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Piranha II: The Spawning
1982 94 min Italy, Netherlands, United States of America R 18+
★3.6
Horror
Director: James Cameron, Ovidio G. Assonitis, Miller Drake
Trailers
Description
A scuba diving instructor, her biochemist boyfriend, and her police chief ex-husband try to link a series of bizarre deaths to a mutant strain of piranha fish whose lair is a sunken freighter ship off a Caribbean island resort.
Budget:
$145,786
Starring
Tricia O'Neil
Actor
Steve Marachuk
Actor
Lance Henriksen
Actor
Awards
1 nomination
Key opinion
Piranha II: The Spawning is widely regarded as a flawed, low-budget horror entry, though opinions vary on whether it serves as an interesting historical artifact of James Cameron’s early career. While most critics deride the script and the absurd concept of flying fish, some find value in the underwater cinematography and the early screen presence of Lance Henriksen.
| Originality | The absurd premise of flying piranhas fails to generate genuine horror, rendering the creatures more comical than terrifying. | |
| Acting | Lance Henriksen provides a steady and notable performance that stands out against the otherwise unremarkable or weak cast. | |
| Cinematography | The underwater cinematography exhibits a technical clarity and atmospheric tension that hints at Cameron's future directorial prowess. | |
| Screenplay | The script is criticized for its narrative incoherence, lack of logic, and failure to establish a meaningful connection to the original film. | |
| Accessibility | Opinions on the film's value are divided: some view it as unredeemable trash, while others see it as a curiosity for genre fans or followers of Cameron's filmography. | |
| Editing | The erratic editing, caused by the conflict between Cameron and producer Ovidio G. Assonitis, leaves the film feeling disjointed and poorly paced. |