sister nurse "Jessi Glass "on the 1999 series Popular and the recurring character "Barbara Semanski" on Northern Exposure...
as Bus Driver Betty - Thom Gossom, Jr. as Coach Charlie Hanna
- Billy Aaron Brown as Andy "Bucky" Buck
- Lena Cardwell as Chelsea Farmer
- Al Santos as Dante Belasco
- Travis Schiffner as Izzy Bohen
- Kasan Butcher as Kimball "Big K" Ward
- Josh HammondJosh Hammond-Filmography:* The Tripper * Over Your Head TV series* Scrubs TV Series* 7eventy 5ive * Living with Fran TV Series* Las Vegas TV Series* Blue Demon * CSI: NY TV Series...
as Jake Spencer - Tom Tarantini as Coach Dwayne Barnes
- Drew Tyler BellDrew Tyler BellDrew Tyler Bell is an American actor and dancer.-Career:Bell is perhaps most known for his role as Thomas Forrester in The Bold and the Beautiful, which he held from 2004 until 2010, for which he won the 2010 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series...
as Jonny Young - Luke EdwardsLuke EdwardsLucas Daniel "Luke" Edwards is an American actor. He began taking acting lessons for fun on his mother's suggestion and landed his first television role in 1988 on an ABC Afterschool Special episode...
as Jack Taggart, Jr. - Justin LongJustin LongJustin Jacob Long is an American film and television actor. He is best known for his roles in the Hollywood films Galaxy Quest, Jeepers Creepers, Dodgeball, Live Free or Die Hard, He's Just Not That into You, Drag Me to Hell, and Youth in Revolt, and his personification of a Mac in Apple's "Get a...
as Darius "Darry" Jenner (cameo) - Jonathan BreckJonathan BreckJonathan Breck is an American actor. Beginning his career as a stage actor, Breck was most successful for playing The Creeper, the demonic antagonist in the Jeepers Creepers series of horror films...
as The Creeper - Shaun FlemingShaun FlemingShaun Michael Fleming is an American actor and musician. He has a younger brother Dan Fleming who he lives with in his residence in Agoura Hills....
as Billy Taggart
Box office
Jeepers Creepers 2 opened in 3,124 theaters and had a U.S. domestic gross of US$ 35,667,218. Other international takings were $27,435,448, the worldwide gross being $63,102,666, slightly higher than the original.Critical response
Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
gives the film a 23% rating with an average score of 4.2 out of 10, Top Critics Gave a lower rating of a 15% average score of a 3.9/10. They state the film: "is competently made, but it doesn't have the scares of the original."
Awards
- Nomination - Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films
- Nomination - Saturn Award Best Horror Film
- Nomination - Motion Picture Sound EditorsMotion Picture Sound EditorsFounded in 1953, Motion Picture Sound Editors is an honorary society of motion picture sound editors. The society's goals are to educate others about and increase the recognition of the sound editors, show the artistic merit of the soundtracks, and improve the professional relationship of its...
: Golden Reel Award Best Sound Editing in a Feature Film (David Bondelevitch and Victor Salva)
Sequel
In March 2006, Jeepers Creepers 3: Cathedral was announced. Cathedral is set 23 years after the events in the first film. Trish Jenner is the mother of a teenage son named Darry, named after the brother she lost 23 years ago. Trish has a recurring nightmare where her son suffers the same fate as her brother did, killed by the Creeper. Determined to prevent this from happening, Trish, who is now a rich and powerful woman, sets out on a final quest with Jack Taggart Sr. and Jr. to end the Creeper's reign of terror once and for all.On February 9, 2011, Salva spoke to Fangoria
Fangoria
Fangoria is an American magazine devoted to horror and exploitation films, which has a number of associated brands:* Fangoria Comics* Fangoria Films* Fangoria RadioFangoria may also refer to:* Fangoria , a Spanish electro pop band...
about the film. Salva hinted that the script may lead into a television series instead of a fourth film as originally planned. When Fangoria asked, "With MGM out of bankruptcy, do you see Jeepers Creepers 3 on the horizon?" Salva replied, "Though I have been beating this drum for so long that people have started not to believe me, I am told they are very close to closing a financing deal for the third film in the trilogy. So I want to say yes, but let’s not jinx it by saying any more. My script for the film, which was written some time ago, sets up a TV series that features Poho County and The Creeper. The script has been ready to shoot for a while now."