When you think of a movie that is so bad it's good what do you think of? Troll 2? The Room? Pieces? A large portion of Troma's library? Well... Its time to add The Executioner Part 2 to that list.
Director James Bryan (Lady Streetfighter, Don't Go In The Woods) delivers this action/exploitation film about a Vietnam vet who is fed up with the crime in his neighborhood and takes action to fix it. This is a story we saw throughout the reign of the drive-in and gritty grindhouse theater. It is violent, obscene and tries its hardest to be nasty. It just never reaches the level of "nasty". It is an obvious cash in on more than a couple movies of its time. It has a pretty hilarious Rambo monologue scene ripoff and countless scenes of violence that are done far more effectively in hundreds of other movies. The charm of this movie comes in its entire package. You'll recognize almost everything that happens from one place or another. Even if you can't put your finger on where it came from you'll know it.
The Executioner Part II sounds like a sequel, right? Well, there is no part 1. That's right, this movie is titled 'Part 2' for a reason, but not because it is a sequel. Don't ask me why, because I have no idea. It is just one of the reasons it has such an entertaining charm to it. Actors voices change in the middle of sentences, laughably underacted scenes, surprisingly overacted scenes... you name it. Its fun. I'd be willing to bet all of my worldly possessions it wasn't meant to have this charm but it does.
The poster shows what would have made this move and instant cult classic, laser guns, exploding helicopters, an entire city on fire in the background... As it is this is a movie that seems to be (very) slowly building it's place in history as a cult classic for being so bad its good.
Just don't forget the beers.
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