- Release year: 2018
- Director: Stephen Cognetti.
- Producers: Joe Bandelli.
- Screenplay by: Stephen Cognetti.
- Cinematography by: Joe Schufreider.
Synopsis: lured by the possibility of uncovering a cult, a group of reporters enters the haunted Abaddon Hotel.
Shotgun Commentary: intense horror film with very little space for breathing.
Review
Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel is the first sequel of the Hell House LLC franchise. It picks up the story a few years after the events of the first instalment, following the life of the only survivor of the tragedy.
A delicate story
The feature begins with a series of stories. All of them about people who have been inside the hotel since the massacre of the first movie, none of them ever making it out. This serves as an introduction to a TV morning show featuring a sceptic, a medium, and the only survivor of the first film: Mitchell Cavanaugh (Vas Eli). Then, you are introduced to a small team of plucky reporters… or rather, one plucky reporter and her two minions.
The trio hold on to the flimsiest of reasons to go to the abandoned hotel to investigate its alleged cult-related origins. Plus, in order to do that, they enlist Mitchell to help. Why? Because he knows the layout of the hotel. Essentially, they get a person who’s never been inside the hotel, to guide them. Supposedly, because he’s watched all the videos so many times that he already knows the layout… The videos that are actually public for anyone to watch, so… is his presence really necessary? Not really, no. But it does save them a few hours of research and mapping.
In addition to these four characters, the medium from the TV show and his own cameraman also join the incursion into haunted land. These two have the most iconic stay at the hotel by far. Their scene being the one with the best set-up and the best jump scare of the film. Unsurprisingly, the main team’s adventure somewhat pales in comparison. Not so much for lack of intensity, but due to the length difference.
You see, despite being the most consistent in terms of tension, it does have a few moments where the characters are merely performing repetitive tasks while you obsessively observe the background in case something moves. As a result, it can get a little tedious. That being said, this is arguably the most stressful stay at the Abaddon of the whole franchise so far, so there is nothing to be ashamed of in this regard.
Everybody talks
The film also presents a brand new supernatural ability: hacking… If you thought Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) was oh so original for introducing voice manipulation into their comms, think again. The ghosts at the Abaddon hotel did it first. Additionally, they also repeat some of Hell House LLC’s (2015) highlights, along with a few new additions that keep the content fresh.
In terms of performance, the cast is quite good. In fact, both the first and second instalments are among the best acted found-footage horror films ever made. They are relatable, mostly reasonable in their decisions, and overall likeable in their averageness. The aforementioned “plucky reporter”, Jessica Fox (Jillian Geurts) carries the most emotional weight of the story. She is kinda like Starlight (The Boys, 2019–) if she had become a reporter instead of a superhero. Geurts’ acting is on point, making her a respectable final girl.
All in all, Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel is a pretty decent second part. It manages to keep up the horror, bring new elements to the table, and scare the bejesus out of you. So overall, there are no notes. Much like the other films in the saga, you can find this movie in SHUDDER, and it is best watched in complete darkness.
Advice to take from this movie:
- If someone asks you to accompany them to a haunted house, the answer is no.
- If a creepy hitchhiker asks you to take them to a creepy place, and you are worried that they might get hurt in there, CALL THE POLICE.
- Never trust a psychotic ghost’ word.
What’s your take? Have you watched Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀