Psycho 2 (1983) Review Worth Watching?- ALL HORROR

It’s about the life of Norman Bates after he’s released from the loony bin 22 years after being locked up at the end of the original Psycho from 1960.

Psycho II was directed by Richard Franklin (who also directed Visitors, Roadgames and Patrick) and stars Anthony Perkins (from Psycho, Psycho III, Psycho IV: The Beginning), Vera Miles (from The Initiation, Brainwaves, The Spirit is Willing) and Meg Tilly (from Antibirth, One Dark Night).

It's 22 years later

I just finished re-watching the original Psycho in preparation for this series review. I wanted to have Alfred Hitchock’s masterpiece fresh in my mind before watching the 3 sequels and the remake. And although I looked forward to watching the full series, which I’ve been meaning to for years, I wasn’t expecting anything to compare to the legendary original.

With that being said, I think Psycho 2 is way better than the original.

Yeah, yeah, I know. Hitchcock is The Master of Suspense. I get that. BUT, as a stand-alone movie, the sequel is superior.

The original Psycho was phenomenal for its time. Before playing Norman Bates, Anthony Perkins was known for playing wholesome lovable characters. Then all of a sudden, he’s a cross dressing serial killer with a split personality. That topped with Hitchcock’s directorial talents made the movie exciting. So, I get its timeless appeal.

But the sequel is better.

Psycho 2 is the ultimate 80’s murder mystery. It gives you multiple suspects, unexpected plot twists, fantastic character depth and loads of atmosphere. It came out during the dawn of modern slashers so there’s plenty of blood as well. The practical effects were pretty bad, but not so bad that it pulls you out of the movie.

I haven’t worked through the rest of the series yet, but I couldn’t imagine either of the two sequels or the remake being better than Psycho 2. I’ll probably watch this one again.

Worth Watching?

Definitely. Psycho 2 is one of the rare cases where the sequel is better than the original. Even if you think I’m crazy, I know a lot of people out there consider this to at least be near par with the original. Can’t say that about many sequels of legendary films.