Abomination: EvilMaker 2 hits the streets courtesy of Brain Damage films and should be available for rental at a video store near you right about now. Since I've not seen the original EvilMaker I really don't have a point of reference and I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't just a little bit confused at the beginning of the film. Although once things kick into high gear it won't really be as much of an issue. There's definitely an interesting mix here and despite the fact that it isn't all a bouquet of roses, Abomination still has some of the ingredients that make for a cool little indie horror flick.

Kathy's sister Rachel is not only thought to be dead, but she's also thought to be a murderer (how's that for a double whammy?). We're told that the two had always shared some kind of psychic bond and once Kathy starts to receive powerful visions of her sister (she gets all Cordelia on her ass) she must set out to find the truth. Kathy and her friend Charles (a dismissed police officer) head out to the mysterious house where, as the kids like to say these days "the shit went bad". Kathy and Charles aren't the only ones at the house though. A psychic Goth chick and her Goth pal sneak in as well as another couple that had apparently rented the house for some much needed rest and relaxation (that's R&R to you an I). There is definitely an evil presence of some sort to be found here (you can tell by the glowing eyes) but is it Rachel, or another force that has seemingly occupied her likeness?

The house visitors' play a game of keystone cops as they maneuver around the place becoming possessed and in turn possessing (or at least trying to) each other. Once Kathy finds Rachel (in some sort of alternate dimension mind you) the two try to devise a plan to end the evil presence or abomination (wink wink) if you will once and for all. The question remains throughout (and I really do HATE to sound like a broken record, but...) is this really Rachel or is Rachel in fact lost forever?

Abomination opens up a lot of doors and while some are closed permanently, a few are seemingly left open just a crack. I'm still not sure why all of these people are at the house at the same time, it's really all just a matter of convenience. Performances are a bit uneven throughout although in the world of indie filmmaking, this is a most forgivable offence. I really dug the characters of Kathy and Charles and their determined motivations. As a matter of fact, Charles offers up one of the best lines of the film after he's unsuccessfully seduced (for a second time) by a Goth gal possessed by evil. Every time the evil Rachel showed up, I just couldn't help but grin, she definitely made my day. The switcheroo was handled quite successfully and although I generally don't like films where one person plays two characters, I felt the effect was handled well in this instance. I must admit that I was a little perplexed by a few of the plot holes (some things just didn't seem to add up) but the quick pace and tight editing kept me in check until the roll of the end credits.

An A+ goes out to the fact that Abomination features a chunky vomiting scene, and the cutest girl on crutches I've ever had the pleasure of seeing set to film (or video for that matter). The flick also gets high marks for using a few old school optical effects and a few subdued computer effects that I found to be quite convincing. Definite minus for the whole "good will conquer evil" theme, a few slo-mo cheats (shame on you!) as well as a bit in which the "real" Rachel tries to convince Kathy that it's "really" her. "Remember when we were kids and I did this, and you did that?" Nope I really don't but I'll take your word for it (the film didn't feature nearly enough characterization to pull that one off!). I would have liked to have seen more blood but there are a few gross out scenes in which bodies ooze a disturbing oatmeal like substance. Raincoat crowd rejoice, there's a fair share of boobie action as well (does that make me sound shallow?).

Despite its flaws, Abomination can be a fun little genre flick. Once you get past the few amateurish bits that would seemingly just love to drag the action down, we're brought right back up again and made to forget. I'd be willing to wager that its sequel will please fans of the first EvilMaker as well as the general populous who are fans of the whole indie SOV horror scene. The more I think about the flick, the more I enjoyed it on its own merits, definitely worth a look.

Filmmaker John Bowker was kind enough to send in a journal he kept while making Abomination which we've archived in Creature Features. Enjoy!

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