Le Fear II: Le Sequel

Following on directly from the original Le Fear, this film industry spoof sees sleazy producer Carlos (actual producer Kyri Saphiris) convincing another starry eyed investor to part with money in a deal which, Producers-style, would probably lead to more trouble if everything went as promised - but there's no danger of that here. Where its predecessor took place in a studio of sorts, this one uses the default of many a desperate low budget filmmaker, chaotic outside broadcast work. The only planned interior location is a caravan, which also serves as the production office - and as a venue for the various fights, seductions and mutinies of the cast and crew.

The hook this time around is that a large part of the team is Nigerian, shipped in from Nollywood to give the production some star quality. Some of the jokes aimed at the Nigerian industry are spot on, if one focuses on the worst of its output, but overall this plays rather awkwardly, as no-one involved with Le Fear II has any visible connection to that industry. The result is comedy that feels lazy, mocking an easy target by stating the obvious. Those to whom these jokes don't feel familiar will struggle to identify them as jokes at all.

Although there is quite a bit more happening here than in the previous film, and a clearer story emerges, scenes often feel disconnected from one another and several are extraneous. With no noteworthy performances, there are too many characters for us to really get to know or care about any of them. Also problematic is that it doesn't become clear until close to the end quite what Carlos is aiming for with his film. This means we don't get a sense of what's at stake. If, ultimately, any old thing will do, he has nothing to lose, and the other characters give no impression that they really have better things to do. This deprives the film of tension and leaves it feeling rather flat.

Ultimately this is a film that will be a lot funnier to people who have themselves worked on low budget productions than it is to the average viewer, which leaves it with a rather restricted audience. With a plethora of films about filmmaking already out there, the next sequel, already in the works, will need a stronger voice of its own if it is to extend its appeal.