Sometimes sequels are not all they are cracked up to be and not even a giant alligator can save them. Such is the case with Alligator II: The Mutation, sequel to Alligator which was released in 1980. Why eleven years had to pass before a second movie materialized is a question that will most likely never be answered, especially as the first film was left open for that very possibility. Suffice it to say, The Mutation finally made its way to viewers and to say it was disappointing is the least that one could speak about in reference to this motion picture.

Instead of getting a brand new movie that would pick up on the plot threads of the first film or perhaps even feature a character or two, the filmmakers decided to retread every step the first picture made which was more of a cheat than anything else. Where the first film was a lot of fun and gave the audience a good story with some special effects and acting that were better than the average creature feature, the second was just more of the same, just a little poorer in the quality department. It was still better than say, the typical Roger Corman film, but overall it was like watching the same movie from 1980 which made this essentially redundant.  Sure, a little was changed come the end of it, but there was not enough to justify sitting through the first two acts to get to that conclusion.

Joseph Bologna and Dee Wallace who starred were all right, as was Brock Peters and the alligator looked fine, but this was all done before and done better. If you saw the first film, there is absolutely no need to see this one.

2 out of 5