Direct-to-video sequel to the 1997 cult hit will probably piss off fans of the original as it just takes the basics of the first and throws them into a more double-crossing, trapped in a small space, body switching horror flick with elements of 1987's The Hiden thrown in. But taken as a separate movie (and considering that because the budget was way lower than the first, hence less "bug" action) it's an adequate timewaster that might not be overly inspiring and at times looks cheap (in production design mostly); but has enough alright gore, decent effects and an alright finale.

Set a few years after the events of the first movie the "Federation" is still in an endless war against a race of nasty bug creatures and this focusses on a group of soldiers who end-up being stranded in an abandoned base on a hostile planet. They have to fight-off the bugs outside the planet but also each other as it turns out some of them may be infected with a new breed of the insects that can transfer itself from body to body.

At first I was really dreading this movie as the opening action sequence felt exactly like what it was (namely actors fighting computer generated monsters on a movie set) and the characters were all fairly dull; but eventually this starts to get better and makes for an adequate B-level monster flick. Plus Richard Burgi isn't too bad as the main hero "Dax" - just too bad the entire movie he was reminding me of that Richard Hatch dude from the Survivor reality television show.

As a sequel this doesn't work - as a stand-alone horror flick it's okay. Effects man Phil Tippett makes his directorial debut with this one. (Chris Hartley, 7/12/04)

Directed By: Phil Tippett.
Written By: Ed Neumeier.

Starring: Richard Burgi, Sandrine Holt, Ed Lauter, Colleen Porch.