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* 1/2 STARS

At the end of 2006 Quentin Tarantino was quoted as saying that last years re-make of “The Hills Have Eyes” was a sick and twisted film with balls. Us both being horror movie fans, we agree that it was one of the best films of the year. So when a sequel was announced early this past summer I was instantly anxious. But even then I had my reservations, 2007’s “Hills” was a fluke of nasty proportions. “The Hills Have Eyes 2″ has some familiar horror movie plot devices (”Aliens” marine squad) and set ups (”The Descent”) but it lacked the ugly, mean edge last years “The Hills Have Eyes” had.

When I call a modern horror classic like “The Hills Have Eyes” ugly what I mean is the tone. Last years “Eyes” was gross and sick, but in a good way. “The Hills Have Eyes” was relentless and had no compassion for it’s tortured subjects. This year the characters are more cookie cutter and stereotypically generic. The 2007 version was miles ahead of the version that came out in the late 70’s. The whole “macho marine” routine in this film is tired, and the actors in this wreck are not convincing as enlisted soldiers. None of the normal tricks work in this film, the set up, chase and ultimate demise offer no pay off in the end. Last year I rooted for the unlucky family, this year I rooted for the blood thirsty mutants.

It is obvious by the weak reception of this movie last weekend that we won’t be seeing a “Hills Have Eyes 3″. I have high hopes for a few horror movie sequels coming out some time this year; “Hostel 2″, “28 Weeks Later” and “Day of the Dead”. My hope is that they do not follow in the foot steps of recent crappy slasher films; “Dead Silence”, “Saw 3″ and “The Hills Have Eyes 2″. The odds are against the horror movie genre to put out decent, entertaining and believable films. This movie is just another example of a wasted franchise that has gone too “Hollywood”.